Something to do on a rainy day. We spent over 4 hours here. Lots of things to do for all ages. It was easy to find something to do with tweens, teens, adults and seniors. Lots of history of the area, the battle and residents throughout the last few hundred years. The adults in our group spent the most time viewing the history of how Wilmington and the surrounding areas were developed and the battle. The kids enjoyed the history of gaming area, aerospace, and ecology area. There are craft spots for the younger kids to enjoy. Lots of interactive equipment. Prices are very reasonable. Plenty of seating throughout. Parking is a little difficult to find. We looked it up ahead of time and appreciated the signs pointing the right access points. read more

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We stopped by to check this place out since it participates in the ASTC reciprocity program with our local children's museum. It's geared toward both adults and children and is large enough to explore for a couple hours. My kids loved their rubber ducky scavenger hunt (such a great idea!) that kept them engaged as we walked through each room. Lots of history of the area and some fun (though small) other areas for the kids to play, too. read more

This museum devoted to the surrounding region. To non-locals, "Southeastern North Carolina" probably sounds kind of ridiculous; the only direction you're missing in there is west. But the region is distinctive culturally and ecologically and has an interesting history. The museum is a Smithsonian affiliate (there's more of these than you'd think), and there is an admission charge with a small discount for pretty much anything you'd expect a discount for. There are two floors and while it isn't giant, I spent more than an hour and rushed. The exhibitions are very interactive, and while this is kid-friendly, there are a lot of things an adult will get something out of. Topics covered include the colonial history of the era, the Civil War, environmental issues, and more. A video running ten minutes or so describes in somewhat nauseating fashion the history of Reconstruction-era Wilmington, including an armed white supremacist coup d'etat. Most visitors won't have my itinerary, but going from the conciliatory tone at Appomattox to here was jarring. Overall the exhibitions were detailed enough to be of interest. I didn't immediately kick myself for not visiting on prior trips to Wilmington, but on the lousy weather day I was here, I was satisfied with my decision to come and left with more questions to look into and a sense of nostalgia for the area. read more

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I love taking my family for an afternoon of fun and learning here. The staff are always so kind and helpful and my son enjoys exploring all of the interactive learning exhibits. They usually have one or two rotating exhibits as well so there is always something new to check out and enjoy! read more

The Cape Fear Museum is located in Downtown Wilmington. It also offers free parking in its parking lot. The museum has reciprocity with other museums so your admission fee may be waived. Admission is reasonable if not. The Cape Fear Museum is both a history and science museum. They did a good job with showcasing the Cape Fear area's history. The water exhibit was very informative as well. The museum's exhibits are designed to appeal to all ages. read more

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Such a great gem of a museum! I thought the first floor was super, but when we got upstairs to the history of video games, and all of the interactive games, I was hooked! Will definitely come here again with the littles! read more

Cape Fear Museum - Never too old for guitar hero! - Museums Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Museum does a good job at telling the history of Wilmington and the region. The price for tickets are affordable. It is worth a trip, at least once, if you live here or visiting. COVID Information - You got a wear a mask, social distance, etc. - Hand sanitizer available in multiple areas - You can buy tickets online in advance - No requirement to schedule a time, and you can walk in and buy tickets Very good selection of regional items to learn about including Native Americans, revolutionary period, Civil War, and 20th century. Large Civil War displays and artifacts. If you want to learn about the history of Cape Fear region and Wilmington then this is a good place to visit. The museum also has displays that have limited connection to the area, including a NASA area, history of sports, and others. I didn't gain a lot nor had a lot of interest in some of the non-local items on display. The museum has free parking available if you need it. You can order tickets online but not a requirement. It is a good place to to blow an hour or two at. read more

Like others, this visit was prompted by bad weather preventing a beach visit. Our family was looking for something new to do and this was highly recommended on rainy days in Wilmington. I think this museum has plenty of options for all age ranges. The first exhibit is on historical Wilmington, although the younger kids will go right past this and up the stairs to the video game section. I think that was the most popular out of all the other exhibits and the most interactive. They have a health and nutrition section for younger kids, and back down below is a section on space, Michelle Jordan, and nature. They have a separate room for small crafts if you need to sit down and take a break. I was happy to see they offered a free scavenger hunt for kids so they could stay busy and focus on what's around them. A small prize is given to them if they finish. Definitely a good visit if the weather is bad or you want to do something new. read more

