The Museum of Durham History showed me just how much people in that area know about where they came…read morefrom and pride themselves of it. I was in awe of how much people there don't really leave, unless it's for higher education. It's a very small, but quaint museum in what appears to dtwn Durham. There was free parking adjacent to the building and I don't recall having to pay for an admission. You're greeted upon site and I felt like it was very welcoming. There is a TON of information packed into this small place. I would definitely put this site on my list of places to visit.

It's small but informative. I liked the computer system of chronological history and the…read moreinformation tab within. There was a lot of immersive information. Then you walk outside for more history. It was really cool and it's free. They do accept donations.

This museum is at the same location as the one hour train ride you can take. They have many cars to…read moreview and a gift shop to browse. I recommend going when it's not as hot out to stay longer. All the employees are so nice and friendly and they all volunteer. It's a nice activity with kids.

The North Carolina Railroad Museum is part of the New Hope Valley Train and only open on ride days…read more You can stop in and visit the museum before or after your train ride. This museum is a little different than traditional museums as it is in old railway cars. One of the museum railway cars is a post office and baggage car from 1922 that has been fully restored. Another was a USO car. If you enjoy trains and their history, the volunteers here will share their knowledge with you.

The Ava Gardner Museum is a large museum located in Downtown Smithfield. It is 6,400 square feet…read moreand is dedicated to showcasing the hometown legend of Ava Gardner. I've visited the museum many times as I enjoy learning about Ava and seeing the new exhibits at the museum. There is a large parking lot behind the museum and even some spots near her mural to park for free. Parking on the street is no longer allowed, as a lot of vehicles were getting hit. But the parking is still very close by. When you arrive at the museum, you will be greeted. Admission was $14 on my visit, but they do offer military, senior and educator discounts. Your visit starts with a video of Ava's life to give you an introduction. It runs about 18 minutes, and there are many seats to pick from. The video helps tie all the exhibits together. From there, you can start exploring the museum and learn about Ava's humble beginnings. You will learn how she became an actress and star, see the dresses she wore, and learn about her three marriages to Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw and Frank Sinatra. The museum contains lots of poster boards to read, filled with information, many personal and film mementos, you can watch her films, look at her personal library, and see art that an artist created of her. He put "Easter eggs" into the paintings for you to find. I highly recommend visiting the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield, NC. Make sure to stop in the gift shop for some mementos and other items.

Sarah is such a wonderful and welcoming docent! What a…read moredelight it was to finally make it to this wonderful museum! I've passed by the billboards so many times and today I'm so happy to check this off my wish list. It was wonderful to learn all about eva Gardner, who came from this very town and became one of Hollywood's biggest stars! I loved learning about her after Hollywood life living in Europe with her beloved corgis! So interesting to learn about the fellas that she married in the kind relationship that she had with them after parting ways. I really enjoyed seeing her amazing fashions, face-to-face! I really enjoyed seeing her personal items too! There is also a theater where you can watch a video that tells about her life and shows her living her life to the fullest! The gift shop was also filmed with many charming things! And all things were priced very reasonably. There was eva, Gardner, coffee, and soap! And of course, books, videos, and postcards! I also love the fan that could be used on hot days that featured her wonderful smile! I loved visiting here !!

I had never been to the Joel Lane House Museum so the Fourth of July Celebration was the perfect…read moretime. The museum offers free parking on St. Mary's Street and more parking in front of the house on West Hargett. Admission is usually charged but was free for this event as we were not given the official tour but received $4 off coupons to return for a tour. They provided Howling Cow ice cream and free lemonade too. So who was Joel Lane? Joel Lane is considering a Founding Father of North Carolina and Raleigh. He sold 1,000 acres of land to make Raleigh the State Capital. The Joel Lane Museum House is the oldest house in Raleigh and is older than Wake County. The decision to move North Carolina's Capital to Raleigh happened in the Joel Lane House. As they say "it was the room that it happened". Joel Lane was a slave holder of 43 adults and children. They are the ones who built the house and maintained the plantation, raising the livestock, cooking and caring for the Lane family. The museum provides a way for us to see how life would have been back then from the candles to the necessary to the toys they had to how they made yarn for clothing. The herb garden provided a method for medicine. The holiday event provided an overview but I am planning to return for a tour to learn more of the history and see all of the property.

