North Carolina Museum Of Natural Sciences

Guest capacity

Up to 2300 seated guests

About this venue

NC Museum of Natural Sciences is a historic wedding venue located in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. We pride ourselves on being the largest natural history museum in the Southeast. Your guests will experience a dramatic two-story waterfall, a beautiful mountain cove, live animals, whale skeletons and amazing dinosaurs at this one-of-a-kind venue. North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences allows you to support important exhibits, research and educational programs as you host your wedding at their unique location.

Seated guest capacity

40-2300

Venue type

Museums, Galleries

Venue setting

Indoor

11 W Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Our event spaces

Nature Exploration Center, First Floor

Celebrate among exhibits showcasing both North Carolina's Natural Treasures and North Carolina's ever changing Coastal Plains.

This space offers an exciting walk down the Coastal North Carolina hallway, showcasing live animals around you and whale skeletons above. Also included is the main lobby area, showing off North Carolina's Natural Treasures where you can dine with your guests among the exhibits.

Guest capacity

20-220 Seated

20-400 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Engagement party, Welcome party, Cocktail hour

Guests often feel this space is

“Surprised and delighted”

Room cost

$1450 for 4 hours (6PM - 10PM), $300 for additional hours (11PM - 12AM)

Nature Exploration Center, Second Floor

Enjoy your event with a view of a two-story waterfall and surrounding exhibit showing off North Carolina's Piedmont region.

This space features a two-story waterfall nestled among rocks and trees so you can feel immersed in nature. Also included on this floor is the Underground North Carolina exhibit showcasing that naturally occurring gems found throughout the space. Take a step into the Museum's history with the Nature's Explorers exhibit, showing what a collections workshop would have looked like in the past.

Guest capacity

20-120 Seated

20-300 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Engagement party, Welcome party, Cocktail hour

Guests often feel this space is

“Surprised and delighted”

Room cost

$1200 for 4 hours (6PM - 10PM), $300 for additional hours (11PM - 12AM)

Nature Exploration Center, Third Floor

Dance among the dinosaurs!

Celebrate with the Acrocanthosaurus and take a journey through North Carolina's past to see what dinosaurs called North Carolina home or host an intimate event in our Mountain Cove exhibit, reminiscent of what you may find in North Carolina's Mountains.

Guest capacity

20-200 Seated

20-350 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Engagement party, Welcome party, Cocktail hour

Guests often feel this space is

“Relaxed”

Room cost

$1450 for 4 hours (6PM - 10PM), $300 for additional hour (11PM - 12AM)

Nature Research Center, First Floor

Immerse yourself in our Changing Oceans exhibit, showcasing Stumpy the Whale and our 8000 gallon aquarium.

Including the lobby of our Nature Research Center, welcome your guests into a world under the sea. Learn about Stumpy the Whale and how she made a difference for her species after her death or view our 8,000 gallon saltwater aquarium with vibrant tropical Caribbean fish.

Guest capacity

20-200 Seated

20-300 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Engagement party, Welcome party, Cocktail hour

Guests often feel this space is

“Surprised and delighted”

Included in this room:

Option to add on the use of the SECU Daily Planet Theater screen, a three story 42 foot tall screen that can be used to show videos or pictures.

Room cost

$1450 for 4 hours (6PM - 10PM), $300 for additional hours (11PM - 12AM)

Nature Research Center, Second Floor

Explore the world around you with the Diversity of Life and Researching Weather exhibits.

Learn about the variety of life on Earth with our Diversity of Life exhibit or see how meteorologists predict the future with our interactive Researching Weather exhibit.

Guest capacity

20-60 Seated

20-200 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Engagement party, Welcome party, Cocktail hour

Guests often feel this space is

“Surprised and delighted”

Room cost

$1100 for 4 hours (6PM - 10PM), $300 for additional hours (11PM - 12AM)

Nature Research Center, Third Floor

From dinosaurs to meteorites to microbe specimens, this floor shows so much about the past, present, and future of our world.

Visit our juvenile Tyrannosaurs Rex and watch our Paleontology team actively work on unearthing more fascinating discoveries in our Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries Exhibit. Or view our collection of space stones, from meteorites to asteroids and everything in between in the Postcards from Space exhibit.

Guest capacity

20-40 Seated

20-200 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Engagement party, Welcome party, Cocktail hour

Guests often feel this space is

“Surprised and delighted”

Room cost

$1100 for 4 hours (6PM - 10PM), $300 for additional hours (11PM - 12AM)

William G. Ross, Jr. Conference Center

Bring your corporate meeting to the Museum!

An open conference room that can be broken into three smaller spaces, this is a blank canvas ready for you to design to your heart's content.

