So, if there is anything to know about me, I will go out of my way to visit a museum. No matter how…read morebig or small. No matter the cost. I enjoy learning a bit about an area, it's good to expand your knowledge. As most have noticed, this is a free museum to visit. Unlike what the one reviewer said, you actually get more than "what you pay for." Other things that others have touched on. Yes, this is end of the line before the ferry to Ocracoke. Be mindful of the lanes when trying to get here, you may end up at the ferry. Ample parking, and there is beach access nearby. I have to touch on this, they did a really good job on design here. They incorporated the shipwreck theme throughout. From the entrance of the land you see large anchor. The building, when you are further away from it, looks like a large boat. Almost like an ark. Then, when you do get inside, the theater area where they show the video, you are inside the hull of a sunken metal ship. You don't see this until you are outside this area and roaming about the rest of the museum. Like there are holes in hull. Then there is the big lifeboat display. It's quite stunning. Then there area the display of items from shipwrecks. So many different eras here. Touching on safety and rescue here as well. The lighthouse display feels massive in this room. And that's the thing, everything this museum has is housed in one room. But it is partitioned in such a way that each display feels like its own area. After you are done with the museum portion the exit takes you into the gift shop. Take your time to find the right souvenir. Once you exit the gift shop make sure to check out the displays in this area. It's kind of a continuance of the museum. I will leave you with this. My favorite part about this museum was the digital display at the beginning. Showing you just how high the storm surge can get during any given storm. Topping out at over twenty feet. When you stand next to it, you feel tiny. On your way out, check out the grounds area around the parking. More information out there.

Pretty cool museum showing history of the area. Great for all ages and free to enter!read more

This museum has so much to offer! The David William's House has exhibits that tell the story of…read moreOcracoke. The parlor exhibit changes each year. There is a local family tree displayed in the hallway that changes out every 2 years. In the Brogue Room, you can watch a hilarious video that highlights the Ocracoke dialect spoken by the island locals. The summer months offer programs almost every day with porch talks, kid's craft days, tours and much more. Be sure to visit the gift shop and buy tickets to win the beautiful quilt displayed every year on the bed. Go say hi to the friendly volunteers! Free admission but be sure to leave a donation.

Wonderful little museum and gift shop. The free museum (donations requested) is in the restored…read moreDavid Williams house. The inside and outside exhibits tell the story of early islanders, including the pirate Black Beard, and Ocracoke Island life. Displays include period rooms, model boats, decoys, and local seashells. The little gift shop offers a mix of local themed books, works by local artists, locally made items, and assorted gifts for all ages--all reasonably priced compared to other area shops.

Aurora Fossil Museum is located in Aurora, NC. The museum is in two buildings and there are three…read morefossil pits (two official and one left over from a festival) that you can dig. Admission is free for all of this. There is even a parking lot. Some of the fossils in the first building are local fossils that came from a nearby phosphate mine. But others are from all over the world. The other building across the street has mostly gems. The museum has a nice gift shop and restrooms if needed.

This is a very remote field trip, so plan accordingly. Bring food, bring water, and bring your…read moreenthusiasm....and if your knees are bad, a lawn chair. This place will appeal to the dinosaur enthusiast in all of us. YOU WILL find stuff....teeth, shells, occassional vertebrae. They get dirt drops 2 or 3 times a year from the local phosphorus mine. The mom and pop that set up this venture support their two museums with donations, so buy something at the shop or make a donation because this place needs to continue. Otherwise, the only cost is your time and patience. They are warm, friendly, and very knowledgeable, so bring your finds to them for id. Guaranteed, you will learn something. Parking is abundant and free, and bathrooms are available. You and your kids need to experience this place so come on to one of the neatest experiences in NC.

The Roanoke Island Maritime Museum. It was built in 1998 and is located in the George Washington…read moreCreef Boathouse who was a local boat builder. He made Shad boats. Those volunteering didn't seem interested in telling me anything about the museum unfortunately so I learned what I did from reading the exhibits and walking around. The museum has some small water crafts to see like the Ella that was build in 1883 and exhibits. Boats are restored at the museum too. If you are in the area, check out the museum to see these hand crafted boats.

The lighthouse was nice. We were able to check it out early in the morning. There were beautiful…read moreviews. The other part was ok. They had a neat knot area but it was not clear were To go to check out the boats.

My husband and I only could spend a short time here as it was closing. However, we felt what we…read morewere able to read and see was very interesting as there was much to learn about the history of local life and the inhabitants of Ocracoke as well as the US life saving service. Ideally you do need some time to explore the house to get a full appreciation as to what it has to offer. We recommend it and would return the next time we are in Ocracoke.

