Museums Library
North Carolina

Browse Museums

Airborne and Special Operations Museum
Fayetteville, North Carolina

History, Library, Military, Specialized

Designed by Michael West of the architectural firm of Calloway, Johnson, Moore & West in Winston-Salem, NC, the dramatic 59,000 square-foot building is highlighted by the 5,000 square-foot, five-story high open lobby area. The lobby exhibit is accented by natural light from the glass walls and surrounding high mounted windows. The lobby exhibit features two fully deployed parachutes, a WWII era T-5 round chute and a modern MC-4 square chute. The round parachute represents the origins of airborne forces, and the integration of airborne forces into conventional warfare. The square parachute represents the cutting edge of modern special operations, and the unconventional warfare they continue to engage in.

Cameron Art Museum
Wilmington, North Carolina

Art, Culture, History, Library, Military, Park

Cameron Art Museum located in Wilmington, North Carolina occupies a 42,000 square foot facility designed in 2002 by the renowned architectural firm of Gwathmey Siegel & Associates (NYC). The museum is sited on 9.3 acre Pyramid Park, features long-leaf pine woodlands, outdoor sculptures, nature trails, an historic Civil War site and Clay Studio housed in the Pancoe Art Education Center. The main museum building includes two exhibition areas, the Weyerhaeuser lecture and reception hall, a full service museum cafe known as Café Johnnie, museum gift shop and free parking.

Charlotte Museum of History and Hezekiah Alexander Homesite
Charlotte, North Carolina

Children's, Culture, General, History, Historic House, Library, Park

Located on a beautiful 8 acre park-like setting, the Charlotte Museum of History has been called "the most entertaining one-stop, two-hour history lesson in the Piedmont." The museum offers a comprehensive look at life in the Charlotte region from the Revoultionary War times to the present. Four galleries lead visitors from the early settlement days to the first U.S. gold rush, to the dark days of slavery, the Civil War and the rise of textiles and banking. The museum includes changing exhibits and hands-on learning for children as well.

Joel Lane Museum House
Raleigh, North Carolina

Culture, General, History, Historic House, Library

Joel Lane built his home in the early 1770’s in what was a very rural part of North Carolina. He is called “The Father of Raleigh” because he facilitated the location of North Carolina’s capital city on his land in 1792. His faithfully-restored plantation manor was once deemed “The Best House for 100 Miles.” A visit to this important historic site will transport you back in time. The site includes Joel Lane's stately "plantation manor house," a circa 1790 middle class dwelling, and an 1840s school room or office used as the Visitors Center housing the museum shop and offices. The gardens feature a neo-colonial formal city garden and a formal herb garden.

May Museum and Park
Farmville, North Carolina

Culture, History, Historic House, Library, Military, Park

Named for one of Pitt County's colonial families. Site and artifacts here bequeathed to town of Farmville by May family descendent Tabitha Marie DeVisconti.

North Carolina Museum of History
Raleigh, North Carolina

Children's, General, History, Library, Natural History

Explore more than 14,000 years of North Carolina history, from the state's earliest inhabitants through the 20th century. The major exhibition The Story of North Carolina features fascinating artifacts, multimedia presentations, and an interactive format for all ages. Other museum exhibits highlight the state's military history, sports heroes, decorative arts and more. Monthly programs include children's programs, craft demonstrations and family events with things to do for all ages. The Museum Shop, featuring North Carolina crafts, and the on-site restaurant Pharaoh?s @ the Museum are open daily.

Poplar Grove Plantation
Wilmington, North Carolina

Botanical Garden, Culture, General, History, Historic House, Historical Society, Library, Park

Just a few minutes north of Wilmington, North Carolina, Poplar Grove offers a wonderful experience for families, with plenty to see and do. Tour the big house and tenant farmer's cabin, spend some time visiting the craft shops and learn about basket making and weaving, and the blacksmith's shop - find out why nails were so precious.

Swannanoa Valley Museum
Black Mountain, North Carolina

Archaeology, Children's, Culture, General, History, Historic House, Historical Society, Library, Military, Specialized

We offer hikes, tours, and daycations weekly. Visit www.swannanoavalleymuseum.org/events for more information.

The History Place / Carteret County Historical Society
Morehead City, North Carolina

Art, History, Historical Society, Library

The History Place captures the past of Carteret County through exhibits, displays, programs and publications. Artifacts date to the 1700's. Exhibit gallery, research library, museum store, auditorium, banquet room, conference room and tea room on site.

Ayr Mount - Historic Site
Hillsborough, North Carolina

Culture, History, Historic House, Historical Society, Library, Park

Ayr Mount is a hidden gem located off the Old Indian Trading Path. Home to merchant William Kirkland of Ayr, Scotland, this 1815 house was restored in 1985 to its original splendor. Now furnished with museum quality period pieces including Duncan Phyfe, Charles-Honoré Lannuier and Waterford, plus portraits by Ezra Ames, Jacob Marling and Matthew Jouett. A guided tour reveals family stories, area history, and the extraordinary architecture. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is surrounded by 265 tranquil acres along the banks of the Eno River. Owned by Classical American Homes Preservation Trust, this is an enjoyable visit for all.

Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum
Gibsonville, North Carolina

Culture, History, Historic House, Library, Specialized

The Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum commemorates the work of Dr. Brown and exposes visitors to life in the 1900s. The Museum provides an opportunity to learn about North Carolina's history with an emphasis on the education of African Americans. Visitors explore the benefits and challenges associated with education during the times of segregation. Most importantly, the Museum depicts the evolution of the school Dr. Brown founded, Palmer Memorial Institute, from an agriculturally-based education to one of academic rigor.

Cherryville Historical Museum
Cherryville, North Carolina

Art, Children's, General, History, Historic House, Historical Society, Library

This building was built in 1911 on to an already standing wall with the Bull Durham add on it. We have uncovered part of the Bull Durham add and hope to do more in the future. In this first room we have the original 1921 LaFrance Fire Truck purchased by the City of Cherryville. On the wall behind the truck you see a 9 x 10 foot wall hanging of this building with the fire truck and the firemen at that time.

Lincoln County Museum of History
Lincolnton, North Carolina

History, Historical Society, Library

The Lincoln County Historical Association and Lincoln County Museum of History is the Lincolnton and Lincoln County only professionally-operated museum, and continues to the serve a larger audience of genealogists, businesses, history buffs, and preservationists with an experienced and dedicated staff and committed group of volunteers. The Association and museum has broadened its scope of services with a new website www.LincolnCountyHistory.com, new programs, preservation projects, and publications. The Association plans to restore the former Eureka Manufacturing Company Cotton Mill as the new Lincoln County Museum of History and further expand our capabilities and services.

North Carolina Collection Gallery
Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Art, Culture, History, Library, Natural History, University

A public service of the North Carolina Collection, the Gallery is located on the second floor of the Louis Round Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Gallery, which opened in December, 1989, is part of a long history at UNC of utilizing museum objects as educational tools. Over two centuries ago, in 1795, the university's board of trustees appointed the school's first "keeper of the museum," Charles Wilson Harris. Harris was a native of Cabarrus County, N.C., and recent graduate of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton). As keeper, he began to assemble at UNC a collection of artifacts and natural-history specimens, displaying them in his "cabinet of curios" for students and visitors to the small, new campus.

Orange County Historical Museum
Hillsborough, North Carolina

Anthropology, Archaeology, Art, Cemetery, Children's, Church, Culture, General, History, Historic House

The Orange County Historical Museum is located in downtown Historic Hillsborough, one of the early capital cities of North Carolina. The community is steeped in history, from the early Native Americans, the Occaneechi, to the hanging of the Regulators apprehended during the Battle of Alamance, a prelude engagement to the American Revolution. Soldiers from the British Army to Confederate soldiers of the American Civil War have marched through the streets of this quaint town. The Orange County Historical Museum captures many of these spledid stories through more than 1,500 artifacts and exhibits. The museum is located just down the street from the home of William Hooper, a signer of the Declaration of Independence for North Carolina.

Senator Sam J. Ervin Jr., Library and Museum
Morganton, North Carolina

Culture, History, Library, University

Housed in the Phifer Learning Resources Center Library at Western Piedmont Community College, the goal of the Senator Sam J. Ervin, Jr. Library and Museum is to provide scholars and students with a wide range of resource information concerning the life of Senator Ervin, the United States Constitution, Constitutional and political history with emphasis on the Watergate era, and U.S. and North Carolina legal and general history. Included as part of the Library/Museum is an exact replica of the Senator'r Morganton home library. In addition, the Dr. Jean Conyers Ervin Mark Twain Collection is also part of the Ervin Library.

The Cape Fear Botantical Garden
Fayetteville, North Carolina

Botanical Garden, Library, Nature Centers, Science

The Garden encompasses 77 acres of pine and hardwood forest, and boasts meticulously preserved natural areas of the region's indigenous plants, trees and wildlife. The cultivated garden areas showcase more than 2,000 varieties of ornamental plants, and include our renowned Daylily, Camellia and Hosta gardens. The River Walk, Heritage Garden, Children's Garden, and PWC Water Wise Garden provide unique educational experiences for young and old alike.

World Methodist Museum
Lake Junaluska, North Carolina

Art, Botanical Garden, Church, History, Library

The world's largest collection of Wesleyan Staffordshire pottery; beautiful windows depicting Jesus Christ and John Wesley; portraits of early founders of Methodism; and a library containing rare books, manuscripts, and autographs, all provide inspiration from our past. Ten portraits by Frank O. Salisbury hang in the museum and a very rare parian figure of John Wesley at his mother's tomb is on exhibit.

