Downtown New Bern is home to The Pepsi Store, otherwise known as the Birthplace of Pepsi Cola. The…read morestore is located where, back in 1893, Caleb Bradham developed "Brad's Drink." Brad's Drink was created as a digestive aid containing pepsin and kola nuts. It was renamed Pepsi-Cola in 1898. Today, the Pepsi Store is a soda fountain, a museum and a gift shop. Caleb Bradham's original pharmacy was a wooden building that burned down before he died in the 1930s. A new brick building was constructed after the fire. The museum is in both the soda fountain side of the store and the gift shop section, too. You can read about the history and see the original fountain tools, Pepsi bottles, advertising, and antique collectibles. The walls and pillars have a lot of detailed signage. I didn't try anything at the Soda Fountain as I don't like Pepsi, but I kind of regret not getting a float. I think it would have been fun to sit at the fountain. But I was too busy reading about the history. Apparel was a big item in the gift shop; they had had socks, t-shirts, sweatshirts and even baby bibs. Tumblers, books, puzzles, stuffed toys, key chains, magnets, decals, signs and stationery (greeting cards and postcards). Restrooms were also available inside, which is a great convenience for those walking around downtown. I got to see Bradham's house on the New Bern Trolley tour, the Slover-Bradham House. It was built in 1848 and is a beautiful Greek Revival mansion. Whether you are a fan of the drink or just a fan of North Carolina history, this is a must-stop in New Bern. You can go back in time and see where Pepsi began.

This is such a fun and unique spot, especially if you enjoy history, souvenirs, or anything…read morenostalgic. The store has a great selection of Pepsi merchandise, collectibles, apparel, and gifts, and it's neat knowing you're visiting the birthplace of such an iconic brand in New Bern, North Carolina. It's a cool little stop for both locals and visitors, and definitely worth checking out if you're in the area.

What great place to tour and staff was so nice.. once we paid and started tour the gentleman put a…read moreball up a tube that went into this cool artistic display of how a rain drop forms and the lifecycle.. it went into a cloud around room which simulated atmosphere and into rivers and big bodies of water it was cool. Then we sat in on 12 min film on estuaries.. then self guided tour .. for $5 it's worth price of admission . Lots of rooms to go thru.. live animals like snake , crab, alligator to see.. and you can walk outside on the deck see beauty of the waterfront area. Enjoyed my visit and highly recommend to anyone in area.

The North Carolina Estuarium is located in Downtown Washington, NC. It is the first estuarium in…read morethe world and focuses on the environment. The NC Estuarium offers ferry rides on the Tar and Pamlico Rivers at various times during the year. I really enjoy the rides as you might see some wildlife besides the plant life. The captain provide fun facts along the way too. The museum is 12,500 square foot and serves as an education center. It provides a great overview of the estuaries and coastal rivers which are an important part of the ecosystem where fresh water and salt water mix. 90% of NC seafood comes from estuaries. We need to keep these waterways clean. In the lobby the display is large and shows the different parts of North Carolina. The NC Esturium is part museum and part aquarium. The aquarium focuses just on estuary species. It has over 200 exhibits and a lot are hands on. The part about the hurricanes was informative and showed the damage done from the rising sea levels. I highly recommend visiting this unique museum.

I really enjoyed my visit to Tryon Palace! I learned a lot about the history of New Bern, which was…read morevery cool. This house is a very nice reconstruction, as the original one burned down. The guide was very knowledgeable, and they even had fake food set out in the dining room! The gardens were lovely, and you could wander in them for a while (we didn't, just because it was so hot). Definitely a reasonable price to pay for a 45-minute history lesson.

I enjoyed the history of this Palace and thought that the docent giving the tour was quite…read moreknowledgeable. The history was so interesting and I asked a lot questions as well - she didn't seem to kind! And I actually stumped bet on one of the equations. Make sure you walk around the grounds and the gardens as well. They have a pretend military camp based in 1774, so that was very interesting. Well worth it! If you are a senior make sure you ask for the discount - not advertised!

The NC Museum of Natural Sciences in Downtown Greenville has its own parking lot and parking is…read morefree. The historic Cuploa Building (1916) was renovated to become the museum and it is ADA accessible from a side entrance that has an elevator. I liked the design of the museum but I thought there'd be more exhibits. The Deep-Sea exhibit is where I started and enjoyed that. Then I saw a fish tank without any fish. There were some reptiles too; a large children's area; hands on areas for children; taxidermy and some minerals. Admission is free.

New address 226 W. 8th Street. Nice and new, clean. My grandson, 5 years, enjoys learning the…read moreocean and creating a race car, manatee hand puppet and "feed a manatee ". He did not want to go home. We recommend this fun museum, donations suggested.

The New Bern Firemen's Museum is a great place to stop to learn about New Bern's history and also…read morefirefighting history. Admission is $7 for adults and $4 for children. The museum is two stories and you get a guided tour. My tour lasted about 75 minutes but that could vary depending on interest level. There are vintage fire trucks so you can see how firefighting evolved. There are steamers; wagons; ladder trucks. I was impressed with how intricate these vehicles were for their time. The hoses also varied and some needed to hang to dry. The Atlantic and the Button Companies occupied the same space in the fire station. They each were given half the space and their own pole. The rivalry between the two stemmed from their competitions and equipment. New Bern had a devastating fire in two neighborhoods that destroyed a third of the city in 1922. Those that lost their homes lived in tent city at the cemetery. There is an exhibit of the town with different colors to mark the areas destroyed by the fires. I highly recommend visiting this museum if in the New Bern area.

