Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2004
2004 Press Kit
GLOBAL EXPERIENCES AT NORTH CAROLINA'S MAJOR MUSEUMS: YOUR JOURNEY AWAITS IN RALEIGH
Contact: Martin Armes, 919-645-2654
RALEIGH, N.C. (January 2004) – The abundance of museums developed in Raleigh represents an eclectic collage of culture. In 2004, the region offers a diverse mix of educational exhibitions that will take visitors around the world right in North Carolina's capital city.
African American Cultural Complex (AACC)
The African American Cultural Complex displays a collection that tells the story of African-American contributions. One permanent exhibit highlights everyday items that were invented or include components of inventions made by African-Americans, including an ice cream cone, a bottle of peanut oil and an eggbeater. A replica of the Amistad slave ship is on display year round, although it especially shines July 22-25 and July 29-August 1, 2004, during the 6th annual production of the only outdoor drama written, produced and directed by and about African Americans in the U.S., The Amistad Saga: Reflections. Admission to the museum is free, there is a charge for the Amistad performance: adults $10, children (ages 6-12) $6. www.aaccmuseum.org
Exploris/IMAX Theatre at Exploris
This state-of-the-art interactive museum about the world has a unique mission – to encourage visitors to make connections with the people of all cultures. Through hands-on exhibits and thought provoking programs, guests have the opportunity to see how the world works, and the part each human can play in it. Many Voices encourages visitors to discover world voices by paging through unfiltered news from more than 40 countries and expressing personal thoughts by building a personal website. The IMAX Theatre at Exploris provides an innovative medium to introduce new places, new people and new ideas to visitors of all ages. Major 2004 exhibit (April 3-August 1): China on Tour, includes artifacts from 7,000 years of artistic Chinese innovations. Admission charged. www.exploris.org.
Legends of Harley Drag Racing Museum
Ray Price is quick to escort you to the museum floor – just upstairs from one of the East Coast's largest Harley dealership! More than six decades of American motorcycle history are on display, with Harley Davidson bikes representing each era from 1936 to the present, both in original and restored condition. Admission is free. www.rayprice.com
Mordecai Historic Park
Mordecai Historic Park was once the heart of an extensive antebellum plantation. Surrounding Mordecai House, the park's Greek Revival house museum, are other historic structures including the birthplace of Andrew Johnson, 17th President of the United States. These buildings, relocated from Raleigh and the surrounding area for preservation efforts, are grouped together in a "village street" setting and provide a unique glimpse into 19th-century Raleigh life. Admission charged. capitalareapreservation.org/park.html
North Carolina Museum of Art
This museum houses 5,000 years of artistic heritage, from ancient Egypt to the present. The collection of Renaissance and Baroque paintings, with works by Van Dyck, Jan Brueghel and Raphael, is internationally recognized. Significant American paintings include works by John Singleton Copley, Winslow Homer and Georgia O'Keeffe. Also represented are collections of African, Oceanic, New World, Egyptian, Greek and Roman, 20th-century and Jewish ceremonial art. Feature exhibits in 2004 include: Defying Gravity: Contemporary Art and Flight, Current-March 7, 2004; American Eden: Landscape Paintings of the Hudson River School, June 6 – August 29, 2004; and Objects of Desire: The Museum Collects, 1994 – 2004, July 18 – October 24, 2004. Admission to the museum and the permanent collection is free. There is a charge for select special exhibitions. www.ncartmuseum.org
North Carolina Museum of History
This collection contains more than 250,000 artifacts representing the state's rich heritage, with exhibits on agriculture, politics, folklife and sports. The museum will host a signature exhibit this year: North Carolina Aviation Pioneers, Current - May 29, 2005. Admission is free. www.ncmuseumofhistory.org
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences includes 70,000 square feet of walk-through environments. Four floors of exhibits feature four great whales, the world's only Acrocanthosaurus – better known as the "Terror of the South"– and Willo, the dinosaur with a heart! Using a cutting-edge exhibit technique, live animals are included in exhibits throughout the museum. Displays look at the natural world through the distinct lens of North Carolina's diverse geography, geology, plants and animals. Admission to the museum and the permanent exhibits is free. There is a charge for select special exhibitions. www.naturalsciences.org
North Carolina Railroad Museum
Visitors to the North Carolina Railroad Museum are invited to view the collection of train equipment, including the Vulcan Tank Steam Locomotive which workers have been restoring since it was acquired in 1999. The equipment on display at the museum is available for viewing during normal daylight hours – however the museum is only staffed on Work Days, Train Ride Days and Group Ride Days. To ride the rails, catch a one-hour adventure from Bonsal to New Hill and back. From May through November, guests can board the train the first Sunday of each month. Special holiday trains including the spooky "Halloween Express" in October and "Christmas Train" featuring Santa in December are always a hit. Admission charged for train rides only. www.nhvry.org
Raleigh City Museum
After 200 years of North Carolina's capital city having no repository for its cultural artifacts and no place to preserve its past, the city opened its first exhibit in 1993. Since then, the Raleigh City Museum has dedicated itself to helping people understand the city's present through knowledge of its past by collecting, preserving and interpreting materials pertaining to Raleigh's unique history and culture. The museum will host a special exhibit illustrating the importance of transportation in Raleigh: Planes, Trains and Automobiles: Transportation in the Triangle, Spring 2004-Summer 2005. Admission is free. www.raleighcitymuseum.org
Specific admission fees and hours of operation can be found by visiting the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau website at www.visitraleigh.com or the individual websites listed with each attraction. The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau is a non-profit agency that promotes Raleigh and Wake County for convention and visitor business to enhance the economic growth and development of the area. For a free visitors guide or more information, please call (800) 849-8499 or visit our website.
City Life, Carolina Style.
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National Media Contact:
Jim Lee, DCI
Phone: (212) 725-0707
Email: jlee@dc-intl.com
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