The Poe House is next door to the Museum of Cape Fear and that is where to sign up for your tour…read moreand where the tour starts. A volunteer takes you through the house of E. A. and Josephine Poe. Mr. Poe owned Poe Brick Company. The house is on the National Register of Historic Places. The house is currently getting some much needed maintenance and painting done so make sure to check in advance if it will be open the day you want to visit. The guided tour takes about an hour. The house is a Victorian Style and built from a kit. The wrap around porch and the intricate detailing outside is impressive. The inside of the house is in great condition and has tall ceilings; wide doors and the woodwork is very impressive. It gives a glimpse into early 20th century life. The house has two staircases one for the family and another for the servants. The servants were provided living quarters. The kitchen is detached from the house as the oven was on all day. I highly recommend visiting this beautiful house.

We visited the Poe house yesterday, and really enjoyed it. The house was beautiful, our tour guide…read morewas great even dressed the part. She was very knowledgeable. It was nice to learn how they lived and the family. Next door we visited the gift shop but didn't have time to visit the museum part. (Will have to come back) Also it was free, with donations welcome.

Very lovely historic cottage located on its original foundation in Moore County, North Carolina. I…read morealways try to take my guests here. This is as historical as it gets in the Sandhills and I enjoy it every time I see it. From their website: The Shaw House is typical of the antebellum houses which followed the cabins of the early Sandhills settlers. It is less elaborate than the seacoast plantations and has the charm and sturdy simplicity which was characteristic of the Scottish families who settled in this region. The interior is highlighted by fine detail on two hand-carved fireplace mantels of unusual beauty, and by many outstanding early examples of Moore County pottery and "plain-style" pine furniture. A wing was added to the house in the mid-1800s and a kitchen was added sometime in the 1920s. Charles C. Shaw, a first-generation Scottish settler, acquired 2,500 acres and built the house around 1820. The date of 1842 on the chimney is thought to have been the year that the front porch and the two attached "travelers' rooms" were added. One of his 12 children, Charles Washington Shaw, inherited the property and lived in the house, becoming the first mayor of Southern Pines in 1887. The house remained in the Shaw family until it was acquired in 1946 by the newly formed Moore County Historical Association in a grassroots effort to ensure its preservation.

Very interesting and extensive museum! We were in there for 2 hours and still didn't feel we…read morecovered everything. Definitely worth the stop.

I took my Family to visit this museum a couple months ago and they loved it. My brother-in-law was…read morein the Army, and my nephew is in school to be a pilot, so i thought it would be right up their alley. We all walked around and looked at exhibits for several hours. It is put together really well, and all the immersive parts are really great. I think that anyone coming to Fayetteville would enjoy this museum. It is free, but they take small donations to keep up with all the maintenance ect. The gift shop is really impressive as well and you can find something neat for anyone!

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.

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences has a number of exhibits in 2 buildings connected by…read morea skywalk (1 open, 1 enclosed). It's technically a free museum although donations are appreciated, and for a "free" museum it really exceeded our expectations. There is literally something from everyone, including a room where you can explore drawers of items. Loved the fish feeding at the aquarium too. The whale skeletons are definitely impressive. We spent 3 hours, but could have spent another 2. Definitely a great spot for kids and adults alike!

Very interesting for all ages. Great use of the natural landscape for animal enclosures and…read morehabitats. My personal favorite was the butterfly house. Especially loved the pollinator garden outside the insect building. Climbing feature was well loved by the little in our group. The digging for artifacts and fossils was appreciated by the teen in our group. Red wolf exhibit was awesome once we spotted the mom dad and baby on video. Also appreciated the sensory room.