We honestly weren't really sure what this museum was about, but we had a good time nonetheless AND…read moreit was free! We happened upon it during Christmas time and thus, we were greeted with cookies, crackers, and cheese. It was a pretty house with reminiscent items from islanders-past; a nice way to pass a half hour.

The Museum of the Albemarle, a hidden gem in Elizabeth City that goes above and beyond what one…read moremight anticipate for a town of its size, is tucked away along the shoreline. The size and caliber of the displays immediately establish that this is not a little local collection but rather a well designed area that reflects the richness and complexity of the history of northeastern North Carolina. Despite my short time today, I was amazed by the depth of the exhibits, which cover centuries of local history, from colonial colonization and Indigenous cultures to maritime heritage and contemporary municipal development. The museum's layout is expansive, with high ceilings and spacious galleries that invite deeper exploration. It's the kind of place where you could easily spend several hours and still feel like there's more to uncover. [Review 887 of 2025 - 4309 in North Carolina - 24444 overall]

The Museum of the Albermarle is located in Downtown Elizabeth City. Admission is free and the…read moremuseum has its own parking lot or you can park in other lots in town and walk to the museum. The museum has a ramp or stairs in the front to get to the entrance. The museum is large and is on two levels and covers all 13 of the Albemarle counties. (Northampton; Hertford; Dare; Bertie; Gates; Perquimans; Chowan; Pasquotank; Camden; Currituck; Washington; Tyrell; and Hyde), pretty much all of the northeast corner of the state. You can take the stairs up to the second level for a better look at the shad boat and quilts or use the elevator. Restrooms are located on both levels. The first floor had some traveling exhibits and the gift shop. The second floor had the permanent exhibits with the history of the area. I liked that the museum covered so many topics from the beginning to different periods of time from when Native Americans were in the region to the slavery and the Underground Railroad, Railroads; Automobiles; Firefighting; Farming; the World Wars and the Civil War; Civil Rights; the Vietnam War; the Coast Guard; different industries and tourism. The museum has many artifacts and information boards to read. The waterfowl exhibit with the bird decoys was great and showed the details of the carvings. The floating theatre inspired Show Boat. Hannah Crafts was inspiring. This museum showcases the importance of the Albemarle Sound and the region and they did a great job of preserving history and stories for future generations. I highly recommend visiting this wonderful museum.

I absolutely loved my experience at the Island Farm. Everyone was super nice and I especially…read moreenjoyed talking to Charles about the history of the original home and the farm and general. Definitely stop by and support this cute farm.

Entertainment - 4.5/5 Novelty - 4/5…read more I've been to a lot of historical houses (living in Virginia, I have easy access to Monticello, Mount Vernon, and Montpelier amongst others). But this one really sticks out in that 1) it is still a functional farm using agricultural methods from the early 1800s; and 2) literally EVERY part of the farm can be entered, touched and experienced. My youngest kid LOVED getting up close with the free range chickens and helping to collect the eggs (as well as playing games from the time period and using a see-saw on the property). My older son was really engaged by the employees, who taught him how to convert sheep's wool into yarn (letting him use a drop spindle and the spinning wheel). I loved seeing their smokehouse and strolling through the fun presentation of history. Getting to touch the beds, walk in all rooms, and experience a historic cookhouse, was really novel. The family who owned the farm were slave owners and the farm does not hide its history. The slave quarters are open and has a tribute to those who were enslaved. They also had an exhibit in the visitor center discussing the history of African Americans in Roanoke (where I learned there was briefly a thriving freedmen colony formed there post-Civil War). Although a bit more could be done (I'd love to see a marker for them in the cemetery on site), I appreciate that they address this dark aspect of the farm's history in a respectful way. The staff is engaging, the presentation is fantastic, and it's a fun way to (cliche alert!) let history come alive for the whole family.

Maritime was a great little place with lots of history. The exhibits were well done and easy to…read morefollow. It was easy to read off to a 7 year old for homeschooling history class!

Wonderful historical museum celebrating the rich maritime history of North Carolina. Free for…read moreeveryone, and lots to explore. Second building across the street with boat building the main topic. A must visit in Eastern North Carolina. Only downside no parking except street parking. 5 stars!

Really unique, awesome little museum with an array of different items. As a fan of the macabre I…read moreespecially enjoyed their jars of snakes and animals, skeleton and the hodgepodge collection of military memorabilia. The women I met running the museum were very friendly and provided an interesting conversation. So glad I stopped!