Your Can’t-Miss Museum and Gallery Guide to Charlotte, North Carolina

NASCAR Hall of Fame

If you're a racing fan, you can't leave Charlotte without experiencing one of the city's most popular attractions: the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Located a mere 7 miles from the airport in Charlotte's modern uptown city center, this museum boasts numerous interactive attractions, entertainment, and educational exhibits. Kaitlin Shepard, Communications Specialist for Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority (CRVA), says, "Whether you're an avid NASCAR fan or new to the sport, the NASCAR Hall of Fame is the one must-see museum to visit while in Charlotte, North Carolina."

With a movie theater, a restaurant, and a broadcast studio on site, the museum offers everything you need for an all-day trip or a short visit of only a few hours. Shepard notes, "The museum features 40,000 square feet of exhibit space, including racing simulators that put visitors in the driver's seat on race day. Other features like the Hall of Honor share the history and heritage of the sport, telling the stories of legends on and off the track. Because NASCAR is an integral part of the Charlotte community — with dozens of race shops and the Charlotte Motor Speedway nearby — the NASCAR Hall of Fame is an attraction that's unique to the city and should be on any visitor's itinerary."

Levine Museum of the New South

If you're a culture or history buff, stay uptown and squeeze in a visit to the Levine Museum of the New South on 7th Street. This museum offers an intimate exploration of the diverse history of the post-Civil War South, with past exhibits that included "Selma to Montgomery: The March for the Right to Vote."
A revolving mix of local, regional, and national interactive exhibits educates visitors on the South's complex, detailed past and provides context for present day issues related to race and justice, with a special focus on Charlotte and the surrounding Carolina Piedmont.

Mint Museum Uptown

The Mint Museum in the uptown area is a special treat for art lovers. The extensive institution features cutting-edge artwork with a contemporary, international focus. Situated just a few blocks from the NASCAR Hall of Fame as part of the Levine Center for the Arts, the museum includes art studios, a large auditorium, and a restaurant, along with galleries and exhibits throughout the five-story facility. Mint is also home to the popular Museum of Craft and Design, which showcases an eclectic collection of pieces made from metal and glass.
If you're staying closer to Charlotte's Eastover neighborhood, explore Mint's Randolph location, which boasts a theater and an extensive resource library. Note that both museum locations are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture

Also located uptown in the Levine Center for the Arts, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture first impresses visitors with a unique exterior that is a modern interpretation of Jacob's Ladder. The building design pays homage to the Myers Street School, which was once located in the heart of Charlotte's old Brooklyn neighborhood. The museum's name honors Charlotte's first black mayor, who served two terms in the 1980s.
Inside the museum, you can explore the artistic and cultural contributions of Africans and African-Americans to American history. The facility serves as an epicenter for arts education, literature and community outreach, and artistic expression in the form of music, dance, and theater. It is closed on Mondays.

The Light Factory

Head to the Plaza Midwood area to enjoy the gallery known as The Light Factory. This contemporary museum and educational facility has long served as a city haven for film and photography. Throughout the year, the staff and board curate exhibits that feature local emerging and established artists with the goal of empowering the community and driving positive social change. The Light Factory is only open Wednesday through Saturday.

Carolinas Aviation Museum

If you're flying into Charlotte Douglas International Airport and you have some time to relax before heading to your destination, pick up a rental car and head to the Carolinas Aviation Museum, located adjacent to the airport. The museum grew out of a historical renovation project started by the Carolinas Historical Aviation Commission (CHAC) to save an old hangar from destruction during rapid airport expansion.

The museum's exhibits and programs support on-going education about the Carolinas' rich aviation history. Items on display focus on developments in commercial aviation since the 1920s, civil aircraft and flight pioneers, military aviation, aviation technology, and helicopters.