A guide to Charlotte museums and educational sites

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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Bechtler Museum of Modern Art

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

Billy Graham Library

Hours: Monday – Saturday 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: FREE

Charlotte Museum of History

Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: $10 adults, $7 kids (6-17) and seniors (62+), FREE kids (<6)

Charlotte Nature Museum 

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

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Hours: daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: $12.95 adults, $11.95 seniors, $6.95 kids 2-12

Discovery Place

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

Discovery Place KIDS

Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: $10

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

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

McColl Center for Art + Innovation

Hours: Thursday 5 p.m. – 9 p.m., Friday – Saturday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: FREE

Mint Museum Uptown

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

Mint Museum Randolph

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

NASCAR Hall of Fame

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]

Wells Fargo Museum

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

Bank of America Museums on Us

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.)