Located on Fayetteville Street in the heart of downtown Raleigh are 2 museums. They are both "must-see" for North Carolina citizens and anyone traveling near Raleigh.

The North Carolina Museum of Life and Science in Durham is great place for visitors of all ages, but with hundreds of hands-on exhibits, it is especially great for school-aged visitors.

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 Smithsonian Institution features 19 museums, serveral research centers, and the National Zoo. Washington DC is home to 17 museums, and 10 of those are on the National Mall. Admission is free to nearly all of the Smithsonian facilities, and most are open nearly every day of the year.