Press Releases

Education has always been a core mission of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR). For over 50 years, the department has inspired a lifelong love of learning at more than 100 sites across the state, including museums, parks, historic sites, aquariums, libraries, archives, and the zoo.

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh announces the completion of a globally unique visitor experience — Dueling Dinosaurs — opening to the public Saturday, April 27. This combination of high-tech research lab and dynamic exhibit space is the first physical expansion of the Museum in more than a decade. Visitors will be able to immerse themselves in the Age of Dinosaurs, become familiar with the tools and techniques used by today’s paleontologists, and engage with the scientific team actively researching the iconic tyrannosaur and Triceratops.

The North Carolina State Capitol has launched a new website, “From Naming to Knowing: Uncovering Slavery at the North Carolina State Capitol.” This website names over 130 enslaved workers who built, maintained, and worked in the Capitol building in the 1800s. Most of the men worked on the Capitol’s construction in the 1830s, either as laborers at the construction site or as quarry hands at the nearby State Quarry. The Capitol is dedicated to researching and naming these individuals and telling their stories through this new publicly accessible forum.

The men who built our state’s most iconic building, although they were enslaved, left a legacy for all North Carolinians. Their contribution to the construction of the State Capitol during the 1830s has been researched by a team of historians who will present their initial findings during an upcoming virtual Lunch & Learn program hosted by the State Archives.In this program, State Capitol staff also will discuss the launch of “From Naming to Knowing,” the project’s website. They also will provide genealogy tips for researching the lives of the enslaved.

A program on Feb. 24 at Fort Dobbs State Historic Site will offer a glimpse of the harrowing days of the Anglo-Cherokee War.The Cherokee and British had been allies when the French and Indian War started, but tensions quickly spiraled into hostilities. The fort was engaged by up to 70 Cherokee warriors in a confusing night-time skirmish on Feb. 27, 1760.

The North Carolina Zoo expanded its lands for local wildlife conservation by adding 139 acres to Ridges Mountain Nature Preserve, increasing it to 423 acres. This addition was a gift from The Conservation Fund made possible by the North Carolina Land and Water Fund and private donors Fred, Alice, Brad and Shelli Stanback.

Clay County has been chosen as the subject of a comprehensive survey of historic buildings and landscapes. The architectural survey will intensively document historic buildings and landscapes from the 19th century through the 1970s, including those in Hayesville and rural areas. Data gathered during the survey will assist Clay County in planning for the preservation of its historic resources for years to come.

The State Library of North Carolina Accessible Books and Library Services (ABLS) is thrilled to announce the upcoming 2024 Eastern NC Regional Braille Challenge, a compelling event that promises to highlight the talents and achievements of blind and visually impaired students in the realm of Braille literacy. Taking place Feb. 19, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Governor Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh, this event is a unique opportunity for media professionals to capture and share inspiring stories.

Nominations are being accepted for the 2024 North Carolina Award, the highest civilian honor bestowed by the state, now through April 1.Created by the General Assembly in 1961 and administered by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the award recognizes “notable accomplishments by North Carolina citizens” in the fields of literature, science, fine arts and public service.This year marks the 60th anniversary of the awards, which have been presented annually since 1964.

Recently released prison records may offer clues for a project that will memorialize incarcerated laborers who died building the Mountain Division of the Western N.C. Railroad from Old Fort to Ridgecrest.These records, housed in the N.C. State Archives, have provided additional information about those working, and at times dying, under dangerous conditions.An upcoming virtual Lunch & Learn program hosted by the State Archives, “The RAIL Project: New Discoveries in the State Archives,” will present some of the early findings.