Art and Museums
Museums
Contemporary Art Museum
409 W. Martin St
(919) 836-0088
www.camnc.org
Currently renovating its 20,000-square-foot new home in downtown Raleigh, the Contemporary Art Museum is the Triangle's only museum solely dedicated to presenting the art of our time. A non-collecting museum, CAM serves as a forum where the entire community comes together in a dynamic environment that inspires creativity.
Exploris Museum and IMAX Theatre
201 E. Hargett St
(919) 834-4040
www.exploris.org
Exploris is the nation's first interactive museum dedicated to global awareness. Located one block north of Moore Square and City Market, Exploris is an interactive learning center for all ages. It's designed to transport visitors to incredible sights and sounds from around the world. The IMAX® Theatre at Exploris features a 52-foot-high flat screen with a 12,000-watt digital -surround sound system. It seats up to 271 people and makes visitors feel like they're in the center of the action.
Museum of Life and Science
433 West Murray Avenue
Durham, North Carolina 27704
(919) 220-5429
North Carolina Museum of Art
2110 Blue Ridge Rd
(919) 839-6262
www.ncartmuseum.org
This premier museum houses works that represent more than 5,000 years of artistic heritage, from ancient Egypt to the present. Its collection of Renaissance and Baroque paintings is internationally recognized. The museum offers changing exhibitions, lectures, workshops, films, family festivals and performing arts events in the landmark Museum Park, an outdoor concert and movie facility. Housed within the museum are a gift shop and café. Throughout the year, the museum also hosts events specifically geared toward its younger visitors.
North Carolina Museum of History
5 E. Edenton St
(919) 807-7900
www.ncmuseumofhistory.org
Visit the North Carolina Museum of History to explore the state's past and learn about its people. See a variety of exhibits, including the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. Special programs feature craft demonstrations, music concerts, family events and more. Admission is free. The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m-5 p.m., and Sunday noon-5 p.m. The Museum Shop is open daily.
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
11 W. Jones St
(919) 733-7450
www.naturalsciences.org
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences has four floors of walk-through environments that include four great whales, the world's only Acrocanthosaurus (a.k.a. Terror of the South) and some live animals, thanks to a cutting-edge exhibit technique. All the exhibits capture the essence of North Carolina's diverse geography, geology, plants and animals. Other highlights are the Discovery Room for children, special kids' programs, the Museum Store and an impressive collection of dinosaur skeletons. General admission is free; there is a cover charge for special exhibits.
Major Arts Organizations
A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute
1533 S. Main St, Winston-Salem, 27127
(336) 631-1537
www.fletcheropera.com
Designed as a vehicle for advancing the career potential of exceptional young singers, the Fletcher Institute offers performance-based training at graduate and post-graduate levels to 12 Institute Fellows each year. Institute Fellows perform in fully staged productions of new and established operatic works and participate in touring and outreach programs. Extensive performance experience is enriched by advanced studies in voice, language, diction, operatic and vocal literature, acting, makeup, movement, freeing the body for effective performance, and career-enhancement strategies.
African American Culture Complex
119 Sunnybrook Rd
(919) 250-9336
www.aaccmuseum.org
The African American Cultural Complex is a unique collection of artifacts, documents and displays of outstanding contributions made by African Americans. Started as a hobby of Dr. and Mrs. E.B. Palmer, the complex later opened as the Black Heritage Park. The AACC currently has three exhibit houses located along a picturesque nature trail, a mini-amphitheatre, a bird sanctuary, a nature preserve and a picnic area.
Arts Access, Inc.
(919) 833-9919
www.artsaccessinc.org
Arts Access is an organization whose fundamental goal is to encourage and enable people with disabilities to have full access to arts programs and facilities and to participate fully in the cultural and artistic life of Raleigh and the Triangle area. All of the services of Arts Access are free of charge to patrons of the arts.
Artspace
City Market, 201 East Davie St
(919) 821-2787
www.artspacenc.org
Artspace, the center for downtown Raleigh's art community, is a private, nonprofit visual art center dedicated to presenting quality exhibitions and educational programs within an open-studio environment and to promoting the visual arts by making the creative process accessible to the public. Artspace offers the unique opportunity to interact with over 40 artists working in open studios. Special opening receptions are sponsored on the first Friday of each month from 6-10 p.m. Artspace is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission is free.
Broadway Series South
2 E. South St
(919) 831-6060
www.broadwayseriessouth.com
The very best of touring Broadway shows can be seen at Memorial Auditorium. The popular Broadway series has been expanded to add off-Broadway shows. To purchase tickets, call (919) 834-4000 or visit www.ticketmaster.com or any Ticket-master outlet.
Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts
2 E. South St
(919) 831-6060
www.nctheatre.com
The Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts is the home of the North Carolina Symphony and the North Carolina Theatre. One of the finest performing arts facilities in the Southeast, the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts hosts the popular Broadway South series and many other special events.
Burning Coal Theatre Company
512 St. Mary's St
(919) 834-4001
www.burningcoal.org
Burning Coal Theatre Company is Raleigh's new professional equity theatre company, producing riveting re-examinations of overlooked classic and modern plays as well as new plays whose themes and issues are of immediate concern to the audience. Race- and gender-non-specific casting are an integral component of their perspective, as is an international viewpoint.
Carolina Ballet
3401 Atlantic Ave
(919) 719-0800
www.carolinaballet.com
The Triangle's professional ballet company features collaborations with the N.C. Symphony, National Opera Company and Raleigh Oratorio Society. These include the full range of ballet from the finest classics to fresh, contemporary works, infused with new energy and excitement. The season includes the annual tradition of "The Nutcracker" in December. The company is made up of more than 30 dancers from around the world and is recognized as one of the top 10 ballet companies in the country after only six seasons.
