Fayetteville: Here Are Some Great Museums To Explore
Here in the Fayetteville area, there are many, many museums, and some museums you may never have known have been here.
History of The Museum
The world’s oldest museum was built by a Babylonian princess 2,500 years ago. Early museums began as private collections of wealthy individuals, families, or institutions of art and rare or curious natural objects and artifacts. These were often displayed in so-called wonder rooms or cabinets of curiosities.
Some of the oldest public museums in the world opened in Italy during the Renaissance, but the majority of them opened during the 18th century.
We did a deep dive into the great institutions and museums just a few minutes’ drive from your home in Fayetteville.
Five Museums You May Not Know Are In Fayetteville
The 82nd Airborne Division War Memorial Museum is located at Ardennes and Gela Streets on Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg) Army base. Established in 1945, the museum chronicles the history of the 82nd Airborne Division from 1917 to the present, including World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, and more.
The United States Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum (ASOM) is part of the U.S. Army Museum Enterprise dedicated to preserving and teaching the public history of the Special Operations and Airborne community, as well as broader United States military history.
Located on Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg), but geographically separate from the main installation, it has been open to the public in nearby downtown Fayetteville since 2000.
Cape Fear and Yadkin Valley Railway Passenger Depot is a historic train station located at 325 Franklin Street in Fayetteville, North Carolina. It was built in 1890 by the Cape Fear and Yadkin Valley Railway.
The seven-bay by two-bay building features a rounded brick arch arcade. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex is a museum addressing the history and cultural heritage of southern North Carolina. It was opened in 1988 and is located in Fayetteville. The museum is a regional branch of the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh.
The Edgar Allan “E. A.” Poe House is a historic home located at Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. It is located in the Haymount Historic District. This historic home is actually named after the successful businessman who built it, not the author Edgar Allan Poe.
Conclusion
Some museums are free, but most in Fayetteville do have a fee to enter. Most museums are open 9 to 5 weekdays and sometimes closed on Sundays. Many are open on Saturday for tourists and city residents. A lot of the museums also have shops and even places to eat. The best thing to do before visiting a museum in Fayetteville is to check out the website, see the rules, see what they have to offer, and of course, their hours of business.
Museums can be so much fun and so educational. We often take our children to the museum with us to share what our city has to offer and its origins.
