I love it here. I am a very science-y girl, I love anything to do with science and medicine. So, of…read morecourse, I started coming here a few years ago. The planetarium shows are gorgeous, my particular favorite was one about monarch butterfly migration. The Aquarium and reptile section is so cool, you get to see these massive tortoises and an alligator named Lucy, pet sting rays, fish of all kinds, etc. You can also explore the human body section and the physics section, where you can play on a special pulley system on a physics playground. There is also a section with insects where you can take a closer look at different types of preserved butterflies. And, every three years or so, they hold a butterfly exhibit where you can watch the butterflies flutter about. They'll even give you some sugar water on your finger, and butterflies will come flocking to you and even land on you! I had the privilege of being present for it last year and butterflies landed on me left and right, I absolutely felt like Snow White! All in all, the Catawba Science Center is a family friendly learning environment that is perfect for field trips of all kinds. You won't regret visiting!

The Catawba Science Center is located next to the Hickory Art Museum in the SALT complex so I…read morestopped here too. It was about $15 to visit the museum. I had reciprocity but didn't think to ask about it and they didn't ask like is done at the other museums. The Science Center was on the small side and a lot of the exhibits were out of order. The exhibits they had seemed geared more to younger children. So there wasn't a lot there. I never found my way to the aquarium as that is apparently in another building and that was not mentioned. The planetarium show wasn't starting until 2pm so that was disappointing. I will go back with my reciprocity to see the building I missed.

Nice small historic place to visit. Only $8 for adults. Pretty cool to see what you've only read…read moreabout in history books. Interesting and Amazing to see how life was all that long ago. And they even do reenactments at different times of the year. Our teen enjoyed it.

Located on the grounds of Horn in the West, we had a bit of time before the show began that we…read morewalked thru this Living History Museum. Reanactors and historians talk about everyday life from the mid 1700s to the early 1900s. There are demonstrations on weaving, blacksmithing, candlestick making, and smokehouse cooking, on site. Things were just winding down for the day as we walked thru so we missed all of that, but did get a bit of history lesson in how the phrase: "good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite" came about as we went in one log home and listened to a docent tell the origins of this phrase. The general area and buildings seemed a bit run down. Overall a nice little detour, as we walked to the Horn of the West.

The Blowing Rock Art & History Museum is located in downtown Blowing Rock and offers free…read moreadmission, along with a convenient free public parking deck and garage. The museum officially opened its doors in 2011, but the community planning started much earlier, following a generous donation of artwork from the family of celebrated local artist Elliott Daingerfield. The building utilizes a beautiful mountain-modern design explicitly crafted to blend into the natural landscape of Watauga County. It is an impressive 21,000 square feet, but it feels like it fits into downtown. It had an inviting feel the minute I walked in. The front desk staff was exceptionally friendly, asking if it was my first time visiting before suggesting I start with the introductory video, guiding me through the main artwork galleries, and directing me to the local history exhibits upstairs. There is a large elevator to access the second level if you would prefer not to take the stairs. It features a unique built-in wooden bench. I had never seen a bench inside an elevator before, but I thought it was an absolute genius accessibility feature. The introductory video was very informative, providing a fantastic background on Blowing Rock's heritage. The downstairs gallery spaces are beautifully organized, making it easy to walk naturally from one piece to the next. I was absolutely delighted to tour the temporary exhibition "Silver & Smoke: George Masa & Ansel Adams." As a lifelong fan of Ansel Adams, getting to see an exhibit of his legendary work for free was a massive highlight. I had no idea he photographed so extensively in Western North Carolina. Ansel Adams was awarded a fellowship by the Guggenheim Foundation in 1947 to photograph all the national parks and monuments in America. So he traveled east to photograph the lush, ancient forests of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the winding roads of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The downstairs gallery space has a great layout. Immediately after the video, your eyes will be drawn to a delicate flower installation that is suspended from the ceiling. I was also drawn to a powerful wall of historical photographs showcasing early local residents and vintage landscapes of the town. Another fascinating contemporary exhibit featured a collection of artistic photographs of tree stumps. It is a wonderful reminder that you never know what a creative mind can transform into art that you will truly appreciate. If you choose to take the stairs to the second level, the Open Door Gallery utilizes the towering vertical space beautifully with eye-catching art running all the way up the stairwell wall, making the walk feel like a continuous gallery experience. Upstairs was a textile exhibit showcasing the deep heritage of Appalachian weaving, quilting, and coverlets, highlighting how mountain women used local flora to dye wool and create intricate geometric patterns to keep their families warm. This textile section blends seamlessly into the local history room, which chronicles how Blowing Rock evolved from a rugged settlement into a premier resort destination. The room is packed with fascinating artifacts, vintage memorabilia, and engaging storyboards detailing the golden age of grand mountain hotels. They even have an interactive section where you can write a postcard to someone, and the museum will mail it out for free! Make sure to stop in the curated gift shop before you leave for some great regional finds. Between the local crafts, history books, and unique souvenirs, I never seem to leave a museum gift shop empty-handed.