Contemporary Art Museum
409 W. Martin St
(919) 836-0088
www.camnc.org
Currently working to renovate its 20,000-square-foot new home in downtown Raleigh, the Contemporary Art Museum is the Triangle's only museum dedicated solely to presenting the art of our time for the enjoyment of the entire community. As a non-collecting museum, CAM's mission is to serve as a forum for the art of the present and the recent past, with an emphasis on the visual arts, documenting new directions and engaging the public.
Moore Square Arts District
Clustered within a three-block radius around historic City Market, eight private and nonprofit galleries comprise Raleigh's downtown art district. A First Friday Gallery Walk is held every month.
North Carolina Museum of Art
2110 Blue Ridge Rd
(919) 839-6262
www.ncartmuseum.org
This museum's collections span more than 5,000 years and include ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman art; European paintings and sculptures from the Renaissance through modern times; 18th- and 19th-century American art; and African, New World, Oceanic and Judaic art. The museum also provides educational programs for all ages. Admission to the Museum and its permanent collection is free. There is a charge for special exhibitions and some programs, such as concerts, films, classes and performances.
North Carolina State University Arts Programs
Center Stage/Ticket Central (919) 515-1100
Cinematic Arts Program (919) 515-5161
Crafts Center (919) 515-2457
Gallery of Art and Design (919) 515-3503
Music Department (919) 515-2981
N.C. State's cultural offerings include first-rate dramatic, musical and dance performances, as well as annual art exhibitions. In addition to student productions, the university hosts a number of national performers, including the Shenandoah Shakespeare Express. Outstanding theatre and gallery facilities are located on campus and are home to the university's arts programs.
North Carolina Symphony Orchestra
4361 Lassiter at North Hills Avenue Suite 105, 27609
(919) 733-2750
www.ncsymphony.org
Raleigh's magnificent Meymandi Concert Hall is home to the North Carolina Symphony, which performs more than 170 concerts throughout the state each year. The symphony takes great pride in having performed with some of the world's most acclaimed soloists, including Itzhak Perlman and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg. The symphony can also boast that it has one of the most extensive education programs of any orchestra in the country. In addition to its performances at the Meymandi Concert Hall, which include the Classical, Pops, Young People's and Masterworks series, the symphony also performs its outdoor Summerfest series at Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park in Cary.
North Carolina Theatre
1 E. South St., 27601
(919) 831-6941
www.nctheatre.com
Founded in 1984, the North Carolina Theatre (NCT) is the state's largest nonprofit professional regional theatre, specializing in the production of large-scale Broadway musicals. NCT blends seasoned Broadway performers with the very best in regional talent at Raleigh's Memorial Auditorium.
The Opera Company of North Carolina
3600 Glenwood Ave, Suite 101, 27612
(919) 783-0098
www.operanc.com
This professional company has won accolades for its uncompromising professional standards, internationally renowned casts and sold-out performances.
Page-Walker Arts & History Center
119 Ambassador Loop, Cary 27513
(919) 460-4963
www.townofcary.org
Built in 1868 by the founder of Cary, Allison Francis Page, the Page-Walker Hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The center is open for public tours, classes, various cultural performances and events, school tours of the Cary Heritage Museum, and rentals. The center also supports an art gallery featuring the works of local and regional artists.
Raleigh Chamber Music Guild
336 Fayetteville Street Mall, Suite 411, 27601
(919) 821-2030
www.rcmg.org
The fundamental mission of the Raleigh Chamber Music Guild is to promote and present chamber music in the Greater Raleigh area. The guild presents world-class artists and performances showcasing North Carolina musicians and promotes both music education and music appreciation.
Raleigh Ensemble Players
201 E. Davie St., 27601
(919) 832-9607
www.realtheatre.org
This professional theatre company employs local actors and technicians to premiere cutting-edge, off-Broadway productions annually at Artspace Gallery II in downtown Raleigh's City Market.
Raleigh Little Theatre (RLT) and Rose Garden
301 Pogue St., 27607
(919) 821-4579
www.raleighlittletheatre.org
RLT is one of the oldest continuously operating community theatres in the country. Now beginning its 70th season, RLT showcases 11 productions each year, with more than 150 performances. No other theatre in the state produces as many shows. So get ready for some high-stepping musicals, outrageous comedies, thought-provoking dramas and family favorites.
Raleigh Symphony Orchestra (RSO)
(919) 546-9755
www.raleighsymphony.org
Celebrating its 25th season, the Raleigh Symphony Orchestra performs critically acclaimed concerts under the creative leadership of Maestro Alan Neilson. RSO's -season features jazz, classical, family and pops concerts. The Raleigh Symphony Orchestra maintains a strong presence in the community with educational programs in the Wake County schools and in association with local music teachers. RSO has been awarded the Raleigh Medal of Arts for its inclusive and innovative programming, community outreach, and high artistic standards.
Theatre In The Park
107 Pullen Road, 27607
(919) 831-6936
www.theatreinthepark.com
Theatre In The Park is North Carolina's largest community theatre, with an international reputation for producing exciting and innovative productions. Theatre In The Park features renowned actor, director and playwright Ira David Wood III. The company annually presents a wide range of productions in its intimate performance space, including the best in comedy, musicals, Shakespeare and contemporary dramas.
Visual Art Exchange (VAE)
325 Blake St., 27601
(919) 828-7834
www.visualartexchange.org
This nonprofit association and gallery supports local visual artists while featuring monthly themed exhibits in its City Market gallery. VAE also hosts an annual scholarship awards program for Wake County high school students and produces the annual Raleigh Street Painting Festival in downtown Raleigh.