I always enjoy a good firemen's museum when I'm visiting a different town. I have nothing but…read morerespect for the men and women who run in, when others run out. Most firemen's museums are run by volunteers who used to be firemen, so the stories that they can share will keep you entertained during your entire visit. This museum is very unique, because it is quite literally split right down the middle between two groups. I can't even begin to explain the backstory on that, but you'll be able to see it as soon as you walk in, and throughout the tour. The old fire engines are great to observe and admire, and I was even able to find a patch from my hometown fire department on the wall in the back. The museum is well worth the cost of admission.

Aurora Fossil Museum is located in Aurora, NC. The museum is in two buildings and there are three…read morefossil pits (two official and one left over from a festival) that you can dig. Admission is free for all of this. There is even a parking lot. Some of the fossils in the first building are local fossils that came from a nearby phosphate mine. But others are from all over the world. The other building across the street has mostly gems. The museum has a nice gift shop and restrooms if needed.

This is a very remote field trip, so plan accordingly. Bring food, bring water, and bring your…read moreenthusiasm....and if your knees are bad, a lawn chair. This place will appeal to the dinosaur enthusiast in all of us. YOU WILL find stuff....teeth, shells, occassional vertebrae. They get dirt drops 2 or 3 times a year from the local phosphorus mine. The mom and pop that set up this venture support their two museums with donations, so buy something at the shop or make a donation because this place needs to continue. Otherwise, the only cost is your time and patience. They are warm, friendly, and very knowledgeable, so bring your finds to them for id. Guaranteed, you will learn something. Parking is abundant and free, and bathrooms are available. You and your kids need to experience this place so come on to one of the neatest experiences in NC.

This beautiful building holds an interesting and important collection of New Bern's history. The…read morebuilding is well done, full of light, and always has clean bathrooms (because...ya know). The collections and displays inside hold some of the artifacts that have brought New Bern to its place in history today - make sure to walk around the outside of the building when you are done, great views of the Neuse River from their patio. The gift shop is top notch with everything from candy to decorative dishware, many of the items are created by local NC artists. The front desk staff was helpful, fun, and full of facts about the area - she suggested a great place to eat - Morgan's Tavern & Grill (see my review) - as a place where the locals eat. Great suggestion - we were not disappointed. Please bring your children and grandchildren to learn about New Bern and its important place in America's history.

The North Carolina Maritime Museum has free admission. You need to find parking somewhere in town…read moreas there is not a parking lot for visitors. It was really busy on my last visit likely because people were seeking the air conditioning. My main focus was to see the additions from the conservation lab in Greenville to the Queen Anne's Revenge exhibit. I know how long of a process it is to recover and preserve the remnants. Beaufort's location on the coast has a lot of history, besides learning about the pirates, you can learn about the shipwrecks and life-saving stations, lighthouses and the Fresnel lens, the Rachel Carson Reserve, commercial fishing, whales, surfing and other recreational activities. The museum does a great job showcasing the town's history with the interactive displays. They even have a scavenger hunt sheet for the children. The library was closed to the public on my visit. If you are in Beaufort or nearby, the museum is worth a visit.

A must visit when in Beaufort, super friendly staff and a wonderful place to learn about the area…read morefrom marine life to pirates. A scavenger hunt makes it interesting for the whole family, from kids to adults. Mr. Myers (front desk) was awesome and really made the visit fun & informative. The exhibits are well done, informative, and interesting for the whole family. Take some time to cool off, learn something, and enjoy some super clean restrooms. If all that is not enough to entice you, it is FREE !!!

What a charming history museum, complete with multiple air conditioned buildings, including the…read morecarriage house (with an iron lung) and a delightful medicinal garden. The educational and interesting guided tours begin on the hour and are lead by a professional guide. The museum is very well done--thank you East Carolina University. While it is called the Country Doctor Museum, a good portion of it is a tribute to the work and impact of nurses as well. Learn about the apothecary and unique stories about various artifacts in the museum. There are no opportunities for hands-on experiences and small children may not be the best guests. Seniors (over 55) get a discount. The gift shop has an variety of themed gifts for purchase. I took visitors from Illinois and they loved it. I'll bring other guests who visit Eastern NC.

The Country Doctor Museum has been updated since my prior visits. Admission is $8 and your tour…read morestarts in the gift shop building which also has a library and some medical artifacts. Guided tours run on the hour and you will get to see the building that was a country doctor's office, a medicinal herb garden is behind this building, then the last building is where the carriages, old vehicles and the iron lung are located. You will see how medicines were made with herbs and how the pills were cut. They used what was available. There is a room with surgery tools and prosthetics. The tools used changed over the years and they learned that hot water prevented some infections from developing. The newest addition is a sick room. This room shows what it was like if you were sick and isolated. The room also has a lot to read and see of how health care has evolved. Vaccines are much more recents that I realized. The last building showcases the carriages and some Ford vehicles. There are some doctors bags to see as well. The iron lung gives a visual to imagine what that would have been like to be inside. Even though I have visited this museum a few times, I learn something new every time. They also keep updating the museum and adding new artifacts. The gift shop is also a great place to find some unique gifts.