museums
There are numerous museums and historic sites scattered throughout the city, especially in and near Uptown. In the next year or two, a new "museum district" will arise on the southern edge of the district; at roughly the same time, the NASCAR Hall of Fame will open near the Convention Center. See individual districts for a more thorough list of museums.
The Mint Museum
+1 704-337-2000, . Tu 10AM-9PM, W-Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 1PM-5PM. Closed Mondays and major holidays. The Mint Museum offers two locations; the Mint Museum Randolph located at 2730 Randolph Rd offers Decorative Arts, Art of the Ancient Americas, Colonial, Historic Costume Collection, North Carolina Ceramics, and coin collection; the Mint Museum Uptown offers Contemporary Art, American Art, European Painting, and the Mint Museum of Craft + Design. in addition to the permanent collections each location hosts special traveling exhibitions. Admission: Adults $10, Seniors and Students $8, Children 5-17 $5, and children under 5 are free.Discovery Place
on N Tryon between 6th and 7th, +1 704-372-6261, (http://www.discoveryplace.org). 10 AM-6PM or 9AM-5PM, except on Sunday when it opens at 12:30PM. One of the nation's most acclaimed children's museums. Focuses primarily on the sciences, though special exhibits such as the recent exhibition of the Dead Sea Scrolls may have a more general focus. Step into the rainforest, see and feel the fish, watch a hydrogen balloon explode and a frozen banana hammer. $7.50 for Discovery Halls, $7.50 for OMNIMAX, $13 for both. $12/$10 for Museum, $10/$9 for IMAX, $17/$15 for both.Levine Museum of the New South
200 E 7th St, +1 704-333-1887, (http://www.museumofthenew...). Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM, Sunday 12PM-5PM. An excellent introduction to the South's history and influences over the past centuries. Boasting an excellent standing exhibit with walk-throughs and hands-on experiences, this is a great museum for "new" and old Southerners alike. Highly recommended for visitors seeking an understanding of Southern culture and history. Closed Mondays. $6 adults, $5 seniors and minors, under 6 free, $17 family.James K Polk Historic Site
12031 Lancaster Hwy, Pineville, +1 704-889-7145, (http://www.ah.dcr.state.n...). Tu-Sa 9AM-5PM. From Interstate 77 south of Charlotte take Interstate 485 east Exit 2. At the Pineville exit take Polk Street south through the town of Pineville. The Polk Memorial is on the left. The museum offers tours and information about the home of U.S. President James K. Polk, as well as a reconstruction of his house. Monthly special events. Free.Carolinas Aviation Museum
4108 Airport Dr at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, +1 704-359-8442 fax: +1 704-359-0057, (http://www.carolinasaviat...). Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 1PM-5PM. This is a big attraction for aviation fanatics. This museum features a wide variety of resources including historic and restored airplanes, air shows and a library by research request only. Because it is located at Charlotte-Douglas, it is the only attraction in the city that can be reached by airplane. If you want to meet people working on restoring the airplanes, come on a Tuesday or Thursday. It is also a great place to watch takeoffs and landings at the airport.