I stumbled upon this gem of a history lesson by accident while walking to downtown from our Airbnb…read more Catherine gave my son and I a great tour and history of Raleigh. I'm a history buff and she was able to keep me interested in an area of the country I know little of. Always fun to learn local history. It's free and enjoyable.

The Randleigh Dairy Heritage Museum is just up the road from Howling Cow Creamery. Its hours are…read morelimited, so check before trying to visit. Tours of the campus and facilities are offered. I've taken both the walking tour and the tram tour. The museum honors William Rand Kenan, Jr. He was a UNC-Chapel Hill graduate and a North Carolina resident. He had a passion for dairy farming. So how did these cows end up at NC State and not UNC-Chapel Hill? In Kenan's will, he left his dairy farm, 78 Jersey cows, and an agriculture education endowment to the University of North Carolina System. The university system chose NC State as it had the College of Agriculture, pastures, and animal husbandry programs and students who could handle the cows. So NC State owned these cows and the farm in Lockport, NY and needed to transport them to Raleigh. Thankfully, the endowment was $2 million. This fund allowed for their care and dairy research. The museum came about in 2016 and officially opened in 2018. From the outside, it looks like a dairy barn. Inside, it is a hands-on museum with many storyboards as well. You can hear how cows "moo" in other parts of the world. You can learn how food moves through a cow's digestive track. You can try churning some butter. You can learn about Kenan and the cows, too. On this tour, I opted for the 30-minute tram tour, where you can see the cows from a distance, the new arrivals, the fields where their food is grown, and the milking bar from the tram. It gave a good overview without needing the biohazard gear. Corn, Hay and Sorghum Fields grow their food. There is a grain mill on site. Animal nutrition students ensure that the cows have a scientifically formulated diet with vitamins and nutrients so they remain healthy and produce the ultra-rich milk that makes the ice cream so good. The butterfat is used for the Howling Cow ice cream, the milk is distributed for on campus dining and markets, and the surplus goes to the state hospitals and prisons. Howling Cow Creamery opened in 2020 and made this agritourism possible. Kenan's legacy is in every bite of Howling Cow ice cream. If you get an opportunity to check out this mostly-student-run operation, I highly recommend it.

The Henderson County Heritage Museum is located inside the Historic Henderson County Courthouse in…read moredowntown Hendersonville, NC. The building was constructed in 1904 and is a classic revival style. Admission to the museum is free, but they do collect donations. I only explored the first level of the building, but there may be more exhibits on the upper floors. More signage would be helpful. The museum covers local history and military history. They have artifacts and uniforms of all the wars. One room is dedicated to the area's railroad history. The model trains were not working when I was there, though. There is a memorial to "Big Jim", the world's largest pig. Back in 1941, the pig weighed 2415 pounds and was four feet 8 inches tall and ten feet 8 inches long. If you are in Downtown Hendersonville, this museum is worth a visit. There is a small gift shop as well.

Cute museum that was very clean and had a inviting staff plus nice restrooms! The information they…read morehad displayed was great and my whole family enjoyed it. It's free and a nice change from the shopping on main st.

This small but vital part of the community is a celebration of black contributions in American…read morehistory and at the center is the dedicated work of Dr Martin Luther King Jr. With his statue, fountain with etched in names of local leaders and bricks of influential blacks in entertainment, politics and community affairs, there is so much to see in such little space. If you are in the area, stop by.

The highlight of this memorial is the life-size statue of Dr. King. It is nice that it is set at…read moreground level, making him seem one of us and approachable. The garden portion is rather small and kind of disappointing. There is an interesting fountain, and some nice plantings around the statue and immediate area, but you can see everything in minutes, rather than hours. There is some off-street parking.

The city is known for Duke university, but I discovered this lesser known college and its art…read moremuseum. It's only a couple of miles from Duke's ostentatious art museum, but the ride over will tell you a lot about America. When I parked nearby, this museum, I saw a substantial number of people walking in the general direction and assumed that they could not possibly be going to the art museum and there must be some other attraction on campus. In fact, I had stumbled into a showcase for local schools, and the one room museum was packed. Students of all levels had the opportunity to showcase their art alongside works from professional artists that I assume are part of the standing collection. There is definitely some talent in the community, and well the space is modest and as utilitarian feel, it's value as a community center should not be underestimated. There is no charge to enter in one doesn't need to be enrolled at this college.