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Stanly County Museum

3.0 (1 review)
Closed • Closed

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1 year ago

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Reed Gold Mine

Reed Gold Mine

4.5(38 reviews)
15.8 mi

Absolutely gorgeous mine! You're free to explore on your own or get some tours set up and you're…read moreable to go and pan for some goal. Once done with the mine there's also some nearby nature trails that I suggest you check out!

I had researched places to see that are fairly close to Charlotte and this was one of the places I…read morefound. I figured my grandpa would appreciate it. He is a treasure hunter and prospector with an appreciation for mining shared by me. But I was hesitant to bring he and my grandma here due to the amount of walking and the stairs in the mine. We came anyhow and had a really good visit. We started in the museum. Just a gentle stroll learing about the history of the mine and gold mining in the region in general. Towards the end of the museum you learn about the modern uses of gold (i.e. space applications). There is also a 9 minute video which goes more into depth on the history of the mine as told by the reenactment. I didn't initially plan on sitting through that but it really was informative. After the video we made our way outside and down to the mine. I kept checking with my grandparents to see if they were ok to keep going. They insisted they were. So we entered the mine and into the cold damp darkness. It was AWESOME. As you trek deeper in, you find off shoots from the main tunnel. Each with its own stuff to see. There is one with a vertical shaft going all the way up to the surface. That is a cool perspective. Finally you reach the end and the those darned stairs. There are many of them and they are not all level. Do your best to hold on and climb your way out. Then you'll find yourself outside about half way up the hill. But wait. There's more. After you exit the mine you can still climb higher up the side of the hill. Up to the top of the shaft you saw from below and beyond. At the very top there is a big smoke stack. A chimney left over from the steam engine used during mining operations. It was an impressive site to behold. Now back down the hill side and back to the visitor center. Our visit was complete but there was more to see. There are more trails to explore. The park also offers gold panning for a small fee. We came across one small lad who was so excited that he found gold. He ran up to my grandpa to show off his treasure. None of us could actually see anything but if this kid found anything, it was the thrill of a life time. This park has that magical way about it.

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Reed Gold Mine
Reed Gold Mine
Reed Gold Mine

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Main Street Children's Museum

Main Street Children's Museum

4.1(15 reviews)
55.3 mi

The museum is small but cute. Best for children 2 - 4 years old. Most of the front desk staff are…read morewelcoming. But the staff in the back must not have children. I'm not sure that they even like children. When my older children were little, I used to bring them and that staff would interact with the kids and parents. Most of this staff just sits on side, ignoring children and adults. There is one lady, Miss Wendy that all of my kids love, but she's not there very much. They had an event this weekend and I am glad that we went in the afternoon. My friend got turned away in the morning only an hour after they opened. She said that staff very rudely told her that she should have gotten there earlier. Her children were heartbroken. They did have some people, mainly teenagers with volunteer name tags who were very nice. My little adored the older gentleman who played with him. They had the upstairs set up really cute with a Winnie-the-Pooh exhibit. But unfortunately, they said that it would only be there for that day. They had friendly teens in that space playing with the kids. Admission is not worth it, but their membership is a good value because it includes other museums.

It's ok. I'll leave it at that. It's a lot smaller than I expected and there really wasn't too much…read moreto do. I think the best age for this museum is under 3. My 4 year old got bored pretty quickly. There also just wasn't a lot to do. There is a dress up area, but it only had a few items, same with the kitchen and pirate ship. I have to agree with another reviewer that the staff wasn't friendly. They were more concerned with everything getting cleaned up. iI's a children's museum - there's supposed to be a level of mess, but when a kid puts a doll at the table and then goes to the kitchen area and you put the doll back, maybe think "was that kid getting food to play feed the doll?"and not assume they were leaving it. Also, parents - there's an overpriced gift/toy section in the front that you can't avoid. Bright side - there's some fun lunch and treat spots close by.

Photos
Main Street Children's Museum - Entrance, personalized welcome sign

Entrance, personalized welcome sign

Main Street Children's Museum - The kitchen/house play area. Not a lot of items to use - or many are out of reach for any kid.

The kitchen/house play area. Not a lot of items to use - or many are out of reach for any kid.

Main Street Children's Museum - Kitchen play area. Kind of bare.

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Kitchen play area. Kind of bare.

Waterworks Visual Arts Center

Waterworks Visual Arts Center

4.0(1 review)
26.6 mi
•$

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.

From the owner: Waterworks strives to be a leader and innovator in the exhibition of art and in museum education…read more We are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) as a non-collecting art museum. This highly honored accreditation brings national recognition to a museum for its commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards, and continued institutional improvement. We are one of only 12 art museums currently accredited in North Carolina. We offer visitors a sculpture courtyard, sensory gardens, and three revolving exhibitions annually featuring some of the most creative and expressive artwork from regional and national emerging/established artists. Waterworks is handicapped accessible. We provide designated handicapped parking spaces, wide entrance doors and an elevator for access to the 2nd floor. Benches are provided throughout the galleries for those requiring the need to sit. Waterworks is a cultural asset and destination; a vibrant, collaborative space for lifelong learning, and an economic development engine for Salisbury-Rowan County. We are proud of our sixty-two year history and our ability to respond and adapt to the needs of the communities we serve. We look forward to your visit!

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Waterworks Visual Arts Center
Waterworks Visual Arts Center
Waterworks Visual Arts Center

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Charlotte Hawkins Brown Memorial State Historic Site - Piano played by Ms. Brown and her family members 09/27/2023

Charlotte Hawkins Brown Memorial State Historic Site

3.5(2 reviews)
59.1 mi

The Charlotte Hawkins Brown Memorial is filled with rich history of a black woman who started a…read moreschool solely for blacks in order for them to receive equal education at the Palmer Memorial Institute. Unfortunately, you can tell that many of the points of interest and homes are in need of a refresh. You can only go into the Canary Cottage if you payed for the $2 guided tour. No other NC historic sites have done something like this, and we feel that you should still be able to go into ALL of the homes and points of interest if you are giving yourself a tour, because most do not purchase a guided tour. The staff were alright. Most were nice, but did not do a good job at explaining things. They kind of left us to figure it out for ourselves. Their kindness felt fake, especially the woman who rushed us out of the Canary Cottage even though no one told us that we couldn't go in it. That is unfortunate, but there is nothing we can do about it. Enjoy your time here, but be weary of the condition of the historic site and the staff.

I came across this museum by accident. I'm glad I did. It has a fascinating history: founded by a…read moreyoung woman, herself educated, who began the Palmer Institute in the early 1900s as a school for African American children. She not only served as its president for 30 years until her death, she also believed so strongly in what the school represented, she arranged housing, a dorm, in a local house she bought. There's much more to the story of how this became an accredited preparatory school but it's an extraordinary story that's worth discovering. If you're on the back roads between durham and charlotte, or want to be, this museum should be a must visit.

Photos
Charlotte Hawkins Brown Memorial State Historic Site - Piano played by Ms. Brown and her family members 09/27/2023

Piano played by Ms. Brown and her family members 09/27/2023

Charlotte Hawkins Brown Memorial State Historic Site - Piano played by Ms. Brown and her family members 09/27/2023

Piano played by Ms. Brown and her family members 09/27/2023

Charlotte Hawkins Brown Memorial State Historic Site - Sheet music written by Ms. Charlotte Hawkins Brown 09/27/2023

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Sheet music written by Ms. Charlotte Hawkins Brown 09/27/2023

Stanly County Museum - museums - Updated June 2026

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