Visited the North Carolina Military History Museum while on vacation at Kure Beach a few weeks ago…read more WOW what an incredible display in the building! The history of the Old Hickory Division in both World Wars is awesome. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of artifacts on display, and their dedication to promoting the service of their fellow North Carolinian's. If you like military history, this place is chock full of it. Their hours are posted on their website, but it's best to call and make sure a volunteer is working. I'll definitely visit this museum again! http://www.ncmhs.net/NCMHMuseum.htm

Definitely a must see if you visit Kure Beach or Carolina beach is only down the road has so many…read moreartifacts and so many things about the Civil War this was a very famous place and a lot of people died here for our country it was a major Force Base one of the biggest ones in the United States as far as that war goes if you're over here here visiting it's a must-see for sure.

Photography by 3Spade7Star @3Spade7Star_photography…read moreJanuary 25, 2026 - Sunday One of the quirkiest & pleasant things to do in Wilmington, North Carolina is to visit the Museum of the Bizarre. It is like a smaller version of Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum with a few surprise twists. The staff was friendly and helpful in answering all my questions. Museum fee is $3. If you want to explore the mirror maze of labyrinths, the ticket for both events is $5 . I was told that the museum was from a private collector, who owned the museum and collected all the artifacts in it. Most of the exhibits are not to be photographed unless you see a sign by the exhibit saying you can photograph it. Each exhibit has a scan code you can scan and find a link to - providing you info about the exhibit. I got permission to photograph the link info of each exhibit before proceeding further into the museum. A surprise highlight is the live performance of the sword swallower in the museum. Very fun and reminiscent of a circus performance. The kids loved it, and I liked the optimism of the performer. At the end of the museum visit, we explored the mirror maze labyrinth - very trippy. They make you wear plastic gloves to prevent smears on the mirror. Inside is a gigantic Minotaur at the end of the maze. This is a place to explore the weird and wonderful in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Unusual? Absolutely. And at $3 per person, it's a curious little detour that doesn't break the…read morebudget. We spent under an hour browsing their compact but densely packed collection of macabre, peculiar, and downright strange artifacts. Among the exhibits: letters penned by convicted serial killers, graphic crime scene photographs, purported human and animal remains, theatrical masks and vintage clothing, plus a lock of Alexander Hamilton's hair, Houdini's Ouija board, and a plaster cast of what's claimed to be a Bigfoot footprint. There were also a few movie props scattered throughout, adding a pop culture twist to the mix. Photography is off-limits except in clearly marked zones, so don't expect to document everything. We passed on the mirror maze this time around. Are all of this items authentic and real? Are they fabricated and fake? It hovers somewhere in that murky middle but it's compelling either way. And for the price, it's hard to argue. I'm not sure how much of this is appropriate for younger eyes, so parents should keep that in mind. [Review 1348 of 2025 - 4467 in North Carolina - 24900 overall]

I visited in the early 2000's, went back on 2026-04-11, and had a great time on the self-guided…read moretour (~2 hours). Be prepared for a lot of walking and climbing steps. Most areas are kind of confined, some more than others! The ladders can be a little challenging but just take it easier. I found it easiest to go down ladders (aka stairs) backwards, facing the steps. The signage could use improvement. Sometimes it was hard to know which way to go or how to exit. It's a little like a maze! More photos at https://postimg.cc/gallery/SqN0YdB

This is my 2nd time on this amazing ship and I was just as amazed this time around as I was the…read morefirst time. Just to know that this boat was active once upon a time is amazing! The ship has been well maintained and preserved. The amount of how much of this ship history that has been preserved in simply astounding. From the sick recovery rooms, where surges were perform, the communications center, dining area, ship store, divers, laundry room, shower room, the ship is massive. Appreciating each and every person who served, appreciating those that have preserved this ship. The price was super affordable, staff were very friendly and informative. My son and I covered a great amount of the ship in two hours and u found rooms on the ship that I didn't see the first time around. Plenty of free parking and a nice gift shop as well.

A great museum to learn about the Wilmington railroad system. You can learn about how it got…read morestarted and also about the people that worked for the railroad. There were lots of model trains to view. The entrance fee was very reasonable..only 12 dollars for an adult ticket. The fact that it was just a block away from the hotel that I was staying at was a plus.

It's a very cool railroad museum. Located right in downtown Wilmington. They do have parking but…read moreonly a few spots. Cost is reasonable. Kids under 2 are free. They do add 3% to the price if you use a credit card. From what I can tell from their website, you can't purchase tickets in advance. Just have to purchase at the front desk. There are two parts, inside and outside. Outside has a train engine and a caboose. You can go inside both. These two don't take long to see. Inside has a lot more, including large running model train sets. Kids can interact with the train sets by pushing buttons to start trains, control bridges and other things on the set. There is also a play area where kids can put on different hats and vests, and play with train themed toys. The model train sets span two different rooms. There is also a museum section showing historic railroad items, including discussing the railroad history in the Cape Fear region. It's differently worth a visit. Kids will love it.

