The American Tobacco Campus was established in 1890 as an industrial center. When the tobacco…read moreindustry left, the campus had to change. The Durham Bulls Athletic Park and the Durham Center for Performing Arts brought new life to the campus. The Old Bull Building is where Lucky Strike was made. Tobacco was a large employer in Durham so when it shut down in 1987 the property started to fall apart and people moved away. Capitol Broadcasting decided in 2004 to purchase the campus and turn these historic buildings into something unique and special. The ATC has offices, apartments, shops and restaurants. There is a courtyard, water features, outside seating and even a train car. It is an easy place to visit with three parking garages nearby and street parking. Then it is fun to walk around and see the remnants of what used to be there.

The limited number of shops and restaurants might not be a bad thing considering how commercial and…read moregeneric many of them felt. Rather than showcasing Durham's unique personality, much of the campus seemed geared toward being a polished mixed-use development that could exist almost anywhere. The bright spots were the nearby home of the Durham Bulls and the iconic Lucky Strike smokestack and water tower, both of which provide a strong sense of place and serve as reminders of the site's history. They were far more memorable than anything I found inside the campus itself. Overall, I found the American Tobacco Campus more interesting as a piece of architecture and historic preservation than as a destination. It's worth a brief stroll to admire the buildings and snap a few photos, but I wouldn't go out of my way to spend much time here.

Where can you find a well-concealed sculpture garden in the woods of the Duke campus? Hidden behind…read morethe college of law! The parking lot required a pass of some kind that I did not possess. But, I can't be stopped! I parked out on the street and just walked to the back of the building and found my way! The labeled sculptures are found along a circular path that meanders in a vague circle through the woods. Each is definitely unique and worth seeing! Life is good with a unique sculpture garden in the woods!

This specific visit was for a Creative Mornings event. Local artist, Eliza Redmann, told her story…read moreand it was inspiring! After the talk we were able to walk around the galleries! It's just a beautiful space overall! They have a paid parking lot dedicated for the building.

I love the Nasha. I've never really wanted to eat there, but I love all of their art exhibits…read moreindoor and out. This is a perfect place to take kids to know how to keep their hands to themselves... They like to have events keep your eyes peeled for them. Those are fun too!

This is a statue of Wallace Wade. We came across it and found it while we were in North Carolina…read more I'm not really sure who Wallace is. I have not looked him up, but he has his own statue.

Very interesting for all ages. Great use of the natural landscape for animal enclosures and…read morehabitats. My personal favorite was the butterfly house. Especially loved the pollinator garden outside the insect building. Climbing feature was well loved by the little in our group. The digging for artifacts and fossils was appreciated by the teen in our group. Red wolf exhibit was awesome once we spotted the mom dad and baby on video. Also appreciated the sensory room.

First time coming here, and I would give 5 stars if not for the exorbitant pricing. Adults costing…read moremore than kids at that, for a kids museum has always rubbed me wrong. But this place is quite expansive with several areas including wildlife, butterfly and insect garden, a train tour that takes 2 laps around (might as well get it for the $6 a ticket), and several outdoor play areas including a tree house and mist/water areas. Place was crowded, but there were still plenty of spaces available at 10:30 in the garage. If I lived closer, I might consider a membership to save costs, but I live too far currently to justify that. The cafe food was mid, and again too expensive. The pricing for me knocks a star off, but if you've never been and are prepared to spend a couple hundred bucks for the day on a family of 4, you'll probably enjoy!

We love visiting this library, and are thrilled they added Sunday hours! Our fav section to browse…read moreis the juvenile graphic novel section.

This library is fantastic and everything a library should be as a resource for our community! If…read moreyou have only been coming here to vote, you are missing out. Not only is it beautifully designed with plenty of areas to read and work, but it also offers services such as 3D printing, streaming movie services, and the NC Collection, a fantastic resource for anyone looking into their ancestry. Two things I want to highlight: 1) the seed library (free seeds!) and 2) events. The library (not just this one but all of the libraries) has fantastic events for adults as well as kids. For example, I went to a meeting of the Nicholas Cage movie club, and it was so fun. They also offer lectures on a wide range of interesting topics (the paranormal, ham radios, etc.) as well as practical classes (computer classes for seniors and Spanish classes). I could go on and on-- the library is a fantastic resource in our community that has something for everyone.

Lovely spot to go for a walk! So many different areas to explore…read more Also lots of open lawn space to hang out for a bit! They even have little robot lawn mowers out sometimes.

Beautiful free gardens located on the campus of Duke University. You do have to pay for parking,…read morethough. There are several different sections. They include the historic gardens, the Blomquist garden of native plants, the gateway gardens, and the Culbertson Asiatic arboretum. There is also a gardens Cafe.

This is such a cool little museum and place to see if you are wanting to do something unique in…read moreDurham that's rich in the city's history. Museum: 5/5 The museum has a ton of cool displays that show the early days of the tobacco industry and Duke family. Right outside of the museum is a large area with a trail that takes you by the Dukes original house, tobacco plants and the tobacco field. You are free to wonder the grounds. However, I recommend paying for the guided tour. With that you get to go inside the structures and hear all about the history of the property and early tobacco industry. In addition you get to learn a lot about the events that shaped the city. Price: 5/5 The museum and grounds is FREE! The guided tour is only $4. Coming from CA, it doesn't get much better than this! Customer Service: 5/5 The guide was great! Very friendly and very knowledgeable in the content. Parking: 5/5 Huge parking lot right in front. Parking was great.

I think it best to take the guided tour, you get a great history of the Duke family's transition…read morefrom farming to production - leading to an efficient industry. Highlights include entering the 2nd factory and the Duke family home. (And I can't get "Duke, duke, duke... Duke of Earl, duke, duke out of my head). You even get to whack tobacco. While the tobacco industry goes back earlier, it is just about the time after the Civil War ends that it really gets interesting, as soldiers coming home chew (or is that "chaw"), smoke, or sniff tobacco. Washington Duke capitalized on it. And now... there's a university and gardens named after the family - with a top notch basketball program, of course! The tour is about an hour. There are other building to see from the outside. Can ask as many questions as you like!

The Boiler Room has its own YELP page?! Well, it's definitely getting all my LOVE. I stop by The…read moreBoiler Room {i.e. the atrium of Full Frame Theater} whenever I'm visiting American Tobacco Campus, and believe me, one look inside, and you'd understand why. If your type is big, strong and handsome [BUILDINGS!], Full Frame Theater's Boiler Room has YOUR name all over it (him? her?). This incredible space welcomes guests entering Full Frame Theater, as well as sometimes its neighbor, The Power Plant Gallery. It's a VERY unique event venue flanked by mammoth coal-fired boilers that were used in the original building. You can admire the elevator shaft to the right of the front door, or envision the unseen inside (but very visible outside) base of the Lucky Strike smokestack which The Boiler Room "horeshoes" around. Enormous windows, concrete floors and brick walls give this space the perfect impression for any event [can I plan my next birthday party here?!] No space has ever scream contemporary meets historic so clearly! Plus, doors are open 9am-midnight, SEVEN days a week, so there truly is no reason to miss this drool-worthy space. Secret tip: it's air-conditioned and they've got tall-topped tables and chairs inside along the massive windows. This would be the perfect get-away from the office or {indoor} picnic lunch spot.

The Boiler Room is a great space for events! My organization had an evening reception for 200…read morethere. The team provided excellent customer service prior to the event, answering all our questions and working with us and our caterers to make sure the event went well. During the event, staff were on site to troubleshoot and further assist. I would highly recommend checking this space out for your next event!