This place was closed due to COVID the last time we were in town but we were pleasantly surprised…read morethat they were open on July 4 when we were walking around downtown. This is a cute little museum that has rotating art displays on the bottom floor and a smaller history museum upstairs. We saw a whimsical display of chickens, and another from a collection of art from a school in California. When we were there the upstairs had an exhibit about the annual horse show in town. The museum is free to visit but we gladly left a donation.

Hubby and I wanted to explore Mt Airy on this lovely Monday early morning. Tickets are 10.00 a…read moreadult and plenty of parking around the museum. There are two small section one upstairs and the down stairs. I would say this museum is on the smaller side. We were done within 25 mins. It's nice to see things from the show since I did grow up watching this over at my grand parents house.

Nice museum with plenty to take in! There's beautiful…read moremurals outside for photo opportunities. Employees were friendly and both buildings were clean. You can get a deal on the museum across the street if you buy tickets for both places. It also includes the Earle theater. If you're in town definitely check it out.

The commercial build up for this exhibit was more exciting than the actual exhibit. I don't mind…read morepaying the entry fees to help keep them stay open , but I expected a better display of the special exhibit . One room and hardly any items to support the display. We went to see the Warner brothers display. Disappointed.

Manageable and serviceable museum at best. While small things are able to pack a punch. This one…read morefalls a bit short. We travelled 7 hours to see the special Nightmare Before Christmas exhibit which was mis-marketed and was very sad. We're it not for the Looney Tunes special exhibition, we would have to have given one-star. That was the highlight of the trip. It was so neat to see the original artwork and this was well-dosplayed and well-light. In comparison... The NBC display was in the back of a corridor and the artwork, which is dark to begin with was not well-lit and unable to be seen fully...

This is a fine aviation museum with a fantastic brand new air conditioned building. Great…read morecollection of aircraft. Very knowledgeable and friendly museum personnel to answer questions and give tours.

What a fantastic new facility! We've enjoyed the museum for many years and are so glad to see it…read moremoved into this incredible new space where these gorgeous birds can truly shine! This is an extraordinary museum for all ages, with beautifully restored and displayed aircraft, artifcats, and hands-on activities! A must-visit!

This was a very interesting museum. They have a lot of items from the area that generous residents…read morehave donated. Our guide was very knowledgeable and super nice. We were the only ones there so we had his undivided attention and he was a wealth of knowledge! You could tell he really loved what he does. This is a must see if you like history! You have to get a tour, not just go alone because you really get a sense of the county when it is accompanied by a great tour guide!

I made it back to Morganton to see the rest of the History Museum. I was there around three hours…read moreon this last visit and still didn't see everything. I did see more than my first visit though as my time was limited then and had another docent take me through so gained another perspective. I also got to go in the vault this time! And to one section where photos were not allowed and after seeing that display I am not sure why. I highly recommend this gem of a museum and the great gift shop. Remember to leave a donation on your way out.

We were met on the way in and had a wonderful time. So much to see and so well laid out. Wish we…read morecould have spent the entire day there. If you are a history buff and in the Greenville area make it a point to stop in and explore.

A small museum in Greenville, SC, but staffed by volunteers with amazing knowledge. On learning we…read morewould be going to the Hunley Museum in Charleston, one of the gentlemen gave us first hand information about the raising of the Hunley. A lovely little museum.

It was like I was transported back to the 90s. The walls are literally works of art. My friends and…read moreI had a blast going through the different rooms, taking photos together and whatnot. I have a cute photo of me pretending to be sub-zero in front of the Finish Him/Mortal Kombat area. It is a quick visit. You only really need an hour in there. Also, there is parking in the front and a little lot in the back. I highly recommend stopping by.

This weekend was all that ‼ This brought back so many…read morememories and the owner Jessica captured everything from the 90's in this space for sure . We enjoyed our time here & my peeps definitely understood the assignment lol . We were in character and gear . This was so fun and very nostalgic taking me back to the 90s which to me was the best time to be alive . This was the hi light of my weekend ,take friends with you that love taking pictures & love being in the moment .