I have been to this museum several times through the years. They are constantly making…read moreimprovements, and expanding their collections. I brought my 7 year old goddaughter and her family recently. In honor of my dad, who was a huge train buff, I splurged for tickets to ride in the engine with the engineer for 2 of our party, and the rest rode in the caboose. There were interesting things to see for every member of our group. The 7 year old loved the interactive exhibits, so did her older brothers. I was pleasantly surprised by the prices in the gift shop. A lot of museums mark their merchandise up a lot. I found the prices very reasonable here. I was also glad to see that they had bathrooms at good intervals throughout the museum, with the newer ones including water fountains with a bottle filler. This museum is perfect for people of all ages.

The North Carolina Transportation Museum has been on my list to visit for a while now, and I…read morefinally made it to Spencer, NC, to check it out. I love museums and have been to a lot of them, and some are better than others. This one felt disjointed and not cohesive. It could be improved. Tickets are purchased near the building near the train tracks. You get a wristband and a map to go on your way. The museum is on 60 acres, so there is a lot of walking. The Southern Railway Spencer Shops were once located here. 3000 people worked at Spencer Shops to keep the steam engines working properly. Spencer was halfway between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, GA, and the steam engines needed to be serviced about every 150 miles. They could run for about two hours, but then needed an hour of service to keep everything operating properly. I started in the Back Shop (look for the BE CAREFUL sign), which was built in 1905 for steam locomotives that required more extensive maintenance. The building is the size of two football fields. The building now shows all forms of transportation, from bicycles to fire trucks to cars to airplanes to rail cars to boats and canoes. This was a large building, and it wasn't clear which path we were to walk through it, as there were two aisles with items on both sides, along with empty areas. Building F housed the Roundhouse, which was the best of the buildings. It is the largest remaining roundhouse in the country. This was like a garage with 37 stalls to repair the steam engines. Now, inside it, you will find steam and diesel locomotives, passenger cars, and a full-size replica of the Wright Flyer. There is an area where you can see people working on the cars, and at the end of the building, there are some train cars that you can enter. The exhibits in this building are well done, and you can read the storyboards about the exhibits. I started in the orientation room to watch the video about the site's history, but it wasn't available to me. I was just handed another map. I'm not sure if he didn't want to start it for just one person, but I would have liked to see it as it would have provided background on the complex. The staff member wasn't friendly and didn't seem like he wanted to answer questions. Building G was the wheel balancing exhibit in a shed. The scales made sure the weight was correct for being on the train tracks. Buildings C, D and E felt like a waste. C was decorated for the Easter events, so it didn't seem the building was being properly utilized. There were some dining car exhibits in there. Building D had a model train layout and is used for storage. Building E had more classic cars. More signage would help to get from the buildings, if they made a path to follow. I didn't see any signage for getting from building G to E, so I had to backtrack through buildings F and B to get there, as I wasn't sure where I was allowed to walk on the gravel and tracks. This is where a guide would have been helpful to direct guests. Then, the inside buildings could use better descriptions, like those used in building F. It would have been nice to have helpful, friendly guides to better understand the complex. The trains weren't running on the day of my visit, so that may have provided the background information that was lacking during my visit. I'd remove buildings D and E from the tour and relocate the exhibits to fit everything into two main buildings for better flow. If I returned, I would just focus on building F and spend my time in the building, better curated.

This is a nice area for viewing whatever exhibit they have on display at the time. We visited…read morewhile they had art on loan being shown and it was well done. The rooms are well lit and large enough to see multiple pieces but small enough to avoid getting loud or echoing heavily. The staff was super friendly and it looks like they are frequently offering different types of exhibitions or experiences for the community to share in - for free.

This facility is amazing and the staff are extremely helpful, kind, willing to go out of their way…read moreto help you out! I highly recommend visiting this amazing museum and tribute to the Great Terminator!

