NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCES –RALEIGH’S BEST MUSEUM

One thing we love about living in Raleigh and Wake County is that it’s not a big tourist destination like some bigger cities, and doesn’t have the big ticket tourist attractions.

But if you’re looking for the top Raleigh attractions, especially for things to do for families in Raleigh, look no further than this museum!

PERMANENT EXHIBITIONS

The museum actually has four facilities on three campuses, but we visited the main campus downtown that contains the Nature Exploration Center and Nature Research Center that are connected by a breezeway.

The Nature Exploration Center (NEC) opened in 2000 as the newest home to a natural science collection that dates all the way back to 1879.

NATURE EXPLORATION CENTER

Here you can take a trip to the beach without leaving Raleigh. Includes exhibits of fish native to North Carolina’s coast and inland waterways, and the many habitats found on the coast, including barrier islands, saltmarshes, maritime forests, and dunes.

Coastal North Carolina Overlook

Wander through exhibits displaying North Carolina’s natural habitats from the western mountains, the central Piedmont and the Coastal Plain.

Mountains to the Sea

Who knew that that NC was home to the first gold rush in the US? And that North Carolina is the only state where all four major gemstones have been uncovered – emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and diamonds.

Underground North Carolina  

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