Raleigh Museums and Art Galleries

(Raleigh, North Carolina - NC, USA)

There are several excellent museums in Raleigh covering similar historical themes. However, the Marbles Kids Museum offers something quite different and was created in 2007 when both the Exploris and Playscape attractions merged to become one.

Other top museums in Raleigh include the oldest abode in the city, the Joel Lane House, which stands on West Hargett Street and is close to St. Mary's College. Art aficionados will appreciate spending time at the popular North Carolina Museum of Art, where a number of well-designed galleries boast in excess of 5,000 art works.

North Carolina Museum of History

Address: 5 East Edenton Street, Raleigh, North Carolina NC, 27601-1011, USA
Tel: +1 919 807 7900
Founded at the beginning of the 20th century, the North Carolina Museum of History celebrates to area's rich heritage. Highlights here include the Sports Hall of Fame, period costumes, important local artifacts and antique furnishings. The Ancient collection comprises a number of unexpected Egyptian relics, while other sections are home to African, European and Judaic works, as well as contemporary pieces by the likes of Georgia O'Keeffe, Henry Moore, Frank Stella and Thomas Hart Benton.
Open hours: Tuesday to Saturday - 09:00 to 17:00, Sunday - 12:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

North Carolina Museum of Art

Address: 2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, North Carolina NC, USA
Tel: +1 919 839 6262
The North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh has a wide range of collections on many different themes, as well as a large program of more than a dozen changing exhibitions throughout the year. Prominent collections include European, American and African paintings, as well as 20th-century art and ancient masterpieces. You can see paintings by renowned masters such as Raphael, Rubens, Monet and Van Dyck. There is also a quality restaurant on-site.
Open hours: Wednesday to Saturday - 11:30 to 14:00, Sunday - 10:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Marbles Kids Museum

Address: 201 East Hargett Street, Raleigh, North Carolina NC, 27601, USA
Tel: +1 919 834 3516
Located within the Moore Square Historic District, the popular Marbles Kids Museum is one for all the family and comes with a host of child-friendly attractions, chiefly interactive ones. It also covers the visual and performing arts world and incorporates a giant IMAX theatre, numerous nostalgic toys and five themed gallery spaces, named Create, Be Healthy, Build Your Brain, Go Global and Grow Up Green. Of note, the North Carolina State Capitol is a mere two blocks away.
Open hours: Tuesday to Saturday - 09:00 to 17:00, Sunday - 12:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge

Joel Lane House

Address: 728 West Hargett Street, Raleigh, North Carolina NC, 27603, USA
Tel: +1 919 833 3431
Joel Lane House is Raleigh's oldest home that was built in the 1760s for Colonel Joel Lane, the city's founding father. Representatives of the North Carolina Legislature met here in the 1790s and bought 1,000 acres / 404 hectares of Colonel Lane's plantation. Tours of the house and grounds are well worth the visit and only take 30 minutes. Visitors can expect to find a wealth of 18th-century furnishings, a detached period kitchen and much formal landscaping.
Open hours: Tuesday to Friday - 10:00 to 14:00, Saturday - 13:00 to 16:00, seasonal variations apply
Admission: charge