North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is a natural history museum in Raleigh, Wake County, in North Carolina's Triangle. Admission is free. Hours: Downtown Raleigh (NEC and NRC): Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 5pm; closed Mondays; 2026 closed dates listed on page: Jan 1, Jan 13-16, Apr 5, Nov 26, Dec 24, Dec 25; Whiteville: Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 4pm. Facts read from the official site on October 27, 2026.
- Hours10 a.m.–5 p.m. (Tue–Sun)official hours below
- AdmissionFree
- WhereRaleighWake County, Triangle
- DogsNot allowed
About North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
Free downtown Raleigh natural science museum with exhibits, live animals and visible research labs in two connected buildings.
- Page calls it the largest museum of its kind in the Southeast
- Nature Research Center research labs and live scientist presentations
- Nature Exploration Center exhibits and films
- Sister site in Whiteville
Plan It in Three Lines
Getting In
Admission: free. Parking: Weekday parking in public pay decks within walking distance (State Government Complex rates $2/hour).
10 a.m.–5 p.m. (Tue–Sun)Bring The Dog?
Service dogs and miniature horses (ADA) welcome, with extra caution in the Living Conservatory and Windows on the World. Pets and emotional support or comfort animals…
Full rule belowMake It a Day
Marbles Kids Museum is about 1 mile away (straight line).
6 places within 30 miles
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Hours
Hours in a day
- OpenTue–Sun10 a.m.–5 p.m.
- WhitevilleTue–Sat10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Days of the week today is outlined
- closed Mondays
- 2026 closed dates listed on page: Jan 1, Jan 13-16, Apr 5, Nov 26, Dec 24, Dec 25
- Prairie Ridge Ecostation: closed to public visits since April 1, 2026 (registered programs only)
Bars that fade start at sunrise or end at sunset or dark, which move with the season. The full hours, word for word, are in the list below.
- Downtown Raleigh (NEC and NRC): Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 5pm; closed Mondays
- 2026 closed dates listed on page: Jan 1, Jan 13-16, Apr 5, Nov 26, Dec 24, Dec 25
- Whiteville: Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 4pm
- Prairie Ridge Ecostation: closed to public visits since April 1, 2026 (registered programs only); reopening expected 2027
Hours source: official site, read October 27, 2026.
Admission and Parking
- General admission is free (timed-entry tickets; donations appreciated)
- Costs apply for 3D movies, special (traveling) exhibits and some programs; amounts not published on pages read
Parking: Weekday parking in public pay decks within walking distance (State Government Complex rates $2/hour); Green Square deck at Edenton and McDowell behind the NRC; limited metered parking on Jones and Edenton; parking free and abundant on weekends. Free bus parking at Blount and Jones.
Directions and Contact
- Address: 11 West Jones Street (Nature Exploration Center); 121 West Jones Street (Nature Research Center)
- Phone: 919.707.9800
- Map point: 35.78216,-78.63950, from OpenStreetMap (looked up by name, approximate). Directions in Google Maps
- Official site: naturalsciences.org/visit
Dogs and Accessibility
- Dogs: Service dogs and miniature horses (ADA) welcome, with extra caution in the Living Conservatory and Windows on the World. Pets and emotional support or comfort animals are not allowed in the Museum.
- Accessibility: Free manual wheelchairs at Information Desks (no electric or scooter loans); elevators in both buildings; automatic doors at entrances and the second-floor bridge (none on third-floor bridge); accessible restroom stalls on every floor; accessible seating in theaters; open captioning devices for some movies; sensory map and sensory-friendly bags and events.
Near North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
- 1Marbles Kids MuseumChildren's Museum With IMAX Theaterunder 1 mi
- 2William B. Umstead State ParkState Parkabout 10 mi
- 3Falls Lake State Recreation AreaState Recreation Areaabout 16 mi
- 4Jordan Lake State Recreation AreaState Recreation Areaabout 21 mi
- 5Museum of Life and ScienceScience Museum and Outdoor Science Parkabout 22 mi
- 6Raven Rock State ParkState Parkabout 27 mi
Straight-line distances between map points, not driving miles. Dots sit in their true compass direction; distance is stretched near the middle so close neighbors stay readable.
