The North Carolina Museum of History is excited to announce a calendar full of free events as we get ready to start the summer!
At the beginning of May, the museum announced the upcoming redesign of the museum and exhibits. To prepare for the renovation, the third-floor exhibits will close on June 3, 2024. The first-floor exhibits and the physical museum building will close on October 7, 2024.
Honor Juneteenth at the NC Museum of History. Celebrate hope and freedom, bring friends and family to the museum to reflect on the past and look to the future, and participate in our various Juneteenth programs. The museum will host Stedman Graham as the keynote speaker for the screening of George H. White: Searching for Freedom.
Did you know that June is also Black Music Month? Explore the rich history and cultural significance of African American music through our programming and concerts. Join us to honor the contributions of Black artists and musicians and celebrate the diversity of music that has shaped our society.
Read on for all our June events. Programs are FREE unless otherwise noted.
- Summer Passport Program
Saturday, June 1, through Saturday, August 31
Explore the North Carolina Museum of History, North Carolina Museum of Art, and North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences for our Summer Passport Program. Visit any of these museums to get your passport, then complete the activity and get your passport stamped. Visit all three museums to earn a North Carolina Traveler patch! - Artists at Work: The Triangle Weavers Guild
Saturday, June 1, noon–3 p.m.
Watch the shuttles fly as Triangle Weavers Guild members demonstrate a craft woven into North Carolina’s history. Grab your kiddos for a Hands-on History cloth scavenger hunt and weave your own bookmark to take home. - History at High Noon: Secret Codes, Darkened Windows—The Hidden History of Raleigh’s LGBTQIA+ Community (VIRTUAL)
Wednesday, June 5, noon–1 p.m.
Learn more about Raleigh’s hidden LGBTQ+ history. Do you know where Raleigh’s first gay bar was located? Do you know why the Warehouse District became central to Raleigh’s LGBTQ+ community? To keep those stories from being lost, historian Heather Leah explores the sites, struggles, and triumphs that built the foundation of Raleigh’s LGBTQ+ community. - History and Highballs: How Hip-Hop Took Shape in North Carolina—And Changed Everything
Thursday, June 6, 7–8 p.m.
Come celebrate and explore the roots of hip-hop in North Carolina. Join Speaker Damon “Doc” Johnson as he shines a spotlight on the pioneering DJs, MCs, and entertainers who created an enduring legacy of hip-hop in the Tar Heel State. You can register for this virtual event here! - George H. White: Searching for Freedom
Thursday, June 13, 7:30 p.m.
Celebrate Juneteenth at the North Carolina Museum of History with a screening of the 2023 Emmy-award nominated film George H. White: Searching for Freedom. White was the last African American to serve in Congress during the Reconstruction era. Stedman Graham, keynote speaker of the screening, will address the impact of White’s life and his legacy of self-determination. The program will conclude with a Q&A featuring Graham, a local historian, and the film’s producer. The only known artifact related to White will be on display at the museum for the Juneteenth celebrations. - Hands-on History: Weave a Bookmark
Saturday, June 15, noon–3 p.m.
Explore our museum galleries for cloth clues and start your own mini-weaving project. - Juneteenth: In Song and Word
Friday, June 21, 6:30 p.m.
Enjoy an evening of music at the North Carolina Museum of History immersed in the vibrant melodies of the legendary Nnenna Freelon with Pierce Freelon, Shana Tucker, Freddy Greene, and the Martin Luther King Jr. All Children’s Choir. Destiny Hemphill and Fred L. Joiner will share poetry, as well. This evening of poignant and celebratory performance is provided by Come Hear NC and the African American Heritage Commission.
For more details, click the links above or visit ncmuseumofhistory.org.
About the NC Museum of History
The North Carolina Museum of History, a Smithsonian Affiliate, fosters a passion for North Carolina history. This museum collects and preserves artifacts of state history and educates the public on the history of the state and the nation through exhibits and educational programs. Admission is free. In 2023, more than 355,000 people visited the museum to see some of the 150,000 artifacts in the museum collection. The Museum of History, within the Division of State History Museums, is part of the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
About the Smithsonian Affiliations Network
Since 2006, the North Carolina Museum of History has been a Smithsonian Affiliate, part of a select group of museums and cultural, educational, and arts organizations that share Smithsonian resources with the nation. The Smithsonian Affiliations network is a national outreach program that develops long-term collaborative partnerships with museums and other educational and cultural organizations to enrich communities with Smithsonian resources. More information is available at affiliations.si.edu.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina—its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
The department manages more than 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the NC Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the NC Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the NC Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit dncr.nc.gov.