North Carolina History Center

North Carolina History Center is at 529 S. Front St. and is part of the Tryon Palace complex. The center encompasses several buildings and utilizes state-of-the-art interactive technology to personalize and bring to life North Carolina history. Guests can download individual tours tailored to specific interests on their smartphones, or rent one of the devices. Regional exhibits take a look at coastal North Carolina, the Colonial era, Native Americans and the Civil War and cover such subjects as slavery and industrialization.

Kids will love the virtual time machine at the Pepsi Family Center, which transports visitors—amid a barrage of flashing lights—back to 1835 New Bern. Quilting, cooking, using a printing press, loading and sailing a ship and distilling turpentine are some of the activities that can be experienced. Next door, in the Regional History Museum, visitors can explore the history of North Carolina’s Central Coastal Region through artifacts, graphics, audios, videos, and touch-screen interactives, as well as follow the River of Light to explore five centuries of the region’s history

Guided tours are available. Time: Allow 1 hour, 30 minutes minimum.