Field Trips, Capital Area Visitor Services and Raleigh Group Visits

Raleigh Field Trips
0SCHEDULED in 2019 In 2019, CAVS scheduled over 314,000 visitors combined for the five sites we service.

Welcome

Capital Area Visitor Services (CAVS) is the gateway to Raleigh, the city that has served as the capital of North Carolina since 1792. CAVS was established by the state in 1976 as a Bicentennial project. It is now a permanent point of contact for more than 300,000 annual visitors to Raleigh’s state-owned cultural and historic attractions.

Scheduling a Tour

CAVS schedules and coordinates tours of historic state-owned points of interest. Visits must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance; however, earlier scheduling allows more flexibility, permits time for delivery of your written itinerary, and opens more options for your trip. When planning to visit the State Capitol, Legislative Building, or Executive Mansion it is better to book 7-8 months in advance. To schedule through CAVS, you need to have at least 10 persons in your group. For groups smaller than this, please contact the site directly at the following numbers: State Capitol 919-733-4995 / Legislative Building 919-733-7928 / Executive Mansion 919-715-3962/ NC Museum of History 919-814-7000 / NC Museum of Natural Sciences 919-707-9805. To have CAVS schedule your group, here’s what you do:

Visit our website at nccapvisit.org / Email us at capitalarea.visitorservices@ncdcr.gov / Call us at 919-814-6950

If you represent a group, you should contact us at least one month in advance so that you will have a better chance of getting the tour times you want. Before you contact us please consider,

A.   The date of your visit. Since Raleigh’s visitation is heaviest in March, April, and May, it may be more difficult to secure tour times in these months. Try to schedule from June through February for a more personal, relaxed visit.

B.   Time limits. Schedule your itinerary time by adding the tour times shown on the website, and add 15 minutes for travel time between each site. (e.g. State Capitol 30 minute tour, 15 minute transition time plus Museum of History 60 minute tour time equals total tour time of 1 hour and 45 minutes)  If a group vacillates from an assigned tour time on the day of their trip, their tour to that specific site may be lost due to schedule conflicts.

Once you get here

Parking: The bus unloading zone is in front of the Legislative Building at 16 West Jones St. The bus parking lot is located at 201 E. Jones St. Those driving personal vehicles will have to utilize regular downtown parking. Please visit this link for more parking information.

Click on the tabs below to learn more about each of the venues that are serviced by Capital Area Visitor Services, including information on what you'll see, security procedures, and pre-visit resources to make your trip a success.

Tours for groups of 10 or more can be made for our venues through this platform. All reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance.

Executive Mansion

Executive Mansion

Executive Mansion

The North Carolina Executive Mansion is the official residence of the Governor of North Carolina and their family. Building began in the year 1883 and it was designed by architects Samuel Sloan and A.G. Bauer. North Carolina’s Executive Mansion is not only home to the Governor, it is the “people’s house.” The building is also a meeting space, historic site, and an elegant event location. In addition, thousands of visitors visit during public tour season and during the holiday open house. Governor Roy Cooper is the thirtieth governor to live in the Mansion. He is the seventieth person to hold this office in North Carolina since the end of the American Revolution.
Virtual Tour of  N.C. Executive Mansion 
 
Legislative Building

Legislative Building

Legislative Building

Monday-Friday -
Saturday -
Sunday -
The Legislative Building is open to the public year-round, except on State holidays.
Virtual Tour of  N.C. Legislative Building
 

Admission is free.

Guidelines for visiting the NC General Assembly – Legislative Building

  • ARRIVAL AND REGISTRATION - Upon arrival to the General Assembly, please have your students gather in a single file line behind the visitors and guests sign at the front entrance of the building located on Jones Street.  The teachers are responsible for the registration of their group. Please enter through the door marked appropriately for registration.   Parents, adults, and chaperones should not be responsible for any part of registration.  Teachers should come to the front desk to register, receive classroom materials, be given specific instructions, and meet their Building Guide.
  • SECURITY AND SCREENING - The Legislative Building now has a NEW security screening procedure in place for all visitors. To ensure the best possible experience, several recommendations will expedite screening. All students, teachers, parents, adults, and chaperones will be required to go through screening upon entry to the building. To accelerate this procedure we are requesting that students leave all non-essential items including backpacks, cell phones, etc. (excluding medical items), on their respective buses.  We also ask that items not left on the bus, including souvenirs, be left outside with 2 or 3 adults while the tour takes place.  Below are prohibited items inside the Legislature:

Prohibited Items Through Screening Process

  • Aerosol containers
  • Electric stun guns, martial arts weapons, or devices
  • Knives of any size
  • Mace and pepper spray
  • Guns, replica guns, ammunition, and fireworks
  • Any weapon facsimile
  • Razors and box cutters
  • Pets or animals (Guide and assistance animals are permitted)
  • Batons and nightsticks
  • Signs on handsticks
  • Any other item or device that can be considered a dangerous weapon

The Building Guide will lead the group into the screening area.  The Building Guide must be followed by the teacher, students next for screening, with parents, adults, and chaperones remaining at the end of the line to be screened last.

We recommend following the above-listed procedures carefully as any failure to follow the above guidelines may result in a delay for your group.  We greatly appreciate your cooperation with these NEW security measures.  We look forward to seeing you at the General Assembly and serving the needs of your group during its upcoming visit to the State Legislative Building!

N.C. Museum of History

N.C. Museum of History

North Carolina Museum of History

Welcome to the North Carolina Museum of History!

