North Carolina Museum of History, 5 East Edenton Street in Raleigh, is free to visit. It’s open every day, with the following exceptions:
Closed New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
Events at North Carolina Museum of History
Check out the complete event calendar.
Storyteller Donna Washington
Sunday, September 10, 2023
3 p.m.
Free, but tickets are required; seating on a first-come, first-served basis
Get ready to laugh out loud, play with language, and enjoy some great stories! Join Donna Washington as she shares an array of entertaining stories drawn from her repertoire of traditional African American folktales, classic fables, and humorous Jack tales. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear these iconic stories presented by a master storyteller.
Washington is an internationally known, multi-award-winning storyteller, spoken-word recording artist, and author. A highly animated performer, she has been entertaining, educating, and inspiring audiences for over 30 years with her vocal pyrotechnics, elastic face, and deep characterizations that bring folklore, literary tales, and personal narratives to life.
Following the storytelling session, Washington will sign copies of her children’s books, including her newest release Prak Fills the House, a retelling of the classic “Three Little Pigs” story. Complimentary copies of Prak Fills the House will be given away to 10 families in attendance at the program.
Weaving Wednesdays
Most Wednesdays, through October 11, 2023
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Free
Craftspeople will be demonstrating the crafts of hand-weaving and spinning. Listen to their stories and talk with them about their works in progress.
History at Home
For those who need to explore from home, or who would like to supplement their visit to the Museum, there is History at Home, a collection of online resources for anyone interested in experiencing the North Carolina Museum of History digitally.
Some of History at Home:
- Digital tours of exhibits
- Videos on demand bring history to life through conversations with historians across North Carolina
- At-Home Learning Packets include background information, articles, videos, and activities which meet North Carolina Social Studies and English/Language Arts standards on topics in North Carolina history. These at-home packets are designed for individual student use at home.
- Coloring pages from artifacts from the collections
- Bits of History podcasts cover a wide range of subjects related to North Carolina’s history and culture
- A Storied Past: North Carolina’s African American History is a video series that offer you a closer view of the American story shaped in North Carolina
- Carolina Cover to Cover is a resource for students in Kindergarten through third grade
- Collections: search for the museum’s artifacts in the collections
- Blog: Discovery how drastically things have changed (or haven’t) in North Carolina, and learn about lesser-known figures and events from North Carolina
You can find all of the above on the History at Home page.
Current Exhibits
- The Power of Women in Country Music (ticketed)
- North Carolina A to Z
- Are We There Yet? North Carolina’s Variety Vacationland, 1930s to 1970s
- Answering the Call: Experiences of North Carolina’s Military Veterans, 1898-1945
- The Story of North Carolina
- 1920s Drugstore
- North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame
- History in Every Direction: Tar Heel Junior Historian Discovery Gallery
- History of the Harvest
- David Marshall “Carbine” Williams
- Meet the Statues
