City of Raleigh Museum
220 Fayetteville Street, Raleigh 27610
Hours: Tuesday- Saturday: 9 AM – 4 PM, Sunday: 1 – 4:00 PM.
Located in the historic Briggs Hardware building in the heart of downtown, The City of Raleigh Museum reflects a time continuum of the capital city. As articulated by its Then.Now.Next. motto, the museum’s mission is to tell of Raleigh’s past, but in a way that connects to its present, and beyond, to envision its future.
The City of Raleigh Museum was founded by a non-profit of the same name just after Raleigh’s bi-centennial in 1993. In 2011, management was transferred to the City under the umbrella of the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department. The space now hosts a variety of exhibits and programs throughout the year. Current displays range from Raleigh’s civil rights movement to cartoonist Dwaine Powell’s art to a photographic look at immigration and dining in Raleigh. And the list goes on. The museum also offers kids’ activities and educational programming.
Many of the collection’s artifacts are contributed by Raleighites who want to share their mementos. Director Ernest Dollar curates a treasure trove of about 6,000 objects and half a million photographs and negatives in boxes and shelves in the museum’s storage basement.
Along with all these links to the past, Ernest is excited for the possibilities the museum offers Raleigh’s future. A number of partnerships connect it in- and beyond the community, such as collaboration with the Mexican Consulate in the current “Food for Thought” photo exhibit. An exhibit opening in September in partnership with Wake Tech explores individual experience and collective memory in America’s wars. Next year, the museum will consider DNA in a cutting-edge exhibit. Go now and go then to experience all Raleigh’s museum has to offer!
*Join the City of Raleigh Museum and the Mexican Consulate on Wednesday, August 2 at 6pm for a reception to celebrate the “Food for Thought” exhibit. Free and open to the public.*
