Things To DoThings To Do

North Carolina Museum of Natural SciencesNorth Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

It’s the Southeast’s largest natural history museum and North Carolina’s most visited museum, and one of the USA’s most respected museums that explores the natural world.

North Carolina Museum of HistoryNorth Carolina Museum of History

Located directly across from the Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown, is the North Carolina Museum of History, which is one of the best free museums in the city. The NC Museum of History was founded in 1902 and more than 400,000+ visitors a year pass through, including 80,000+ school groups. On display are over 14,000 years and 150,000 artifacts of North Carolina history.

Tour of Downtown Raleigh on a Rickshaw, with Triangle Cycle ToursTour of Downtown Raleigh on a Rickshaw, with Triangle Cycle Tours

North Carolina Museum of ArtNorth Carolina Museum of Art

Its collection spans further than North Carolina. Within the museum’s collections are pieces of funerary art from Ancient Egypt, 71 Renaissance paintings, sculptures from Ancient Greece and Rome, contemporary photographs, and in 2023 they added their first Picasso piece – “Seated Woman, Red and Yellow Background.” The North Carolina Museum of Art boasts a permanent collection of 4,353 objects and pieces of art that covers over 5,000 years of art history, making it a leading institution for art in the southeastern United States.

JC Raulston ArboretumJC Raulston Arboretum

On the grounds of NC State University is the JC Raulston Arboretum, a nationally acclaimed arboretum set on 10 acres of land. The arboretum contains more than 5,000 plants from across the world and has 20 different botanic gardens to explore.

WRAL Azalea GardenWRAL Azalea Garden

It’s famous for its azalea plants, of which there are thousands planted in this 1.5-acre space. Azaleas typically flower in April and May but can open as early as March if the weather is warm enough! The gardens are free to visit and are open from dawn until dusk.

Dix ParkDix Park

A family of five giant trolls have arrived! Explore Dix Park like never before taking a whimsical troll trek through pine groves, nature trails and century-old oaks to find them. Dix Park and the Trolls are free to visit seven days a week from dawn until dusk!

Visit RaleighVisit Raleigh

Pop over to this website for a list of Raleigh foodie stops including breweries and cafes, more things to do and see, and fun stops to fill your time!