Published by Christina. Last Updated on August 8, 2024.
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North Carolina‘s Gate City is full of fun and interactive things to do. For example, the engaging museums in Greensboro covered in this guide are perfect for kids, history lovers, and art enthusiasts!
All tastes and ages are welcome to visit, and everyone will want to spend time at these important institutions. For example, important American history lessons are excitingly told at Guilford Courthouse National Park and the International Civil Rights Center.
For a faster pace, you can ride the ziplines at the Greensboro Science Center and let your little ones climb the play structures there or at the Children’s Museum in Greensboro.
Our guide shares 7 of the best Greensboro museums, including those we just mentioned. We’ll also mention whether these are free museums or if a ticket is required for entry.
Either way, we hope these popular spots will help your adventures through Greensboro, whether you live here or are just passing through.
Here’s an outline of everything we cover in case you want to jump ahead:
- Elsewhere Modern Art Museum
- Greensboro History Museum
- Greensboro Science Center
- Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
- International Civil Rights Center
- Miriam P. Brenner Children’s Museum
- Weatherspoon Art Museum
Whether you’re a new resident, a frequent visitor, or a local, we’re leaving no detail behind. If you live in the Greensboro North Carolina area and are wondering, “What are the best things to do near me?” we think this NC travel guide will help you out!
Read More: Things to Do in Greensboro
Elsewhere Modern Art Museum (Free*)
Address: 606 S Elm St, Greensboro, NC
Website
The first place featured is probably the most eclectic of all the museums in Greensboro. The Elsewhere Modern Art Museum was once a thrift shop and has transformed into a 3-story space full of quirky objects and artist collaborations!
One walkthrough will leave you feeling inspired and ready to create from your own unique creativity.
*We’ve included Elsewhere in our “Free Museums in Greensboro” section and this place won’t turn anyone away.
However, there is a suggested admission of $5 or more for this Greensboro Art Museum. We think “more” is a good choice, considering all that’s inside this wonderful space.
Read More: The Historic Magnolia House in Greensboro (an Excellent Former Green Book Hotel)
Greensboro History Museum (Free)
Address: 130 Summit Ave, Greensboro, NC
Website
Just down the street from the Children’s Museum is a great spot in Greensboro to learn local history. The 17,000 square foot Greensboro Historical Museum houses stories and exhibits that tell the history of Guilford County through today.
The museum resides in a beautiful building that was once the First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro and the Smith Memorial Building.
Free Admission
Read More: The NC Museum of History (+7 Things We Love About It!)
Greensboro Science Center
Address: 4301 Lawndale Dr, Greensboro, NC
Website
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Primarily focused on science, we also consider Greensboro Science Center worthy of inclusion in this guide to Greensboro museums. Here you can experience a wide variety of educational programs and wildlife.
The GSC also has a petting zoo open on weekends, but you can also meet creatures through hands-on sites inside and outside.
Additional activities at the Science Center in Greensboro NC include Omnisphere shows, Skywild ropes courses and ziplines, and behind-the-scenes inside tracks.
Admission is free for children ages 2 and under. If your little ones are older, prices start at $17.50. Thanks to our memberships with the NC Zoo in Asheboro and the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, we’ve gotten in for a discount.
The GSC offers reciprocal memberships for participating institutions in the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) or the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
Ticket Info
Read More: Children’s Museums in North Carolina
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park (Free)
Address: 2332 New Garden Rd, Greensboro, NC
Website
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park is one of the most interesting museums in Greensboro, NC. A mix of indoor and outdoor exhibits await in the visitor center, along the footpaths and driving paths, and at each stop along the audio tour.
You’ll learn about the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, fought on March 15, 1781, and its place in American history. Beyond the larger narrative, this park has records of 90 percent of the American soldiers who fought in the battle.
Our favorite stop is the Nathaniel Greene Monument, named for the war hero and root of the name “Greensboro.”
Another fun thing about this National Parks-managed site is that the Atlantic and Yadkin Greenway runs through it. You can start from Summerfield and ride about 4 miles before reaching Guilford Courthouse.
Free Admission
Read More: National Parks in North Carolina
International Civil Rights Center
Address: 134 S Elm St, Greensboro, NC
Website
The International Civil Rights Center, formerly the local Woolworth’s, is where four students from North Carolina A&T started a sit-in at a whites-only lunch counter on February 1, 1960.
Primarily known as the A&T Four, the brave young men and those who supported their actions inspired similar sit-ins in 250 cities, sparking the Civil Rights Era in America.
The Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro is located in a historic building that serves as an excellent historical resource, and the now-Greensboro Four’s story serves as an inspiration to never give up fighting for one’s civil rights.
You can experience a variety of staff-led tours online and onsite. 13 permanent galleries await inside this 30,000 square foot space. We think this museum is a worthwhile visit throughout the year!
Ticket Info
Read More: Important Places to Visit and Learn Black History in North Carolina
Miriam P. Brenner Children’s Museum
Address: 220 N Church St, Greensboro, NC
Website
For the young people in your life (and you, too), the Miriam P. Brenner Children’s Museum (formerly the Greensboro Children’s Museum) is absolutely worth a visit! 20 permanent hands-on learning exhibits and a half-acre outdoor learning garden await at this amazing place.
The Outdoor Play Plaza has a 30-foot-tall climbing rope structure and a 25-foot suspended net tunnel, in case the kids didn’t get all their extra wiggle out yet.
Like many of the museums in Greensboro, this one values accessibility for all children to play and inclusion for all children to feel safe.
HOT TIP: Take the Amtrak for a day trip from Durham (or from Raleigh) to the Greensboro Children’s Museum. Greensboro Station (GRO) is a short walk from the museum. There are also some great restaurants on Elm Street (Crafted is one) within walking distance!
Ticket Info
Read More: Things to Do with Kids in Greensboro
Weatherspoon Art Museum (Free)
Address: 1005 Spring Garden St, Greensboro, NC
Website
One of the largest collections of modern and contemporary art in the southeast can be found at the Weatherspoon Art Museum.
Located on the campus of the University of North Carolina Greensboro, this museum holds more than fifteen exhibitions each year and offers a variety of educational activities, artist talks, and outreach programs.
With their mission of enriching diverse lives and bringing communities together, you won’t want to miss this stop.
Free Admission
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Ready to Explore These Museums in Greensboro?
We love exploring the history, culture, and fun things to do at these museums in Greensboro! We hope you’ll enjoy visiting them and the rest of downtown Greensboro, and when you do, we’d love to know which one is your favorite.
You can tell us below in the comments or by email. Either way, we hope you’re able to get out there and see these wonderful places in Central North Carolina.
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