Visit - Current Exhibits
*Explore our online and previous exhibits HERE.
The Museum of Durham History, proudly announces the opening of its newest exhibit: Made In The Triangle: The Story of RTP. This exhibit will guide visitors through Research Triangle Park’s journey from the mid-20th century, when government, business, and academia united to transform North Carolina’s economy, to its emergence as a cutting-edge technology and research hub. Through archival materials, photographs, and oral histories, Made in the Triangle presents a more complete story of RTP’s development — one that commemorates innovation while confronting the local sacrifices that came with it. The exhibit also looks toward RTP’s future, as the Park adapts to a new era of urban tech, growth, and global collaboration.
Made In The Triangle will run through Spring 2026, with monthly exhibit-related programs to be announced throughout its duration.
The Museum of Durham History is proud to announce our exhibit, Booker T. Spicely: Citizen, Soldier, Martyr, Hero, in partnership with the Booker T. Spicely Committee with corporate support from Your Part-Time Controller (YPTC). The exhibit will be displayed outside the Museum until January 4, 2026, in our custom-made sidewalk-banner frames, where they can be easily viewed by visitors to Downtown Durham 24/7.
Durham Beginnings | 1865-1885
Dates: Ongoing
An exhibit featuring five dramatic but little-known personal stories evoking the spirit of Durham’s formative years. Learn the “coming to Durham” stories of Eliza Bennet Duke, Richard Fitzgerald, Abner Jordan, John Green, and Margaret Faucette.
Five generations of Faucette women, circa 1920 (North Carolina, Durham County Library)
Explore Durham Through Time
Dates: Ongoing
Visitors can use a touchscreen to explore key moments in Durham’s past. A post-it note wall allows viewers to tell us what moments from Durham’s past are most important to them. They may see their feedback incorporated later with a photo and caption.
Look Beyond the Windows
Dates: Ongoing
Take in the museum’s almost-360-degree view of downtown and consider the changes over time. To begin, we’ll focus on the Hill Building, Arts Council (formerly City Hall and Central High School), Liggett and Myers buildings, and NC Mutual tower.
Story Room
Dates: Ongoing
Visitors can step into the Story Room to record a personal memory about Durham’s past in. They can also explore memories others have shared or browse through old, local yearbooks. Stories recorded in the Story Room will be archived on the Museum’s SoundCloud or YouTube channel.
Memories of Durham Story Quilt
Dates: Ongoing
Each element on this quilt features different stories from throughout Durham’s history. The quilt was originally inspired by the countless oral histories collected by the Museum of Durham History, featuring people with first-hand experience of these events. CLICK HERE to visit the interactive digital quilt and learn about different memories of Durham’s residents.
The original quilt was completed in January of 2017. The Memories of Durham Story Quilt celebrates Durham’s shared heritage, depicted in cloth. The quilt is based on oral histories recorded for the Museum of Durham History Story Room Project. People from diverse backgrounds recalled their memories of Durham during the 19402 to the 1980s, and a selection of these stories formed the basis for the quilt’s design.
The quilters expressed their artistic interpretation of these memories by using pictures, texts, and fabrics to stitch together pieces, objects and vignettes that capture a collective remembrance deeply rooted in struggle, pride, and community.
