Art Travel Guide

Art Travel Guide: North Carolina Museum of Art Offers Rodin, Jewish Art, and More

Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina, part of the globally recognized Research Triangle Park, and home to the one-of-a-kind North Carolina Museum of Art. In 1947, the state issued $1 million for the museum to purchase art. State funding had never been granted to a museum before, garnering the budding museum nationwide focus.

The NCMA features a permanent collection with artworks from periods spanning 5,000 years. This collection contains Italian Renaissance and Baroque art, Greek and Roman vase paintings, Egyptian funerary art, American art from the 18th to 20th centuries, international contemporary art, African art, ancient American art, European portraits, landscapes, and still-life works, more than 30 Rodin sculptures, and one of only two permanent installations of Jewish art in the US.

The museum park is also unique because, at 164 acres, it is the largest museum park in the country. Several walking and bicycle trails lead visitors through the park to all of the outdoor art installations. Picnic tables and a dog-friendly atmosphere make this park a wonderful, cultural experience for all.

Admission to the museum park and the permanent art collection is free, and the museum park is accessible to the public all day every day. Visitor parking is always free and conveniently located on the lot near the museum building. Overflow parking is also available on the lot. Photography of special exhibitions is not permitted, but it is permitted of the permanent collection provided the photographs are taken for noncommercial use. Strollers are welcome, but their use may be restricted in especially busy galleries and around more fragile artworks. The NCMA gives visitors the freedom to participate in tours and workshops or to quietly study the art at their own pace.

Visit the North Carolina Museum of Art for the wide variety of artworks, soak in Rodin sculptures and Jewish religious art, and enjoy the relaxed, cultural atmosphere. A visit to Raleigh would be incomplete without a trip to this museum.