The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) today announced the appointment of Amy Craft Klassen as the new executive director of Roanoke Island Festival Park. Most recently, Klassen served as the associate director/director of museum operations for the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio.“Amy has diverse experience leading the operations and strategic planning for multi-site properties, historic properties and public programs, making her well-suited to take the reins at Roanoke Island Festival Park,” said DNCR Secretary Pamela B. Cashwell.
Press Releases
North Carolina Aquariums are participating in a nationwide collaboration among public aquariums and research institutions in the development of new methods to breed more than 20 marine fish species in human care. The initiative reduces reliance on wild-caught animals while launching new public resources to help advance sustainable aquaculture.
NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher (NCAFF) invites the community to add a really cool item to their 2026 school list—a Back-to-School Beach Cleanup on Saturday, Aug. 22, 8-10 a.m. at Ocean Front Park in Kure Beach. The town offers free parking for the cleanup volunteers and the Aquarium provides reusable gloves, pickers and bags. The NC Aquariums are a division of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
A new digital exhibit from the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources' Office of Archives and History is now available online.
The visitor center and exhibits at Town Creek Indian Mound State Historic Site will undergo a full renovation in the coming months. In preparation for this major project, the site will close the visitor center and gift shop July 28.
Fans of the hit television series “Outlander” and North Carolina history alike are invited to a free online program from the State Archives of North Carolina, a division of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, that will explore the historical events and archival records that inspired the show's North Carolina storylines.
A traveling exhibit and virtual program that commemorate the 90th anniversary of the publication of the “Negro Motorist Green Book” are being showcased at a local museum.
The Library of North Carolina, a division of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, is proud to announce awards to local libraries. Across the state, 46 awards have been issued for a total of $2,785,339 in grant funds from the Library of North Carolina with funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) to support new or expanded library programs and services, as well as limited ongoing projects.
The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island, a division of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, recently received a $1,000 donation for its Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation (S.T.A.R.) Center through The Cottage Shop’s annual "Skip the Bag" initiative.