The NC Museum of Natural Sciences was the perfect way to spend a very cold, wet, afternoon in…read moreRaleigh. It was a few miles from our AirBNB, so while we had to drive, there's a large parking lot right across the street. I'm not sure if parking is normally free, but it was on this particular Saturday. No one was monitoring the gate or could figure out how to pay, so we didn't. I *think* the sign said it was normally $5 on days they do charge or monitor. VERY reasonable. The museum itself is FREE unless you want to see an IMAX movie, which is reasonably priced. If you're into dinosaurs, plants, geology, or natural science in general, you'll enjoy yourself here, but the museum definitely adds a local flare and incorporates NC history and geography. While the museum is kid-friendly, it is not kid-focused. It is family focused and for all ages. My husband and I are child-free and had a great time. Of course, we are nerds and had science classes together in college. I do think this is a great museum for kids who are school aged and able to read well and ask questions. It is probably not the best option for toddlers or preschoolers when it comes to museums. The museum hosts birthday parties, and a group was there for that- what a fun idea! If you visit, plan to spend a morning or afternoon here- it definitely takes a few hours to see everything but not the full day.

Great if you're trying to spend 1-4 hours relaxing and walking around, it was interesting learning…read moreabout North Carolina as a state. How wide variety of exhibits I especially enjoyed the prehistoric exhibits.

Although the museum was small, at least admission was free. I noticed that all of the paintings on…read moredisplay were created by artists who are from North Carolina which adds a local touch to the typical art museum.

This is a very small but charming free contemporary art museum in Raleigh. We really enjoyed the…read morelocal artists from Western NC featured during our visit. The space is intimate, which makes for a personal and unique experience. We're looking forward to their reopening and can't wait to check out the new exhibits. Definitely worth stopping by if you're in the area -- a true hidden gem!

Lots of great displays and information…read more Also, has a cafe with great food. We had a blast when we visited a few weeks ago. Don't miss it. Visit when you can.

Based on from what i gathered, the museum will close in October 2024 for a renovation to be…read morecompleted in 2027? Considering the 2nd floor was closed the day I went plus admission was free, this was definitely worthwhile to check out. So much history going back to the Indian tribes and the Confederecy to the Wright Brothers, albeit some of it not so pretty, but it's the truth and it needs to be remembered and not hidden. Museum row here is on the smaller side. Metered parking on the street. Will definitely be back after the renovation!

Yelp 100 2026 #8…read more Marbles Kids Museum is a wonderful children's indoor and outdoor play area. There is an upstairs and downstairs with different themes throughout to help keep any child engaged. The giant piggy bank upstairs, mini scooters downstairs, to the ABC new high in the sky cam. Visited when my flight was delayed to help my little get her wiggles out and she did not want to leave. It was chilly during my visit but there are outdoor play areas available as well.

We visited Marbles Kids Museum today (Sunday). Street parking was free and plentiful this morning…read more En route to the museum we grabbed coffee and got there at open. 2 adults and a kid is $40 (you can get military discount and also purchase tickets in advance online) It's a busy place but also large and we never felt it was too crowded. There are so many spaces for little ones to explore and try! Definitely enough for a couple hours with a 3 yr old. Would recommend for anyone with 2-7 years old kid, probably a highlight for our daughter.

Such a great local museum and located right in downtown area where other cool places can be seen…read moreand visited! The museum gives a great snapshot of Raleigh's historical beginnings and significance. And it's free! But donations are welcomed. Friendly and helpful staff at the reception area. And they have a gift shop with cute merchandise

The museum was interesting especially the exhibit with the typewriter and the old IBM computer and…read morehow they were related to the history of Raleigh. The museum had some artifacts from the Roe v. Wade overturn protests too. The museum was small and didn't take too much time to go through which makes the museum a good option to spend time when you're time-strapped.

Did not enjoy my experience here. You get charged $10 at the door. However, some people in my group…read moregot charged $5 and others got charged none. Seems weird. The girl who got charged none was told to write a Google review to get in for free. The inconsistency is a bit bothersome. The bartenders were nice, but also pushed Google reviews in exchange for a stronger drink. They did not follow through with their word ... my drink was nearly just sprite and grenadine, maybe a tiny splash of vodka. It was clear these bartenders did not have much bartending experience. Wish I would've saved the $25 I spent to get in for one disappointing drink.