During a rainy day while on vacation, I mentioned this place to my fiancé. I thought it would be a nice way to get through an overall dreary day. Parking is free but is quite a distance from any of the entrances, so we had to make a run for it. Entrances are located at Dock Street between 8th and 9th Streets and the other at the corner of 9th and Dock Streets. As quoted from the official website, the Cape Fear Museum of History and Science in Wilmington "collects, preserves, and interprets objects to the history, science, and cultures of the Lower Cape Fear." Just inside the entrance is a well-known and advertised replica display of a giant ground sloth, one of Wilmington's oldest residents. Just around the corner from this is the front counter, where guests are greeted and pay for admission. One really nice offering that I would like to mention is that EBT card recipients are admitted to the Museum free of charge, so financial hardship will not prevent you from enjoying this wonderful contribution to the local preservation of history and science. Admission is otherwise $8 for Adults; $7 for Seniors, college students, or military; $5 for youth ages 6-17; and free of charge for children ages 5 and under. Additionally, the first Sunday of every month is free for New Hanover County residents. Please take note that masks are also currently required during the entire duration of your stay, as of September 2021. The Museum provided hours of exploration with featured exhibits including MacMillan: Artist as Solider, H2O Today, Collection Selections: Filming Wilmington, Cape Fear Stories, Giant Ground Sloth, Space Place, Michael Jordan Discovery Gallery, Michael Jordan: Achieving Success, and the Williston Auditorium. We enjoyed letting ourselves be kids again by allowing the exhibits to captivate our inner child. It can also catch you off guard and make you feel incredibly old when you recognize some pieces on display in your very own childhood memories. It's hard to believe that children these days will not know the joy of finding the start of your favorite song on a cassette tape and waiting for the tape to rewind so that you can hear it again... Joy was brought forth by all the simple things in life back then. Explore the things you may recognize or even things you may have missed out on but your parents can still remember. Learn new tid-bits of science, space, and history. There's even display items that were found in the Piedmont Triad of all places... Come learn about World War II through the eyes of Cape Fear and experience the horror of the Wilmington Massacre of 1898. They say, "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." I say, if it's a rainy day, why not go educate yourself, explore, and allow your inner child to take over for a few hours. Immerse yourself in the exhibits that the Cape Fear Museum of History and Science has to offer. It'll be the best thing a few dollars can buy in the area and will even make that rainy day seem a little less dreary afterall. read more

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I really enjoyed visiting this museum while in Wilmington. The main exhibits provide an excellent and thorough overview of the history of the region. I especially appreciated how much attention was paid to the problematic aspects of that history with regard to slavery and racial injustice, as so much of that was repressed in history books for too long. There were other exhibits (some temporary and others permanent) that I didn't have time to explore, but overall I was impressed with the quality and scope of this museum! read more

This museum was awesome! Exactly what my 10 and 12 year old boys needed after our long car ride down I-95 from Pa to stretch their legs. Perfect for kids and adults!!' read more

This was more AND less than what I was expecting, but me and my little family enjoyed our experience. The historic information is sporadic in terms of theme, but interesting since a good portion is interactive (involves the pushing of a button, the opening of a drawer, the turning of a crank, etc). My kids loved the beaver exhibit (which you can climb in and through), there are all kinds of puzzles (which was really nice, since we actually had time to absorb some information while they were occupied), and a pretty frickin' cool GIANT SLOTH. There's also a gift-store. It's small, but the merchandise is affordable (a shocker, for most museums) and carries a little bit of everything: artsy handmade pottery, books, stuffed animals, pop guns, crystals, fossils, instruments, pinwheels, etc. If you have a young family (ages 3-9), this is a great museum to go to! read more

Cape Fear Museum - *cue Jurassic Park theme here* Behold...THE GIANT LAND SLOTH!!! - Museums Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

A lot of the displays have been altered since our last visit. We are sure it was because of Covid. Last time we were there over 4 hours. This time maybe 45 min. Sad read more

Went here as we had time in Wilmington between other activities plus for the AIR CONDITIONING (it was 98 degrees in WIL). Not a bad way to spend an hour or 90 minutes max, esp on a hot day to get inside. Cost was $8 for adults, but they knock a buck off if you are AAA member. Lots of neat stuff about the natural and historical impact of Wilmington. Much on civil war and the wind/water cycles of the cape fear area. Good for kids, ours played with the wooden blocks for much of the time. They enjoyed it. If you like history and/or nature, you will like this place. If you don't, move on or suck it up for awhile if others in your party enjoy this kind of thing. read more