First time coming here, and I would give 5 stars if not for the exorbitant pricing. Adults costing…read moremore than kids at that, for a kids museum has always rubbed me wrong. But this place is quite expansive with several areas including wildlife, butterfly and insect garden, a train tour that takes 2 laps around (might as well get it for the $6 a ticket), and several outdoor play areas including a tree house and mist/water areas. Place was crowded, but there were still plenty of spaces available at 10:30 in the garage. If I lived closer, I might consider a membership to save costs, but I live too far currently to justify that. The cafe food was mid, and again too expensive. The pricing for me knocks a star off, but if you've never been and are prepared to spend a couple hundred bucks for the day on a family of 4, you'll probably enjoy!

Truly a special opportunity to have had walk through this museum in Fort Bragg. Laura and Robyn are…read moresuperstars and the kindest women you will ever meet. They bring so much support and knowledge to the table, they deserve a shout out. Lots of freebies at the front desk, booklets, playing cards, pins, pamphlets and decals. I truly enjoyed learning about special operations and resonated with the incredible stories all throughout the facility.

If you're a military history nerd this museum is a must see. Excellent displays with well written…read morestoryboards.

We recently made a little detour at Hamlet's Depot and Museum on our way back to Charlotte from…read moreFayetteville, and it turned out to be the perfect stop--especially for the kids. The museum is a charming slice of local history, giving you a glimpse into Hamlet's bustling railroad days when more than 30 trains used to stop there daily. Inside, you'll find all kinds of historical artifacts--from old telephones and Morse code equipment to a metal wheelbarrow once used for maintaining the tracks. There's even a building next door with more railroad memorabilia, and across the street, you can explore a replica steam train known as the "Tornado," which is a fun nod to North Carolina's railroading past. Best part? It's free to visit, and they welcome donations. So if you're passing through, it's definitely worth a stop to stretch your legs and soak up a bit of history.

Incredible! 3 small museums, all in immaculate shape! From a model T to several different train…read moremodels, it's unforgettable for the family. You can even get inside an old caboose. It's awesome. It's an incredible space to just learn You could easily spend one hour to three hours.

Well done! A plethora of civic and local knowledge is living here. The displays are really readable…read moreand the flow through is up to your pace. There are some nice change of pace factoids included. The galleries are quaint though. It's best to come during the weekday, very little people viewing. I loved the "seek-n-find" portion of the tour. The inclusion of the local history and influence of Florence is well preserved here. Both floors showcase many different aspects of the industrial might of South Carolina.

Free admission . Closed on Mondays . Large objects are not allowed in the galleries like large…read morebags, parcels, backpacks and umbrellas. Free lockers are available to store large belongings. Mobility accessible with both stairs and an elevator. My DAR chapter took a field trip to Florence County Museum because of their Revolutionary War gallery . The museum seems fairly new and modern . It offers two floors of galleries , exhibits and displays . The museum also offers interactive activities for both kids and adults like a museum scavenger hunt and activities in the museum courtyard. On the day we visited I was able to use indigo to dye a small planter and then plant a tomato seed in the planter . Nice , clean bathrooms and free parking . Plan to spend at least an hour or so here depending on how much you read and any activities you do .

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.

The North Carolina Museum of Art is free to visit, although special exhibits may have a fee. The…read moremuseum is divided into two buildings. The East Building is the original museum, and the West Building is the newer building. There are galleries in both that you can view. The East Building is on multiple levels and there is a glass elevator available with views to the letters outside that spell a message. I like that the museum has a variety of artwork to view, so you can see your favorites or explore and discover new pieces. With the redesigned building, some of the exhibits were made more interactive. I am still learning where my favorite pieces were moved, but I do enjoy finding new favorites as they try to showcase more of the collection.

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!

Visited with elementary aged kids during a day trip to Raleigh. Everyone enjoyed the museum…read more(surprisingly with kids) and found something they were interested in. There are exhibits covering everything from NC sports heros to the Revolutionairy War. I would love to see some areas get a little more detail but the basics are all there and having room to grow isn't a bad thing. The location is in the same complex as the natural history museum - right across the road from the legislative building and nearby to the Governor's mansion, so if you're seeing the sights this is an easy stop to add. It isn't massive but there are many exhibits so you can spend as much (or as little) time as you want. Being free, it's hard to beat.