I went to the Christmas lights festival tonight? It was beautiful for $10/person. There was a lot…read moreto do and it was decorate beautifully. You were able to tour the main house, too. They did a really great job for this! Food trucks, bar, photo ops, etc. beautiful place!

I had a nice visit at the Poplar Grove Plantation after figuring out where to park. What was…read morewritten on the ticket in great detail was not correct. They changed the parking to the next street and you aren't to enter at the flags like the ticket directions told you. I took a guided tour and learned about the Foy family that had a peanut and sweet potato farm. But the more important part of the story was about the Gullah Geechee people. I had first learned about them when I was in Beaufort SC. But there is a corridor that goes from Wilmington to St. Augustine, FL to protect the Gullah Geechee culture. Poplar Grove was built by the Gullah slaves who were very skilled. 59 lived on the property. They took care of the construction; lumber milling; brick making; tending to the livestock and crops as well as domestic chores. They need to be the focus of the tour.

We showed up at 10:30 on a Saturday during business hours and the museum doors are locked and no…read moreone is there .....

This was a cute place to spend an hour or so. There's a variety of exhibits, several of which are…read morehands-on or interactive for kids. There are taxidermy specimens and some live animals--fish tanks, a few snakes, seahorses, and a turtle. There's also a touch tank with urchins, horseshoe crabs, sea stars, and hermit crabs. Some of the urchins and sea stars looked in bad shape. I've also been told before that sea stars are very sensitive and their suction cups are easily damaged, not to mention repeated stress can be deadly to them. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable and I enjoyed my visit as a solo adult.

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!

The North Carolina Maritime Museum has free admission. You need to find parking somewhere in town…read moreas there is not a parking lot for visitors. It was really busy on my last visit likely because people were seeking the air conditioning. My main focus was to see the additions from the conservation lab in Greenville to the Queen Anne's Revenge exhibit. I know how long of a process it is to recover and preserve the remnants. Beaufort's location on the coast has a lot of history, besides learning about the pirates, you can learn about the shipwrecks and life-saving stations, lighthouses and the Fresnel lens, the Rachel Carson Reserve, commercial fishing, whales, surfing and other recreational activities. The museum does a great job showcasing the town's history with the interactive displays. They even have a scavenger hunt sheet for the children. The library was closed to the public on my visit. If you are in Beaufort or nearby, the museum is worth a visit.

I've been coming to the Fort Fisher aquarium since I was a little kid. The fee to enter is…read moredefinitely affordable, it's conveniently placed near the fort and the historic area, aka the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area. There's an outdoor section and an indoor section, and even a play area for kids. The aquarium will be going through some renovations and closed for a few years, so definitely stop by with your timed entry ticket, purchased in advance through the website, while you can!!

This Aquarium is smaller than I anticipated and didn't have many exhibits. The viewing starts on…read morethe elevated level and takes you through the space where you will finish on the lower level! I think we completed the walk thru in less than 45 minutes and that was with multiple breaks for my 80 year old mother to rest! If you are in the area..check it out...especially if you have young kiddos! Adults...beware...if you have to drive longer than 30 mins..not a good deal!

We've had a great time every time we visit. Our family was…read moregifted a membership for Christmas and have attended the new year's noon event and the kids Olympics, along with a weekday visit, so far. The events are heavily discounted for members, which we love. The employees are great and there's not many people there during the weekday in the winter, anyway. This is a smaller museum, so it's great for our almost 4 year old. There's a little outdoor area with a few things. We love the school bus. Fun place to visit when the weather isn't great.

My kids had a great time here! Lots of different areas for kids to venture through. They offer…read morediscounts for military or educators so that was a plus! Spent two hours here and my kids still weren't ready to leave. Reminds me of a more simple version of marbles museum in Raleigh. 3/5!

Old movie memorbelia. Lots of stuff to look at. You can also buy stuff. It's like a flea market .read more

It's unfortunate that Fort Apache is closed due to COVID because this place looks amazing. But even…read morethough it is closed, there remains a bunch of interesting stuff out front that still makes it worth the trip. Thank you, https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/fort-apache. The place is a collection of movie props and vehciles going back to The Godfather and The Green Mile. Movie backdrops and ambulances populate this "town" of handmade storefronts and businesses. Originally a junkyard that has turned into a paradise of Americana and memorabilia. Out front, a camper, taxi, ambulance, police car and a collection of toilets. I can promise that you've never seen anything like this in your travels and likely won't ever see anything like it again. [Review 13982 overall, 1304 of 2020, number 2622 in North Carolina.]