In 1947, the NC General Assembly budgeted $1 million to acquire works of art. From that and private donations, a collection of paintings and sculptures was assembled and the North Carolina Museum of Art opened to the public in 1956. The collection is divided in a a number of galleries with works dating from 3000 BC to the present.

The Gallery has a busy calendar of visiting exhibits, lectures and workshops. During the summer, concerts and films are shown in the Joseph M. Bryan Jr Theater in the Museum Park, on outdoor facility on the grounds of the Gallery. Check the website for events.