Great vibes every visit music on point funky lounge area in the back and food vendors rotating so…read morenever the same.

During my weekend visit in Raleigh, I could not waste the opportunity to go to the museum. I don't…read moreever get tired of looking at their fine art collection and exhibits. Numerous people with their friends and family came out this past weekend to also enjoy the greenway and outdoor art. There's also a café and small museum shop inside. We had a great time.

Summary: 4.0 - Free and art go hand-in-hand here. If you like both, NC MoA is worth your time…read more Free admission to the NCMA to see art and history is a gift. If one doesn't mind the West Building (although new, it felt old to me), the different galleries containing historical art pieces (new and old, and very old) organized by continents are educational and surprisingly full of variety. The East Building (original one) hosts both permanent and limited-time collections. I've enjoyed a car exhibit, but my favorite limited-time exhibit featured Academy Award winner Ruth E. Carter's costumes for the movies "Black Panther", "Selma", "Amistad", and others. Her showcase exhibit was well worth the price of admission. A huge museum park provides miles of trails and places for picnics. If one plans accordingly, a series of trails connects all the way from the museum to downtown Raleigh! MISC Opened in 1956. Has pieces that originate from about 5,000 years ago (but thankfully it doesn't take that long to go through the museum). The museum is accessibility-friendly. A museum store and café are onsite. Tours are available. Outdoor concerts are on hiatus at the time of this review for "facility improvements." Be sure to check the museum's website for updates.

Decorated for Christmas and included live music in the rotunda!…read more Impressive building and well worth a visit. Amazing architecture. Symbols of our state and our country including the portrait of George Washington are impressive.

Was in Raleigh for work and went walking around and saw the State House. Had no clue Raleigh was…read morethe capital more knew anything about it really. As I walked by snagging some pictures I saw an inviting sign so decided to walk in. Free to the public and did the self-guided tour. It was such a nice detour and so glad I did. The old Library inside, rotunda, and old Senate chambers were especially cool to see. I tried imagine of what it was like in those halls in the mid-1800's. I would recommend stopping in and check it out.

I drove in from Charlotte area to attend a 'First Friday' event hosted by my daughter-in-law. Her…read moreand my Son live in New Hampshire so she came into town to for the entire month of July to paint and get prepared for the 8/1/25 event. Molly is a talented and experienced artist, primarily in oil and acrylic. They had invited about a dozen or so people from around CLT Region who came into town to see her and James since they live in NH. It was an interesting evening because it started raining hard just about 7p as the event was getting in gear. I'm sure it deterred quite a few from attending. There are two floors with other 'artist in residence' so it was a lively and diverse Friday crowd. I did make it 'upstairs' to meet Caitlin Cary, a local artist who has a studio there. Some may know here as vocalist/violin player with Ryan Adams formerly of the band Whiskeytown.

A great eclectic collection of local artists. Friendly front desk receptionist. Fun to see some…read moreartists currently working in their studios. Inspiring experience.

I stumbled upon this gem of a history lesson by accident while walking to downtown from our Airbnb…read more Catherine gave my son and I a great tour and history of Raleigh. I'm a history buff and she was able to keep me interested in an area of the country I know little of. Always fun to learn local history. It's free and enjoyable.

I had never been to the Joel Lane House Museum so the Fourth of July Celebration was the perfect…read moretime. The museum offers free parking on St. Mary's Street and more parking in front of the house on West Hargett. Admission is usually charged but was free for this event as we were not given the official tour but received $4 off coupons to return for a tour. They provided Howling Cow ice cream and free lemonade too. So who was Joel Lane? Joel Lane is considering a Founding Father of North Carolina and Raleigh. He sold 1,000 acres of land to make Raleigh the State Capital. The Joel Lane Museum House is the oldest house in Raleigh and is older than Wake County. The decision to move North Carolina's Capital to Raleigh happened in the Joel Lane House. As they say "it was the room that it happened". Joel Lane was a slave holder of 43 adults and children. They are the ones who built the house and maintained the plantation, raising the livestock, cooking and caring for the Lane family. The museum provides a way for us to see how life would have been back then from the candles to the necessary to the toys they had to how they made yarn for clothing. The herb garden provided a method for medicine. The holiday event provided an overview but I am planning to return for a tour to learn more of the history and see all of the property.