Press Releases

The North Carolina Zoo is now officially accredited as a Botanical Garden, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s memorable 50-year history. The North Carolina Zoo is one of only a handful of zoos nationwide to earn this distinction.

Do you have what it takes … to live and work in space? Find out at “Journey to Space,” a new exhibition opening at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences on Saturday, Nov. 2.This special exhibition, developed in partnership with NASA's Johnson Space Center, invites visitors to explore the extraordinary environment of space, including the dangers that astronauts face during their missions above Earth and the adaptations that engineers have developed to help them survive while in space.

The North Carolina Museum of History is excited to announce

A little more than two years after construction began and local flooding delayed the opening, the new visitor center at Fort Fisher State Historic Site will open to the public Wednesday, Oct. 30 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free.The new two-story visitor center, which has been in planning since 2010, cost approximately $25.5 million and is expected to serve more than 1 million visitors annually. At 20,000 square feet, it is approximately three times the size of its 1965 predecessor.

From Edenton to Congress and from petitions to gubernatorial proclamations, women’s participation in North Carolina politics has risen for 250 years.

WHAT: Fayetteville Community GatheringWHEN: Monday, Oct. 21, 6–7:30 p.m.WHERE: 225 Dick St., Fayetteville, NC 28301DETAILS: The North Carolina Museum of History invites community members in the Fayetteville area to participate in an open discussion to help shape the future of the museum’s exhibits. This is an opportunity for the public to share their thoughts on how the state’s layered history should be presented to future visitors.

Before it was a pirate ship, Queen Anne’s Revenge was known by another name.The ship, La Concorde, was a slave-trading vessel that became the infamous pirate Blackbeard’s flagship.Archaeological Conservators and Researchers with the N.C. Office of State Archaeology will explain the history of the ship Nov. 2 during their “Saturday at the QAR Lab” tours of the Queen Anne’s Revenge Conservation Lab in Greenville.

The state’s highest civilian honor, the North Carolina Award, will be presented to eight distinguished North Carolinians Thursday, Nov. 14, at the Raleigh Marriott City Center. Governor Roy Cooper will present the awards at a 7 p.m. banquet and ceremony.All proceeds from ticket sales for the awards ceremony will go to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund to help communities recover from Hurricane Helene.

WHAT: Charlotte Community GatheringWHEN: Tuesday, Oct. 22, 6–7:30 p.m.WHERE: 650 East 24th St., Charlotte, NC 28205DETAILS: The North Carolina Museum of History invites community members in the Charlotte area to participate in an open discussion to help shape the future of the museum’s exhibits. This is an opportunity for the public to share their thoughts on how the state’s layered history should be presented to future visitors.

The North Carolina Zoo is offering discounted entry to survivors of Hurricane Helene now through Nov. 15. Residents from affected counties may enter the Zoo for just $5 per person. The offer is extendable to up to five additional guests in the same party.