This park has such beautiful, well-kept grounds with nice walking trails and plenty of outdoor…read moreart/sculptures to keep you entertained and amazed. There is also a flower garden, a mini lake, a picnic area, and plenty of parking available. We came on a Monday afternoon with the intention of going to the museum that is within the park, however, since it was closed we decided to walk around the park instead. We thought it would be 30 minutes and we would have walked the entire thing. We were wrong. The place is huge! We tried to say within the shaded spots but ended up walking through the parts without shade. There were so cute things like a little hut I dubbed the hobbit house because it kind of looked like one. There was an interactive art installation area with musical swings (apologies if these aren't the correct terminology) but you swing yourself and it triggers some musical notes. Way cool! Another installation were these bars you pull or push around which also triggers musical notes. We had a great time checking out some outdoor arts and taking in the scenery during our stroll. This park had so many interesting things to look at or in my case, take photos at with my long lost sister. Next time I am in the area, I am definitely coming here again. What a beautiful place!

I love this park. We typically come during the day to enjoy the paths but we came today early in…read morethe morning with our run club. The trails within the park were closed (not sure why), so we went running around the park. It's especially hilly in this area and connects to the greenway. It's great for endurance training. We also love to come here for picnics, photo shoots, and bike rides.

Beautiful gardens with plenty of shade to explore. Loved what I could see of the rose gardens…read more Great spot for this wanting to get married there. Terrain wasn't too rough for anything who wants a casual stroll.

The arboretum was gorgeous! Highly recommend to be there for photography or even just a picnic!…read moreWalking with the puppers too! Our group got such amazing photos there during golden hour!

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.

We had some time to kill and were looking for a non-chain coffee spot. This one was close by and…read morehad great reviews. So we decided to give them a try. We had a little difficulty finding it. GPS brought us to the parking lot behind the building. There isn't clear signage to direct you where to go. We managed to find our way up the stairs and into the building. There are a number of businesses located inside. Lucky Tree is super cute. It's set up to encourage working, with plenty of charging spots all around. There is a variety of seating, from long wooden tables to smaller individual areas. We ordered a chai latte and golden milk latte, both with oat milk. Both drinks were good. Fyi there is a separate entrance from the side that takes you directly to another smaller parking lot.

I decided to try this out for a quick coffee stop while in town for a conference. The service was…read morefriendly and quick! I tried the breakfast bagel bites, which were soft and warm. I loved the cheese on top! I was not a huge fan of the flavor the almond flour gave them but it was not overpowering. I would probably get them again! They had a lot of options as far as specialty lattes but I am glad I went with the Vanilla Maple. I was worried that the maple flavor would be too much but it complimented the vanilla well. The inside was VERY well decorated, and I would've loved to stay and do a little computer work! I could see myself coming by and sitting down for a quick brunch, meeting up with friends, or staying for a work session.

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 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.

Located in the museum park, off one of the trails and in a corner where you're probably not going…read moreto just stumble upon it is this extremely interesting artwork. It took me about 90 minutes of walking and wandering until I finally found it. Difficult because it's not on one of the paved trails and some of the woods trails are marked off. But I did eventually get there. The Cloud Chamber is a "camera obscura" that uses a pinhole in the roof to project a mirror image of the lit area onto the walls. After you step inside and close the door, once your eyes adjust, you'll see trees and clouds and blue sky projected across the white cement walls. It's very clever! Thank you to artist Chris Drury who installed this stone, wood and turf structure in 2003. And thank you as well to Atlas Obscura for the entry: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cloud-chamber-for-the-trees-and-sky GPS coordinates: 35.805927805555555, -78.69912752777778 [Review 11689 overall, 1471 of 2019.]

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!

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!

The photos I took do not cover how incredible this five story library truly was. Set on the NC…read moreState University campus, this is a hidden gem for book lovers and those who love Swedish design. It is massive and as soon as I walked in I felt right at home. I stumbled on this while looking for things to do in the area while attending a book signing. Being a book lover and author, this was an obvious choice. My friend and I explored the first two floors (we were pressed for time) and were in awe. I wish Charleston had something like this because I would be here every single day working on my next manuscript. There were several rooms, desks, and seating areas for readers and students alike to choose from. The large windows allow for plenty of natural light that offsets the bright interior lights. They have a wide collection of titles and studies! Highly recommend that you check it out. Just remember to be quiet and respectful as students may be present working on their projects.

My teenage son studied here for his final exams. He appreciated the later closing hours compared to…read moreour local library. I appreciated the safe location and the kind staff. On the other hand, my son complained about the slow public wi-fi, which is a pretty big negative when you're studying using your laptop. He said it took 10 minutes just to get connected to the wi-fi. But for that, this seems like a nice spot to study if you've got a personal hotspot (or access otherwise to faster Internet). Hopefully, there is faster wi-fi for NC State students.

It is April 4th 2026...Go to the WRAL Azalea Garden ....Now!!!!!!…read moreIt is amazing with a diversity of color and species. Our first visit but not our last...it is BIGGER than it appears from the street.

Beautiful botanical garden with some arts and sculptures.Lots of tulips there. Like that rabbits on…read morebikes.