The offerings of Dale Earnhardt Inc. are definitely well-kept secrets in Mooresville, NC…read more Visitors can visit the facility: - Monday through Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Saturday: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. From the company's website: "DEI has a retail store and showroom open Monday through Friday (9 - 5) and Saturdays (10 - 4) that are both free of charge for visitors. They are also open some special hours during race time, so be sure to call ahead before visiting. The showroom contains one of a kind items that are a must see for Dale Earnhardt Fans. Some of these items include all 7 championship trophies, some of Dale's old fire suits, some of Dale's old race cars, and much more!" Right now (December 2012), the building is decorated in a vibrant shade of red for the holidays! Also on the DEI campus are the offices of the technology group and The Dale Earnhardt Foundation. Though these are not open to the public to visit, these offices are a wonderful testament to the work still being down around the NASCAR industry. For more information about The Dale Earnhardt Foundation, visit: www.dalearnhardtinc.com/foundation

We visited for a school field trip and were really impressed! The exhibits managed to keep both my…read more5-year-old and my husband completely engaged (not easy). The staff was so nice and accommodating. A cool place for car enthusiasts but 10/10 highly recommend it for families too!

This was the first time I've ever been to a car museum. I recommend checking out this place. A lot…read moreof history and many cool cars. Cars from the 1910-30s to NASCAR. Not many 60's muscle cars though. Staff were friendly and you just go at your own pace. No frills, just cars and stories about them.

Really worth stopping in! Some old school racing things and The NC music HOF is in the same…read morebuilding. Staff is super friendly and just really enjoyed the place.

As a NASCAR fan I knew Mike Curb and Curb Records had been a part of the sport for many years…read more What I didn't know until I read it in a local guide book was that they have a building that houses a race car museum and the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. The two most famous cars would be ones driven by 43 Richard Petty (his 199th win) and by Dale Earnhardt, who won his first championship in 1980 driving the #2 Mike Curb sponsored car. Curb has also sponsored cars in Indy racing, Sprint cars, drag racing, and in many of the NASCAR series. Lots of cars on display from all of those categories. The facility is also home to the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. The HOF features inductees from many different musical fields. Some of the persons/ groups in the hall include James Taylor, Andy Griffith, Clay Aiken, Charlie Daniels, Kate Smith, The Embers, and Arthur Smith. Nice displays that include costumes, instruments, record covers, and other items associated with the inductees. Excellent place that I highly recommend you visit when in the area.

My wife and I were at a popular event at the Bell Tower Park two blocks away and came here after…read more It was only $5 per adult to get in, and you can pay with your phone online while there. The two docents were so friendly and extremely helpful. There was only us and another couple there, so one docent took my wife and the other couple on the tour while I stayed in the entry with my granddaughter and the other docent. We had a great discussion about the history of the house, Salisbury, and President Jackson. Some of the furnishings are so rich with history. A very enjoyable and laid-back experience. Highly recommended if you like history.

I love taking tours in historical homes. We were spending the day in Salisbury and made it a point…read moreto take a docent tour of the Hall House Museum. Upon entrance, we were greeted by friendly ladies docents. They embodied Southern hospitality and were very knowledgeable. Hall House was built in 1820 and was originally a female academy and later bought and converted to a residence in 1825 by a businessman and his half sister. In 1859, it was purchased by Dr. Hall and turned it to a grand house as it sits today. Four generations of Hall lived in the house. It's amazing how original wallpapers, painted ceilings and furnishings were all in great condition and survived all these years. Andrew Jackson studied law in Salisbury in 1780 and the desk that he used is also in the house. We were told by the docent that he was a party animal and was told to leave Salisbury by the wealthy people! I would come back to tour the restored outside kitchen where enslaved workers lived and worked. We were told there's only a few kitchens survived and Hall House's kitchen's one of them. Our little granddaughter was tired and hungry and we had to leave before the tour ended.

seriously? i would give it 0 stars if the only thing i found interesting was the discovery of the…read moretwist up crayons in the children's section. hasn't been updated since the 70s. and why was the episode on flight being played in the auditorium for a power plant?!? waste of time!

Excellent museum! Our family learned a LOT about nuclear power and energy and had a great time…read more We also enjoyed walking around the beautiful grounds and seeing the nuclear power plant towering over the lake. We'll be back!

There was a lot of antiques and at great prices. I will definitely go next year. My husband even…read morehad a good time. A lot of items brought back memories. There was old washing machines and everything. The people's were very friendly.