Nature Research Center, Raleigh

About Nature Research Center

The Nature Research Center in Raleigh features permanent exhibits exploring North Carolina's natural habitats. The Natural Treasures exhibit showcases Venus' Flytraps and the extinct Carolina Parakeet. The Coastal North Carolina exhibit displays dioramas and aquariums with live fish and invertebrates depicting barrier islands, saltmarshes, and maritime forests. The Coastal NC Overlook features one of the most impressive whale skeleton collections in the United States, including a Blue Whale, a rare True's Beaked Whale named Trouble, and a Right Whale skeleton from 1874. The Mountains to the Sea exhibit presents life-like dioramas with trees, fish, and snapping turtles. The Underground NC exhibit showcases gems and minerals found in the state, including emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and diamonds, along with information about underground creatures. The Nature's Explorers exhibit presents artifacts from the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair and a preserved Ocean Sunfish from 1937. Located in downtown Raleigh, the center invites visitors to explore displays of North Carolina's diverse natural world.