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Museums in Fayetteville that are worth visiting

Due to its long and storied history, there is a wide range of museums in Fayetteville, NC. Explore the past at these beautiful facilities.

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FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Fayetteville's population is more than 210,000 and is still growing along with the city's reputation. As more people discover Fayetteville, they also discover all the museums that the city has to offer. But what kind of museums in Fayetteville should you visit?

Are some better than others to visit? It is best to know this information, so you don't end up wasting your time in North Carolina if you ever decide to visit. Keep reading and learn more about the best museums Fayetteville has in store.

Airborne and Special Operations Museum

This museum is a relatively new one and opened only in the year 2000. Since then, it has attracted thousands of visitors from all over the country, as well as the locals in Fayetteville. This is actually one of the best museums in Fayetteville for a variety of reasons.

One of the best parts about this museum is that it is free to enter and easily accessible. All you have to do is show up and you'll be allowed in to see the full museum. There are plenty of things to see in the Airborne and Special Operations museum instead of a permanent main exhibit as well as a temporary exhibit.

The museum also boasts a very large theater as well as a simulator machine that can show you what it's like to be up in the air. Keep in mind that the majority of the museum is designed for you to guide yourself rather than be guided by someone else. Fortunately, the museum is easy to follow through, and many of the displays flow in a chronological pattern.

The Details

The entire museum follows the history of special operations and airborne personnel, spanning back all the way to the 1940s. Keep in mind that the temporary exhibit is indeed temporary, and every so often, a new exhibit will take its place. The temporary exhibit always relates in some way to airborne and special operations subjects.

Because the temporary exhibit changes every once in a while, this means that you'll never get tired of coming back to this museum whenever you feel like it. Whenever you come back, there will always be something new to see. Also, keep in mind that the museum does accept donations.

This helps keep the museum running smoothly in the absence of paid admissions.

David McCune International Art Gallery

If you're less interested in airborne and special operations subjects and more interested in the artistic side of things, Fayetteville has yet another great museum to visit. The David McCune International Art Gallery is one of the best museums in all of Fayetteville and it certainly is one of the most impressive museums to see in all of North Carolina.

It features all sorts of unique art that you won't be able to find anywhere else. It is also another relatively new museum since it opened in only 2010. However, since then, it has attracted plenty of attention, and countless visitors come to see it throughout the year.

The great thing about this museum is that it has a wide variety of art on display. This is because the museum gets its art from all different sources. For example, some of the artwork has been loaned from other museums or private collections.

What you need to know

Some of the art pieces are also in traveling exhibitions, so the art will stay in the David McCune gallery until it is time for the artwork to move to another museum. If you're lucky, you might even catch some paintings from renowned artists such as Andy Warhol or Rembrandt. This is not to mention that the museum always has new exhibitions.

Because the museum switches out its artwork so often throughout the year, you'll never get tired of coming back whenever you happen to be in the Fayetteville area. You can always check the museum's website to see what kind of exhibitions might be running at any one time. That way, you can see what kind of artwork might be showing at the museum at a particular time and you can decide if you want to go see the new exhibitions.

Museum of the Cape Fear

If you ever happen to be in or around Fayetteville, you certainly shouldn't miss out on the Cape Fear museum. This is quite a large museum that not only tells you about the history of Fayetteville but also all of North Carolina as a whole. In fact, just by going to this museum, you'll learn more than 400 years of history that North Carolina has to offer.

It, of course, starts with the history of the Native Americans in the area and the time of colonialization by the Europeans. The museum also explores important events in the state's history, such as the American Civil War. You will also learn a bit about Fayetteville's own history, such as how it stayed afloat financially by providing textiles to other regions of North Carolina.

If you're a history buff and happen to be in the Fayetteville area, this is one museum you won't want to miss.

All About the Museums in Fayetteville, NC

While Fayetteville may not be the biggest of cities, it still has plenty of great museums to offer. The museums in Fayetteville, NC are varied, so there is an option for everyone regardless of their interests. With the Museum of the Cape Fear, the David McCune International Art Gallery, the Airborne and Special Operations museum, and more, there are plenty of things to see if you ever happen to be in Fayetteville.

To learn more about attractions in North Carolina, click here.

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