North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

Activity Overview

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh is the most popular museum in North Carolina. It is the largest natural history museum in the region, and features a variety of hands-on exhibits that include a conservatory filled with butterflies, a science lab, a computer modeling lab, an area where visitors can interact with veterinarians performing procedures on real animals, and an immense collection of animals, plants, fossils, and minerals. Other highlights include a huge aquarium, a microscope lab, and dinosaur fossils.

Things to Do

• Explore the many exhibits within the Nature Exploration Center, which focuses on the natural history of North Carolina habitats such as the Atlantic Ocean and the Appalachian Mountains.
• Take your little one to the Discovery Room exhibit, where they can touch fossils, look at a beehive, play with puppets, search for hidden animals, and dress up in costumes.
• Check out all of the museum's amazing interactive experiences, including several science labs which enable visitors to learn more about nature and science and a living conservatory that is home to butterflies, turtles, and a sloth!

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Insider Tips

• Admission to the museum is free, but donations are greatly appreciated.
• View their calendar in order to learn about upcoming science classes, drawing workshops, game nights, family events, beekeeping workshops, and other fun activities.
• Have your child's next birthday party at the museum - their party packages include activities, live animal presentations, cake and ice cream, and gift bags.