Coming Up in Raleigh
| Event | When | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| NC Museum of Natural Sciences (downtown Raleigh) | Oct 24-Mar 31, 2027 | Raleigh · Triangle | Free general admission |
| Dix Park: Instrument Petting Zoo | Sun, Nov 8 (2:00-4:00 PM) | Raleigh · Triangle | Free (free to the public thanks to Dix Park Conservancy donors); more prices on the event page |
| 82nd ABC11 Raleigh Christmas Parade Our guide | Sat, Nov 21 | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Dix Park: Trophy Trot 5k (Thanksgiving Day race) | Thu, Nov 26 (Kids' race 8:45 AM; 5K 9:00 AM; ends 10:30 AM) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Carolina Hurricanes vs Ottawa Senators (Thanksgiving week home game) | Sat, Nov 28 (Puck drop time not published in the team's schedule release) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Evening with Elves (Marbles Kids Museum) | Fri, Dec 4 (6:00-8:30 PM) | Raleigh · Triangle | $27 member | $30 general public; every attendee needs a ticket |
| Carolina Hurricanes vs Toronto Maple Leafs | Sat, Dec 5 (Time not published on this page on the venue list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Pentatonix: Christmas in the City Tour | Mon, Dec 7 (7:00 PM) | Raleigh · Triangle | Visit Ticketmaster.com for pricing (no dollar amount on the venue page) |
| Carolina Ballet: The Nutcracker | Dec 10-24 | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve (Raleigh) | Thu, Dec 10 (7:00 PM; doors 6:00 PM) | Raleigh · Triangle | Visit Ticketmaster.com for pricing (no dollar amount on the venue page) |
| Gingerbread Jamboree (Marbles Kids Museum) Our guide | Dec 12-13 (Sessions 9:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 3:30 PM each day) | Raleigh · Triangle | $18 member | $20 general public per attendee; reusable gingerbread house $25 |
| Carolina Hurricanes vs Boston Bruins (last home game before Christmas break) | Sun, Dec 13 (1:00 PM ET) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Disney On Ice presents Spotlight Magic | Dec 16-20 | Raleigh · Triangle | Visit Ticketmaster.com for pricing (no dollar amount on the venue page) |
| Carolina Hurricanes vs Nashville Predators (New Year's weekend home game) | Sat, Jan 2 (Puck drop time not published in the team's schedule release) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Carolina Hurricanes home games at Lenovo Center, Jan 2027 (Flyers Jan 15, Golden Knights Jan 17, Ducks Jan 23, Islanders Jan 28, Kings Jan 30) | Jan 15-30 (Puck-drop times not published on this page on the arena list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| The Red Clay Strays at Lenovo Center | Fri, Jan 22 (Time not published on this page on the arena list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| NC State vs Wake Forest at Lenovo Center | Sat, Jan 23 (12:00 PM; doors 11:00 AM) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Shen Yun | Jan 23-24 (Showtimes not published on this page on the list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Carolina Ballet: Giselle | Feb 4-14 (Showtimes not published on this page on the list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| NC Opera: Turandot | Feb 5-7 (Showtimes not published on this page on the list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| NC Symphony: Dancing in the Street, The Music of Motown | Feb 12-13 (Showtimes not published on this page on the list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Taylor Tomlinson | Feb 20-21 (Showtimes not published on this page on the list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| NC Symphony: Beethoven Symphony No. 9 | Feb 26-27 (Showtimes not published on this page on the list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| Carolina Ballet: The Little Mermaid | Mar 4-21 (Showtimes not published on this page on the list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
| NC Symphony: Totally 80s | Mar 12-13 (Showtimes not published on this page on the list) | Raleigh · Triangle | See event page |
From our checked events calendar, matched by venue name and town; times and tickets are on each organizer’s page.
Also see Triangle events.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences cost?
Free. General admission is free (timed-entry tickets; donations appreciated); Costs apply for 3D movies, special (traveling) exhibits and some programs; amounts not published on pages read
What are the hours at North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences?
Downtown Raleigh (NEC and NRC): Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 5pm; closed Mondays; 2026 closed dates listed on page: Jan 1, Jan 13-16, Apr 5, Nov 26, Dec 24, Dec 25.
Can I bring a dog to North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences?
Service dogs and miniature horses (ADA) welcome, with extra caution in the Living Conservatory and Windows on the World. Pets and emotional support or comfort animals are not allowed in the Museum.
What We Could Not Verify
- Prices for 3D movies, special exhibits and programs not published on pages read
- Building size not stated
- Hours and prices change; check the official site the day you go.
Sources
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences: hours (read 2026-10-27)
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences: official site (read 2026-10-27)
- OpenStreetMap (map point)
Last checked October 27, 2026 by the It’s North Carolina editor. Spot something out of date? Tell us.
Cite this page: It's North Carolina, “North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences”, itsnorthcarolina.com/places-to-go-in-north-carolina/north-carolina-museum-of-natural-sciences/ (updated ). By the It's North Carolina editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.