I think if you're going with kids, this is a good museum to go to. It's not huge-so it's totally doable in an afternoon. I was intrigued that there was a Michael Jordan exhibit, but I wish there was more, and I wish they sold something Michael Jordan related in the shop. The exhibit was a bit confusing-it was somewhat chronological, but it seemed to jump around a bit. There were some interesting parts, some nice models and a few interactive stations. Overall, it was a nice stop in the area. read more

We went there a few times. A nice little museum. They have military/veteran discount. There are a few activities for little kids. They don't have a gift shop. read more

Pretty standard as far as museums are concerned. I enjoyed my visit and the history of Wilmington and the Carolina Coast was fascinating, but I wouldn't say that any certain exhibit really stood out for me. The giant sloth is cool, but I had hoped for more information. The setup is somewhat choppy, but I would still say this is a good stop for a rainy afternoon. read more

This museum was super cool! Prices are great! When coming here there is lots to see such as a dinosaur exhibit, space exhibit, nature and more! When my family came there was a mobile planetarium we got to go inside this cool chamber like thing and witness space and learn so much about it! It's very hands on and great for the kids! read more

Even though the museum is still recovering from the recent hurricane damage the operating display space is well done and informative. The open areas cover the history of Wilmington and surrounding areas from the 1600s through the mid 1800s. The displays are informative and balanced without being judgmental and explains the origin of the name of the Tar Heels State. Because a significant amount of space is off limits the museum was not charging and graciously accepted donations. We look forward to returning when the museum is restored, but It was still well worth the time spending the afternoon there on the lower floor. read more

I agree with Chuck B that the Michael Jordan exhibit is strange. And I was really hoping to get more out of the giant sloth statue. There's not a whole lot going on there (except for a good photo op). There was a class on a field trip there while we there, which I think probably happens a lot. They were annoying. The gift shop is very small and doesn't really have a whole lot of stuff in there. Regardless, this is a fun stop if you have a couple of hours to kill. You can learn a lot about Cape Fear and Wilmington and see some pretty cool things. And for only $5 per person (make sure you get the coupon), you can't beat it. read more

Fairly interesting for a rainy day when the beach is out of question. Regular adult admission is $8 per person. I WOULD NOT PAY THAT! No way this museum is worth $8 entry, but for some reason it was free the day we went, thus its three star rating. Its a decent history lesson about the Wilmington/Cape Fear area. Unlike the others, I enjoyed the Michael Jordan memorabilia, he is an integral part of Wilmington history. The city should be proud of him being from there. read more

Fun visit. The Michael Jordan discovery exhibit is a little dated but has lots of hands on exhibits for kids to touch. Our little one couldn't stop playing with the noises of the city machine. The staff are volunteers, informed and quite friendly. For a small museum, it's a nice opportunity to learn about the history of Wilmington from the civil war to the present. WWII buffs also will find much to see. read more

Cape Fear Museum - Kids discovery exhibit. - Museums Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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We went to the museum for the NC Shell Show and thought it was a great deal. Museum admission got us into the show, too. Although the museum focuses on local history, the region built WWII ships, had WWI posts, was the last Confederate port of the Civil War, and did it's part to shame the US on race in the 19th and 20th centuries. Regular museum exhibits touch national history. On the other hand, they have an ongoing rota of special events such as shells and, later this month, fossils. Check the calendar for great value added. The shells had some outstanding examples from all over the world. Great free samples, too. read more

Yes, the museum is small, but then again, so is Wilmington. It sounds like visitors need to change their expectations. The idea that a giant sloth once roamed this area is pretty cool. I am not a basketball fan, but really, the fact alone that Michael Jordan and the founder of the Harlem Globetrotters (?) is from Wilmington is pretty hard to beat. This is a great place to spend a few hours learning about Wilmington's past. I just don't understand such harsh critics out there. Here's my advice; if you get bored easily, don't visit anything with the word "museum" or "history" in it. The only reason I am not giving this 5 stars is because I thought he gift shop was a little pricey for the average visitor. If I could I would give it 4.5 stars. read more

Decent little museum with some interesting but somewhat disjointed exhibits. The highlight would probably be the large diorama depiction of the Wilmington, downtown and river area around the time of the civil war. There is also a great collection of weapons from the civil war era. The reason the museum is disjointed is the Michael Jordan exhibit, it just seems out of place. The museum jumps from the ancient with the Giant Sloth exhibit to modern history with the civil war exhibits to pop culture. I guess I am saying it just doesn't flow right. Still the museum is worth seeing for understanding Wilmington's place in history. read more

Small museum, nothing really exciting. We happened to go when there was a seashell show, which was an interesting activity.