MUSEUM CONFERENCES

Public Lands Alliance 2025 Convention and Trade Show

February 2 - 6, 2025

Las Vegas, Nevada

Public Lands Alliance 2025 Convention and Trade Show

Sunday, February 2 - Thursday, February 6, 2025

Westgate Las Vegas

Las Vegas, Nevada

Hosted by: Public Lands Alliance

The Public Lands Alliance Convention and Trade Show brings together nonprofits, land management agencies and companies to learn, network and engage on public lands issues. The 2025 Convention and Trade Show will take place Sunday, February 2 - Thursday, February 6, 2025 in Las Vegas, NV

Connect with peers, explore the latest in public lands products, and return inspired with new strategies and resources for success in conservation and visitor engagement

Our annual Convention and Trade Show (PLA) is the premier gathering for leaders in the public lands sector to network, gain essential tools, and explore products that enhance the visitor experience and support conservation, preservation, and enrichment efforts.

For more information, please call 301-946-9475.

Georgia Association of Museums 2025 Conference

February 5 - 7, 2025

Milledgeville, Georgia

Georgia Association of Museums 2025 Conference

Wednesday, February 5 - Friday, February 7, 2025

Ina Dillard Russell Library Georgia College & State University

Milledgeville, Georgia

Hosted by: Georgia Association of Museums

The Whole Story Is The Meanin

“For the fiction writer himself the whole story is the meaning, because it is an experience, not an abstraction.”― Flannery O'Connor, Mystery and Manners: Occasional Pros

Join us in Milledgeville, Georgia, for the annual Georgia Association of Museums conference as we explore the profound wisdom of Milledgeville author Flannery O'Connor’s words. In a world where narratives intersect and perspectives diverge, this theme invites proposals that delve into the essence of storytelling within museums and cultural institutions. Our work in the museum field requires us to look at stories from as many angles and perspectives as possible so that we might do our best to tell the “whole story.

Through thought-provoking discussions, interactive workshops, and engaging presentations, we will uncover the layers of meaning embedded within every artifact, exhibition, and historical account. Just as O’Connor masterfully crafted narratives that resonate with universal truths, museums hold the power to illuminate the whole story behind many objects, artworks, and cultural phenomena

We will examine how museums can embrace inclusivity, diversity, and authenticity in their storytelling practices. By acknowledging multiple perspectives and amplifying marginalized voices, we can enrich our understanding of the past and present, fostering empathy and connection within our communities.

Small Museum Association 41st Annual Conference 2025

February 17 - 19, 2025

Gaithersburg, Maryland

Small Museum Association 41st Annual Conference 2025

Monday, February 17 - Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center

Gaithersburg, Maryland

Hosted by: Small Museum Association

The annual SMA conference attracts more than 300 museum professionals, board members, and volunteers from a wide variety of small museums. They attend sessions on topics ranging from collections and education to staffing and board issues.

We offer a large Museum Resource Hall and plenty of informal networking opportunities for you to talk with (and get ideas from!) other small museum professionals and volunteers

Theme for 2025: Make It Happen!!!

Is there an exhibit, program, or fundraiser that you've been talking about doing for years? Do you feel stuck because of procrastination, lack of board support, or insufficient funds? It's time to take action

At SMA 2025, small museum professionals will share their tips and tricks of how they made it happen!

2025 California Association of Museums Conference

February 18 - 22, 2025

San Fransico, California

2025 California Association of Museums Conference

Tuesday, February 18 - Saturday, February 22, 2025

San Fransico, California

Hosted by: California Association of Museums

CAM is hard at work planning for the 2025 conference, set to take place from February 18–22, 2025 in San Francisco. We look forward to highlighting best practices and innovative ideas from California's museum community

The California Association of Museums is excited to continue offering in-person programming for 2025. We will not be requiring proof of COVID vaccination/s, but highly encourage vaccination and boosters. For the health and safety of our colleagues, masks are also encouraged (but not required). Capacity and spaces will be thoughtfully considered in the planning of this event.

For more information, please email programs@calmuseums.org.

2025 Tennessee Association of Museums Conference: HOPE

March 11 - 14, 2025

Knoxville, Tennessee

2025 Tennessee Association of Museums Conference: HOPE

Tuesday, March 11 - Friday, March 14, 2025

Crowne Plaza hotel in Knoxville, TN

Knoxville, Tennessee

Hosted by: Tennessee Association of Museums

Tennessee museums are full of hope. But how are they turning hope into reality

With the Semiquincentennial quickly approaching in 2026, the state's museum community if approaching a turning point, and is now a great time to take stock and develop a vision for the future

The Tennessee Association of Museums' 64th Annual Conference in Knoxville will challenge the state's museums to think ahead and share their hopes, the best practices and strategies for turning those hoes into realities, and the rewards that come from aspirational thinking

The 2025 TAM Annual Conference will take place at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Knoxville, TN.

For more information, please call 615-495-3354 or email hawkins@aaslh.org.

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RECENT UPDATES

Museums

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Jupiter, Florida

12/20 Museum of Science & History

Jacksonville, Florida

12/20 Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center

Naples, Florida

12/20 Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum

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12/20 HistoryMiami

Miami, Florida

Museum Vendors

11/19 Digiscura

Encino, California

Museum Associations

12/20 Florida Association of Museums

Tallahassee, Florida

12/18 Museum Store Association

Washington, District of Columbia

12/17 Nebraska Museums Association

Lincoln, Nebraska