Unloading/Loading Zone

The bus unloading/loading zone is in front of the Legislative Building at 16 W. Jones St., Raleigh, NC 27601 

Parking

The bus unloading zone is in front of the Legislative Building at 16 W. Jones Street.

The bus parking lot is located at 201 E. Jones Street, the overflow lot is located at the NC Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh NC.

Those driving personal vehicles will have to utilize regular downtown parking or one of the four state-operated visitor lots: Lot 18 (Visitor Lot 1), located along Wilmington Street between Jones and Edenton streets; Deck 75 (Visitor Lot 2), located at 323 Salisbury Street; Deck 77 (Visitor Lot 3), located at the corner of Edenton and McDowell streets; Visitor Lot 4, located at the corner of Polk and N Wilmington streets. 

View and Download Parking Lot Maps

Know Before You Go

Group check-in and orientation are mandatory at each site, not including NC Freedom Park.

Your students must always stay with chaperones and teachers.

Restrooms for groups are available between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. on the lobby level of the DNCR headquarters at 109 E. Jones Street. If your group contains over 20 patrons please stagger entry, as facilities are small.  Please note there is no family restroom available, and the building includes a library and office spaces. We'd like to ask you to be courteous while using the facilities. If your group needs to utilize restrooms after 10 a.m., please use the restroom on the lobby level of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences Museum at 11 W. Jones Street.

Check-In

NC State Capitol 

  • Only one adult enters the State Capitol to check in the group (provide separate student & chaperone counts). Students wait outside at the bottom of the steps until the tour begins.
  • For Scavenger Hunt Tour: One adult will check-in and inform Capitol staff to receive copies of the NC Capitol Scavenger Hunt for chaperones. Students wait outside at the bottom of the steps until the teacher directs them to their groups.

NC Natural Science Museum 

  • Lead teacher for the group enters the NC Museum of Natural Sciences to check in the group (provide separate student & chaperone counts). The remainder of the group waits outside near the bottom of the steps until chaperones have reviewed rules with students. After orientation, the group will enter to begin self-guided experience. 

NC Executive Mansion / Mansion Gardens 

  • Group arrives five minutes prior to tour start time at 200 N. Blount Street and enters the gate through the entrance near the two flag poles. The group provides the name of their group to NCEM staff and goes through security prior to receiving their orientation and tour of the site. *Remember there are no public restrooms at this location*

NC Legislative Building

  • Only one adult enters the Legislative Building to check in the group (provide student & chaperone counts). Students wait outside near the NC State Seal, then front-line staff provide orientation and directs groups through security and the tour begins.

NC Freedom Park 

While check-in is not required for self-guided tours at this site, please note the following: 

  • Students must always remain with their adult chaperones while touring this site.
  • NC Freedom Park is a space of commemoration and reverence that honors the struggles and contributions of Black North Carolinians in the pursuit of freedom. Please help students understand that this is a place to reflect and show respect—running, climbing, and defacing the landscaping is not appropriate and may cause long-term damage to this important site.
  • Please remember that defacing government property is a misdemeanor, we also recommend patrons stay on marked paths and refrain from climbing on any structures.
  • Educational resources for this site can be found by visiting the following links: https://aahc.nc.gov/north-carolina-freedom-park/educational-resources#Tab-ClassroomResources-1066 and https://aahc.nc.gov/north-carolina-freedom-park/educational-resources#Tab-Self-GuidedTour-1067
  • There are no restrooms at this location.

  • Lunches are not permitted to be eaten at this site.

     

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