We previously highlighted the outdoor park at the North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA), but don’t forget to head inside to check out all of the art exhibits as well! They have a permanent collection and temporary art installations which are all free to view, plus there’s also seasonal ticketed galleries and events for an extra fee.
Visiting with Children
You may think I’m crazy for visiting an art museum with children. I mean, kids and priceless artifacts don’t really go together! I learned a few things from our stressful visit at the Gregg Museum of Art and Design, so I had a long talk with my 6, 4, and 3 year old in the car about the rules I expected them to follow while we were there. My two main rules were no touching and no running. They did very well except for my 3 year old who touched a painting shortly after we arrived, which of course happened right in front of museum staff. We were gently reprimanded, and I made sure to hold his hand the rest of the time we were there! I saw some other moms with strollers, so if you are able to do that you may want to!
Heads up that your preschoolers may also get the giggles when you get to the roman statue section. All of the naked butts were just too much for my kids to handle respectfully. They were getting pretty loud about it, so we popped into the restroom so they could laugh their heads off before we moved on. We definitely weren’t the cultured, civilized family I imagined us to be that day! My 6 year old was the worst offender here, and started everyone else laughing about it as well. My 3 year old just pointed out that all of the statues were peeing. 🤦 So here’s your warning of what you may be walking into! You might need to have a little anatomy lesson if you only have girls at home! 🤣
Leave Bags in the car
Another disadvantage to visiting with children is that they don’t want you to bring any bags with you. I still have a kid in diapers so I needed to bring the diaper bag. Check in staff didn’t say anything to me about it, but then later another staff member told me it wasn’t allowed and should have been left in my car. Luckily they let me keep it with me, as long as I didn’t wear it on my back. They were worried I might turn and knock something over, so I was required to either hang it on my arm or wear the backpack on my stomach. This was a pain, so I recommend leaving bags in your car. Or bring a stroller and hook it on there while walking around.
Exhibits
Located in the West Building, the permanent collection at the North Carolina Museum of Art has has works from as early as 200 B.C. all the way to modern day. There are artworks from European, Italian, Egyptian, Greece, Roman, American, ancient American, Oceanic, and Jewish heritage. The art mediums include everything from paintings, sculptures, statues, vases, furniture, ceremonial objects, funerary art, fabric, shadows, glass, and even this kaleidoscope light show!
We took our time walking through the museum and discussing all of the different ways you can make art. I challenged the kids to make their own art when we got home, but you could take it up a step and have them recreate a specific piece. My 6 year old was inspired by a dress she saw on display at the museum, while my 4 year old recreated a sculpture using pillows. The possibilities for learning are endless!
lots of art exhibits at NCMA 
paintings and sculptures 
King Saul sitting on his throne 
a sculpture in honor of the Tuskeegee Airmen 
We all loved this glass sculpture
Museum Store and Café
Near the entrance you will find the museum store and café. We were able to skip this portion with the kids, but you may want to check it out! The store features a diverse selection of local artisanal goods inspired by the art collection and the state of North Carolina. Sip Coffee Bar and Café has a selection of coffee, tea, and cold drinks, as well as pastries and themed food items. See the full menu online. Hours are limited, so make sure the café will be open during your visit!
Once you grab your tasty treats, you can head outside where they have lots of outdoor seating setup, perfect for kids to run around and have a snack! Pre-kids, Hubby and I participated in an evening museum event, where they had live music and full dinner selections at the café. They aren’t currently offering this due to the pandemic, but it is listed on our Date Night Directory as an idea for when it resumes!
Admission
Admission is completely FREE to the permanent collection! In addition to that, there are rotating seasonal exhibits available for a fee as well. You can see any upcoming paid shows at the Museum website, as well as their calendar of events.
The Golden Mummies of Egypt display begins March 6th to July 11, 2021. For this ticketed exhibit, adults are $23.60, youth 7-18 are $17.16, and children 6 and under are free.
Pandemic Policies
Masks are required for guests 5 and up. You must reserve a free timed entry ticket in advance, but we had no issues booking a ticket the night before. The space is large so they can fit a lot of people inside safely. They have arrows on the floor so you have a one way path through the exhibits. I actually really liked this because it made sure you didn’t miss anything!
A lot of the museum events have been converted to virtual. Unfortunately they are no longer offering their popular children’s art and learning time. It was in such high demand we were never able to get tickets before the pandemic hit! We are hoping this awesome event will come back soon!
The museum also usually has a summer movie series in the amphitheater outside. This was cancelled this past summer, but we are hoping they will bring it back. It sounds like the perfect COVID-friendly activity to do outdoors!