Wilmington Arts, Culture & History

Bellamy Mansion Museum of History and Design Arts
The recently restored Bellamy Mansion now offers guided tours and exhibits featuring history, restoration, spectacular southern architecture, and regional design arts.
This 1859 architectural landmark is conveniently located at the corner of Fifth and Market.
9l0.25l.3700.

Burgwin-Wright House & Gardens
This Georgian Restoration-1770 is filled with history and antiques of the period.
224 Market St.
9l0.762.0570.

Battleship NORTH CAROLINA
Relive the Glory of the USS NORTH CAROLINA.
During World War II, "The Showboat" received 15 battle stars and participated in every major naval offensive in the Pacific. Today, the Battleship is preserved almost exactly as she was in her awesome prime. She is a state war memorial and a faithfully restored period warship. Come walk her decks, inspect her guns and relive the glory. During the summer the Battleship's colorful history is recreated in an outdoor Sound and Ligh Spectacular.
9l0.251.5797.

Cape Fear Museum
"Waves and Currents: the Lower Cape Fear Story," a 6,000-square-foot, long term exhibition instsalled in 1992, depicts the history of southeastern North Carolina fromprehistory through the twentieth century. The Lower Cape Fear family comes alive with life-sized figures such as an Indian boy collecting fish from the salt marsh, a naval stores worker hacking a longleaf pine tree in the forest and a commission merchant working in his office. The exhibition includes a 16- by 21-foot scale model of the 1863 Wilmington waterfront and a 31 foot diorama of the 2nd battle of Fort Fisher. Interactive children's activities are found throughout the exhibition.
814 Market St.
9l0.341.7413.

The Cotton Exchange
For "Uptown Shopping in Historic Downtown" visit The Cotton Exchange, North Carolina's first theme shopping complex. At the turn of the century the Port of Wilmington was bustling, and cotton was king. One of the largest cotton export companies in the world was located here--hence the name The Cotton Exchange.
321 North Front St.
9l0.343.9896.

Orton Plantation Gardens
Formerly a rice plantation established in 1725 Orton Plantation now boasts one of America's finest gardens which dates from 1910. Featured in its 20 acres are magnificent live oaks, magnolias, cypress and pine trees. Spacious lawns and ponds provide an impressive setting for thousands of azaleas, camellias, colorful annuals and a host of ornamental plants. Bird lovers sight many unusual species in the gardens and rice fields, now a wildfowl refuge. Alligators are often seen on mile days.
9l0.371.6851.

St. John's Museum of Art
Housed in three restored architecturally distinctive buildings dating from 1804 united by a picturesque Sculpture Garden, St. John's Museum of Art is the primary visual arts center in southeastern North Carolina. The Museum's permanent art collection highlights three centuries of North Carolina Masters. You'll be delighted by an extensive collection of paintings, works on paper, sculpture and Jugtown Pottery. In addition, the American collection includes one of the world's major holdings of the romantic color prints by the renowned 19th century American artist Mary Cassatt, who worked with the French Impressionists.
114. Orange St.
9l0.763.0281.

Wilmington Railroad Museum This fascinating museum features an antique locomotive, exhibits, model railroad displays, rolling stock and a giftshop.
Located on the corner of Water and Red Cross Streets.
9l0.763.2634.

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