There’s no better way to ring in the new year than adventuring to downtown Raleigh to take in some of the city’s hot spots. First Friday, an event brought to you by the Downtown Raleigh Alliance occurring the first Friday of every month, is a self-guided tour of some of Raleigh’s art galleries, restaurants and museums, including the North Carolina Museum of History.
First Fridays at the Museum of History include extended museum hours and the opportunity to experience all of the museum’s lobby-level exhibits and the Museum Gift Shop. Current exhibits include “The Story of North Carolina” and “Selma to Montgomery: A March for the Right to Vote: Photographs by Spider Martin.”
In April, the interactive multimedia exhibit “North Carolina and World War I” will make its debut at the Museum and commemorate the centennial of US entry into World War I. The 6,500-square-foot exhibition will include a re-created trench warfare diorama, artifacts, film footage and more, and will be accompanied by an event commemorating World War I in downtown Raleigh.
More exhibitions will be opening throughout the year and will be accessible to visitors during First Fridays through 2017.
After visiting the Museum of History on First Fridays, visitors can walk to some of Raleigh’s best restaurants like Café Luna and The Big Easy, shop at Deco Raleigh or Moon and Lola and finish up at the Block Gallery or Tipping Paint Gallery to learn about Raleigh’s local artists.
2017’s First Friday is this Friday, January 6 from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. The Museum of History will have craft brewer Mystery Brewing Company (Hillsborough, NC) handing out free samples and museum-goers will enjoy clearance pricing on certain merchandise and a 20% discount on many items in the Museum Shop.
Be sure to check the DNCR blog for more information on events happening around the state throughout the year, including more information on First Fridays with the N.C. Museum of History every month in Raleigh.