Press Releases

The North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) today celebrated the groundbreaking on its Museum Park expansion project. The groundbreaking marks the start to a construction project that includes the creation of tree-lined parking lots, bike and walking paths, and a central elliptic lawn where Museum and community programming will take place.

The tree-lighting tradition at the State Capitol will continue when Gov. Pat McCrory lights the Christmas tree Thursday, Dec. 10.

State officials today announced the award of $6 million in grants through the federal Recreational Trails Program to 38 local governments in 35 North Carolina counties for trails projects.

Learn about the history of toys and games at the North Carolina History Center during the monthly Lunch and Learn lecture series set for Friday, Nov. 20, from noon to 1 p.m. Find out what dolls were really made of, why board games became so popular in the 19th century and more during this month’s lecture. 

The evolution of toys will come to life with the free exhibit “Child’s Play,” opening Saturday, Nov. 21 at the Duffy Exhibition Gallery, located at Tryon Palace’s North Carolina History Center in downtown New Bern.

Edward Vail raised troops to fight in the French and Indian War in 1754, represented Chowan County in the colonial assembly between 1754 and 1774 and served on North Carolina's Committee of Correspondence in the 1760s and 1770s.

Visitors can get a look of artifacts including anchors, cannonballs and grains of gold last seen by pirates during Saturday Tours at the Queen Anne's Revenge Conservation Laboratory Nov. 21.

The Tryon Palace Commission will release a biography of one of its charter members, Minnette Chapman Duffy (1882-1951), on Friday, Oct. 30. The book, “Passion for the Palace: Minnette Chapman Duffy, Her Life and Dream to Restore Tryon Palace,” is a biography written by David Brook.

Inclement weather closing information for state-owned museums, parks, historic sites, aquariums and other attractions.

Children ages 3-5 are invited to the North Carolina History Center Saturday, Oct. 10, for Tryon’s Tots: Nautical New Bern.