Press Releases

Join us for the first PrairieFest celebration in honor of National Prairie Day. This free, family-friendly event takes place at Prairie Ridge Ecostation, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences’ 45-acre outdoor learning center in west Raleigh, on Saturday, June 3, 5–9 p.m.

United States Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced today that North Carolina Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Reid Wilson has been appointed to the National Park System Advisory Board.Wilson joins 15 new board members on the board, which advises the Interior Secretary and the Director of the National Park Service on matters relating to the Park Service’s work.

The life of Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown will be celebrated with music. In recognition of her impact on our community, the arts, and the lives of countless Black artists, a special event to commemorate her birthday will be held on Saturday, June 10, when the Greensboro Opera will collaborate with the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum for Black Heritage Day, an Afro-Classical Celebration.

JD Motorsports and the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources have teamed up to bring awareness to North Carolina’s Moonshine and Motorsports Trail.Moonshine and Motorsports Trail branding will be featured on JD Motorsports driver Brennan Poole’s No. 6 Chevrolet entry in the Xfinity Series’ Alsco 300 race, Saturday, May 27.

The Durham City Council has voted to create the Ellerbe Creek Dedicated Nature Preserve on 215 acres of city-owned land near Ellerbe Creek.It will be the largest land conservation project by the city of Durham in decades.Publicly and privately-owned natural areas identified by the N.C. Natural Heritage Program can be dedicated as State Nature Preserves to establish a lasting conservation commitment.

The North Carolina State Capitol will close to the public beginning Wednesday, May 3, for construction and repair work, and will remain closed until further notice.Completed in 1840, the North Carolina State Capitol is a National Historic Landmark. Work is underway to replace copper on the roof and dome, update the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, and repair deteriorating mortar and stone on the building’s exterior. The work is expected to take 12-15 months to complete and is being managed by the N.C. General Assembly’s Legislative Services Office.

Adopt an Artifact Program: Help the Museum of the Albemarle protect our state treasures by adopting an artifact that requires conservation. Your tax-deductible donation in any amount will help support the museum’s mission of preserving artifacts and other historical materials relating to the history and heritage of northeastern North Carolina.

Since 1924, the North Carolina Historical Review, published quarterly, has been a definitive source for the study and understanding of North Carolina history. Published by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Division of Historical Resources, the Review has been continuously in print since its inception.This year, the North Carolina Historical Review marks its 100th year, and its notable accomplishments are being commemorated throughout the year. The upcoming July issue of the Review will feature many achievements of the publication during the past century.

N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Reid Wilson will join us on Friday, May 26, 2023 at 10:00 am to unveil North Carolina’s newest cultural trail.Highlighting the state’s unique, intertwined history of bootleg whisky and stock car racing, the Moonshine and Motorsports Trail was designated in the 2021 state budget and created by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Several North Carolina state parks, in partnership with the North Carolina chapter of the American Canoe Association (ACA) and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, will offer low-cost kayaking instruction at state parks statewide Saturday, May 20 The event is in celebration of National Safe Boating Week, which begins the same day.The event follows a collaboration between the ACA and the state of Tennessee in 2022, which hosted more than 170 participants and earned a Four-Star Award for an innovative program from the Tennessee Recreation and Parks Association.