Guest capacity

20-175 Seated

20-250 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Engagement party, Welcome party, After party, Farewell brunch, Cocktail hour

Guests often feel this space is

“Surprised and delighted”

Included in this room:

- Three projectors - Three projector screens - Built in AV system - Podium with microphone

Room cost

Half Day Rental (between 9AM - 5PM) is $1100, Fully Day Rental (9AM - 5PM) is $1480, Evening Rental (6PM - 10PM) is $1980. Additional hours would incur a charge of $100 per hour (anything before 9AM or after 10PM).

Nature Exploration Center, First Floor

Celebrate among exhibits showcasing both North Carolina's Natural Treasures and North Carolina's ever changing Coastal Plains.

Guest capacity

20-220 Seated

20-400 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Engagement party, Welcome party, Cocktail hour

Guests often feel this space is

“Surprised and delighted”

Room cost

$1450 for 4 hours (6PM - 10PM), $300 for additional hours (11PM - 12AM)

Nature Exploration Center, Second Floor

Enjoy your event with a view of a two-story waterfall and surrounding exhibit showing off North Carolina's Piedmont region.

Guest capacity

20-120 Seated

20-300 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Engagement party, Welcome party, Cocktail hour

Guests often feel this space is

“Surprised and delighted”

Room cost

$1200 for 4 hours (6PM - 10PM), $300 for additional hours (11PM - 12AM)

Nature Exploration Center, Third Floor

Dance among the dinosaurs!

Guest capacity

20-200 Seated

20-350 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Engagement party, Welcome party, Cocktail hour

Guests often feel this space is

“Relaxed”

Room cost

$1450 for 4 hours (6PM - 10PM), $300 for additional hour (11PM - 12AM)

Nature Research Center, First Floor

Immerse yourself in our Changing Oceans exhibit, showcasing Stumpy the Whale and our 8000 gallon aquarium.

Guest capacity

20-200 Seated

20-300 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Engagement party, Welcome party, Cocktail hour

Guests often feel this space is

“Surprised and delighted”

Included in this room:

Option to add on the use of the SECU Daily Planet Theater screen, a three story 42 foot tall screen that can be used to show videos or pictures.

Room cost

$1450 for 4 hours (6PM - 10PM), $300 for additional hours (11PM - 12AM)

Nature Research Center, Second Floor

Explore the world around you with the Diversity of Life and Researching Weather exhibits.

Learn about the variety of life on Earth with our Diversity of Life exhibit or see how meteorologists predict the future with our interactive Researching Weather exhibit.

Guest capacity

20-60 Seated

20-200 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Engagement party, Welcome party, Cocktail hour

Guests often feel this space is

“Surprised and delighted”

Room cost

$1100 for 4 hours (6PM - 10PM), $300 for additional hours (11PM - 12AM)

Nature Research Center, Third Floor

From dinosaurs to meteorites to microbe specimens, this floor shows so much about the past, present, and future of our world.

Guest capacity

20-40 Seated

20-200 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Engagement party, Welcome party, Cocktail hour

Guests often feel this space is

“Surprised and delighted”

Room cost

$1100 for 4 hours (6PM - 10PM), $300 for additional hours (11PM - 12AM)

William G. Ross, Jr. Conference Center

Bring your corporate meeting to the Museum!

An open conference room that can be broken into three smaller spaces, this is a blank canvas ready for you to design to your heart's content.

Guest capacity

20-175 Seated

20-250 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Engagement party, Welcome party, After party, Farewell brunch, Cocktail hour

Guests often feel this space is

“Surprised and delighted”

Included in this room:

- Three projectors - Three projector screens - Built in AV system - Podium with microphone

Room cost

Available services that can be provided by North Carolina Museum Of Natural Sciences

Services & amenities

Event staff
Set up
Wheelchair accessible
Wifi

Transportation & access

Self parking - free

Rentals

Sound / AV
Standard Chairs

Reviews

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Vendors required by North Carolina Museum Of Natural Sciences

Caterers

Rocky Top Catering

Raleigh, NC

Preferred vendors of North Carolina Museum Of Natural Sciences

Venue

The Longleaf Hotel and Lounge

Caterer

Rocky Top Catering

Raleigh, NC

April, May, September, October, November, December

January, February, March, June, July, August, and September

No, we work with Rocky Top Catering exclusively. They handle all alcohol for events.

We do not as we are located in Downtown Raleigh, however there are a handful of parking decks/lots nearby for guest use.

Yes, all our facilities are wheelchair accessible. We also have ramps at the main and side entrances, hearing-impaired fire alarm lights, and trained staff.

A limited number of tables and chairs, housekeeping costs, as well as a Rental Events Representative.

Your reservation includes four hours from start to finish, not including setup or breakdown. Any additional time will be billed at $300 per hour, per floor.

A 50% non-refundable deposit is due within 10 days of booking the event. The deposit guarantees the client the availability of the date and facilities requested. If the client cancels their event, it must be done in writing. If the cancellation occurs within 120 days of the scheduled date, the deposit may be applied to a new event date within 12 months of the original scheduled date.

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