Visitors from around the world travel to the North Carolina Museum of History, a Smithsonian affiliate, to discover fascinating secrets and hidden gems from our state's past. Located at 5 East Edenton Street in the heart of downtown Raleigh, across from the Capitol, the state history museum welcomes more than 465,000 visitors a year, including 83,000+ school groups. You can contact the Museum at (919) 814-7000. The fax number is (919) 733-8655​.

The North Carolina Museum of History is open to the public with some procedures in place to help ensure the safety of staff and visitors. Daily, health and safety guidelines are being followed and monitored.

Face masks are no longer required for visitors in most settings outdoors or indoors at our facility. We strongly encourage those who have not yet been vaccinated for COVID-19 to continue wearing masks and practicing social distancing while visiting our facility.

Please continue to follow the museum website and social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) for the most up-to-date information. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Admission is FREE. Tickets are NOT required for entry. Hours of operation will be as follows:

  • Tuesday–Saturday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
  • Sunday: Noon
  • Closed Mondays and some holidays

The Museum Shop hours of operation:

  • Tuesday-Saturday: 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
  • Sunday: Noon–5 p.m.

Nearby the museum is convenient parking, restaurants, and many other family-friendly attractions.

The Museum is closed on New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

Before Your Visit to the N.C. Museum of History

To help you plan your visit to the Museum of History, you might find some of these links helpful:

Learn More Book Your Tour Today

N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences

N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh is open Tuesday–Sunday, 10am–5pm, with procedures and plans in place to help ensure the safety of visitors and staff.

To help make your experience the best it can be, please Know Before You Go.

Face masks are no longer required for visitors in most settings outdoors or indoors at our facilities. We strongly encourage those who have not yet been vaccinated for COVID-19 to continue wearing masks and practicing social distancing while visiting our facilities.

When is the best time to visit NCMNS in downtown Raleigh?

  • Tuesday through Friday is a great time to visit. Typically the Museum is less busy, and the only line you may experience is at 10:00am prior to the Museum opening.
  • We are busiest on Saturday and Sunday. Wait times are usual on weekends. Last entry is at 4:45pm. The building closes at 5:00pm.

Please check this page before visiting, and follow the Museum on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for the most up-to-date information. For additional questions email info@naturalsciences.org or see the FAQs. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Hours (Downtown Raleigh)

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

  • Face masks are no longer required for visitors in most settings outdoors or indoors at our facilities. We strongly encourage those who have not yet been vaccinated for COVID-19 to continue wearing masks and practicing social distancing while visiting our facilities.
  • Cloth face coverings are available for purchase in the Museum Store.
  • Enhanced cleaning of the facilities will take place multiple times throughout the day.
  • Hand sanitizer stations are accessible throughout the Museum.
  • Water fountains will not be in use.
  • The Museum’s daily onsite programming is temporarily postponed.
  • If you are experiencing symptoms of illness, we ask that you postpone your visit.

Download the Museum's Reopening Map

TEMPORARILY CLOSED AREAS

Areas within the downtown Museum that will remain closed during the initial opening period include:

  • WRAL 3D Theater (3D movies)
  • Windows on the World (Storytime and Meet the Animals)
  • Living Conservatory (aka “the butterfly room”)
  • Discovery Room
  • The hands-on Investigate Labs and the Naturalist Center
  • Additional small permanent exhibits (areas)

For more information!

State Capitol

State Capitol

State Capitol

The State Capitol will open for self-guided tours on May 17. 


    The State Capitol will open to the public May 17, with some new procedures in place to help ensure the safety of staff and visitors, including:

     · Installing hand sanitizer stations and increasing the frequency of cleaning high touch public areas

     · Installing protective barriers at information desks

     · Our gift shop will be open

The building will be open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. for self-guided tours. The State Capitol will remain closed on Saturdays until further notice. Public and group tours will not be available, however, visitors are invited to meet a Capitol interpreter outside at the east entrance of the building weekdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. for a brief overview of the history of the Capitol. Public restrooms are closed.

Visitors are encouraged to follow the “Three Ws” as outlined by the N.C. Dept. of Health and Human Services – WEAR a cloth face-covering indoors; WAIT in line at least six feet away from others, and WASH hands frequently or use hand sanitizer. If you are experiencing symptoms of illness, we ask that you postpone your visit.

Keep up to date with our plans by visiting our website at historicsites.nc.gov/capitol or following us on social media. We look forward to seeing you soon!

What's New Now

School Group Lunches

Raleigh's downtown sites do not have indoor dining facilities for groups. Fire regulations prohibit groups from sitting inside the facilities while eating and do not allow waiting inside to escape the weather.

Several tables with seating are available in Fletcher Garden, between the Museum of History and the Museum of Natural Sciences. Buses may stop along Jones Street long enough to unload lunches but they may not park at the curb. Tables may not be reserved. Groups are responsible for cleaning up after themselves, so bring heavy-duty garbage bags to collect trash for disposal.

Picnicking in the park behind the Archives and History/State Library Building is also allowed. Buses may stop along the Lane Street side of the park long enough to unload lunches but they may not park near the picnic area.

Check out the map to the right to see where your group can eat lunch.

On days with inclement weather, you will need to eat lunch on your buses. If your bus has had to park at the Museum of Art, you must have a way to contact your bus driver.

You may purchase brown-bag or box lunches for eating outside. Many restaurants can provide these lunches with two-week advance notice. Contact them directly for menu options, prices, and arrangements.

 

 

 

 

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