Press Releases

Following a triumphant first year, the Moonshine and Motorsports Trail in North Carolina is expanding.The Moonshine and Motorsports Trail, conceived in the 2021 state budget and launched in 2023 by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR), is adding nine new sites that will highlight the state’s unique, intertwined history of distilling and stock car racing.

The North Carolina Museum of History announces the start of an exciting transformation! This historic gem, proudly affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, is gearing up to unveil a dramatic new experience in a few years that will redefine how visitors connect with the vibrant tapestry of North Carolina's past.

Out-of-this-world and all for the planet, the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (NCAFF) invites the community to the May the 4th! Beach Cleanup on Saturday, May 4, 8 -10 a.m. at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area. Reaching out to the community as leaders in conservation is a vital part of the NCAFF mission to inspire appreciation and conservation of our aquatic environments.

To kick off National Safe Boating Week, 11 state parks and 3 other sites will each host beginners’ kayaking safety programs on Saturday, May 18, the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation announced. The “Kayaking 101” events are being offered as a collaboration with the division, the North Carolina chapter of the American Canoe Association (ACA), and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

The hard labor responsible for the construction of the Western North Carolina Railroad soon will be recognized with a North Carolina Highway Historical Marker.

The North Carolina Museum of History is thrilled to announce the tenth annual Longleaf Film Festival!

The North Carolina Civil Rights Trail is pleased to announce the opening of its sixth cycle of applications for its trail markers.

A series of walking tours centered on the history of protest and civil rights in downtown Raleigh will be hosted by the North Carolina State Capitol beginning in May.The tour, “We've Always Been Out There,” will be a short (0.5-mile) trek around downtown and will cover topics ranging in time from the early 19th century to the 1980s that include the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, women's suffrage, prohibition, the anti-Vietnam War movement, and Raleigh's first pride parade.

The Museum of the Albemarle opens its newest poster display, “Choosing to Participate,” on May 8. The Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) has joined the educational organization Facing History and Ourselves to dramatically increase access to the themes and content in its national initiative “Choosing to Participate” with a set of 11 posters designed to encourage dialogue, engagement, respect and participation in classrooms and communities.

A culturally significant archaeological site in Robeson County soon will be recognized with a North Carolina Highway Historical Marker.