A guide to Charlotte museums and educational sites
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Charlotte NC museums
Charlotte’s museums are incredibly reasonably priced. Most on this list are under $10 for adults, a few are free and several that charge admission also offer regular free nights. If you’re a Bank of America cardholder, you can get into five participating museums for free the first weekend of each month. And for WIC and EBT cardholders, three museums offer $1 admission and discounted parking vouchers. There really is something for everyone.
Here’s a look at Charlotte-area museums and educational sites worth a visit, a breakdown of museum free days and some tips on saving on admission.
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Hours: Wednesday – Monday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: $8 adults, $6 students/educators/seniors (65+), $4 kids (11-18), FREE military + their families
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Hours: Monday – Saturday 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: FREE
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Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: $10 adults, $7 kids (6-17) and seniors (62+), FREE kids (<6)
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Hours: Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: $8/person
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Hours: daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: $12.95 adults, $11.95 seniors, $6.95 kids 2-12
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Hours: Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: Museum $15 adults, $12 kids/seniors; IMAX $10 adults, $9 kids/seniors; Museum + IMAX $20 adults, $17 kids/seniors
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Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: $10
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Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: $9 adults, $7 college/educator/military/senior/kids (6-17), FREE kids <5
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Levine Museum of the New South
Hours: Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: $8 adults, $6 students/educators/military/seniors (65+), $5 kids 5-18
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McColl Center for Art + Innovation
Hours: Thursday 5 p.m. – 9 p.m., Friday – Saturday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: FREE
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Hours: Wednesday 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., Thursday – Saturday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: $12 adults, $9 college students and seniors (65+), $6 kids 5-17
Hours: Wednesday 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., Thursday – Saturday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: $12 adults, $9 college students and seniors (65+), $6 kids 5-17
Hours: daily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Cost: $19.95 adults, $17.95 seniors (60+) and military, $12.95 children (5-12)
The Schiele Museum of Natural History
Hours: Monday – Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: $7 adults, $6 seniors (65+)/students/kids (4-18) [additional fees for the planetarium]
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Hours: Tuesday – Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m
Cost: FREE
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Free Days
Tuesday: Schiele Museum (2nd Tuesday of the month)
Wednesday: Mint Museum (weekly at Uptown & Randolph locations)
Friday: Schiele Museum (4th Friday of the month)
Sunday: Levine Museum (1st Sunday of the month)
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Tips to Save
If you’re a Bank of America or Merrill Lynch debit or credit cardholder, you can get into select museums around the country for free the first weekend of each month. Here in Charlotte, participating museums include: The Mint Museum (both locations), Levine Museum of the New South, Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture. Just show up with your card on the designated weekend and you’re in for free.
Welcome Pricing for WIC & EBT Cardholders
WIC and EBT cardholders can visit Discovery Place, Charlotte Nature Museum and Discovery Place KIDS for $1 per person. Discount IMAX tickets are available for $5 and discount parking vouchers are provided for $5.
Group Discounts
It’s probably unlikely that you’ll want to visit any of these places with 10+ people (or kids), but many institutions do offer group discounts. Call for pricing and options.
(Photo credits: Billy Graham Library, Charlotte Museum of History, Levine and Schiele via Facebook pages for each museum.)
