Museum Event Spaces

Nature Exploration Center (NEC)

Level/Space Amenities Capacity Availability
NEC 1st Floor
Exhibit Areas
  • Beautiful, natural coastal environment, live seahorses and coastal animals, sandy beach area with wildlife
  • Access to Lobby, Coastal Carolina, and NC Natural Treasures
  • Catering workroom and kitchen
  • Access to WRAL 3D Theater requires an additional fee.
  • 440 reception
  • 250 seated
 Night Only (after 5pm)
Exhibit Areas & WRAL 3D Theater
  • CD-quality surround sound; high-tech digital theater, 22-foot HDTV and broadcast system; state-of-the-art high-definition projection system
  • Professional audiovisual technician and camera technician available to assist with taping events for major media.
  • Press conference capabilities
  • Laptop, wireless microphone, Museum and portable sound systems
  • Includes access to First Floor
  • 250
    (WRAL 3D Theater is handicapped accessible)
 Night Only (after 5pm)
NEC 2nd Floor
Exhibit Areas
  • Stunning 20-foot, 2-story waterfall cascading down the mountainside
  • Beautiful natural mountain environment
  • Scenic coastal overlook
  • Nature's Explorers Hall
  • 300 reception
  • 120 seated
 Night Only (after 5pm)
Exhibit Areas & Special Exhibition Hall
  • Large open room includes access to Second Floor. VIP experiences available.
  • 625 reception
  • 400 seated
 Limited Availability
NEC 3rd Floor
Exhibit Areas
  • Includes Mountains to the Sea, Terror of the South, Prehistoric NC, and Tropical Connections.
  • Breathtaking glass dome with dramatic, two-tier lighting and spectacular views of the city of Raleigh
  • 110-million-year-old Acrocanthosaurus dinosaur, the only one of its kind displayed anywhere in the world
  • 450 reception
  • 250 seated
 Night Only (after 5pm)
NEC 4th Floor
Exhibit Areas
  • Lofty space with skylight
  • View of Living Conservatory, a re-creation of a dry tropical rainforest featuring live butterflies, turtles, a sloth, tarantula and habitat-specific plants
  • Access to Arthropod Zoo
  • Available until 9pm.
  • 250 reception
  • 180 seated
 Night Only (after 5pm)
NEC Combinations
1st and 2nd Floors
  • Excludes WRAL 3D Theater, Discovery Room and Special Exhibition Hall
 850 Night Only (after 5pm)
1st, 2nd, and 3rd Floors
  • Same as First and Second Floors
  • Excludes Classrooms and Windows on the World
 1,300 Night Only (after 5pm)
1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Floors
  • Same as First, Second, and Third Floor
  • Excludes Living Conservatory
 1,500 Night Only (after 5pm)

Nature Research Center (NRC)

Area Capacity
Evening Events
NRC 1st Floor
  • 120, Seated Dinner
  • 275, Reception
NRC 2nd Floor
  • 200, Reception
NRC 3rd Floor
  • 200, Reception
NRC 4th Floor
  • 175, Seated Dinner
  • 250, Reception
Day Events
William G. Ross Jr. Environmental Conference Center
  • 175, Seated Dinner
  • 250, Reception

Amenities and Additional Costs

Tables and Chairs

A limited number of tables and folding chairs is available at no additional charge.

Membership

Membership in Friends of the Museum is required to rent the Museum. Non-members will be billed for a membership and will enjoy full benefits of a one-year Individual+1 level membership including free admission to more than 300 science museums worldwide, discounts in Museum Stores and cafes, and more. Visit naturalsciences.org/membership for more details.

Security

All after-hours events require security officers beginning half an hour before your event time and ending half an hour after your event ends. In consultation with the client, staff will determine the number of officers needed and arrange their scheduling. The additional cost is $45 per hour per officer with a three hour minimum.

Audiovisual Equipment and Technician Fees

Audiovisual equipment is available throughout the Museum. Requests for A/V needs are required 30 days prior to the event. A full list of equipment, pricing and technician fees is available upon request.

Educational Programming

Through this service Museum educators interact with your guests and invite them to explore a captivating array of natural objects, specimens and other materials. Programs on a wide variety of natural science topics are available. Full list of programs provided upon request.

Museum Store

The Museum Store may be available to stay open late for after-hours events for an additional fee. Requests to have the Museum Store open during your event are due by two months prior to your event date in order to determine scheduling. Please check with the Museum Rental Coordinator for pricing information and availability.

Rocky Top Catering

Exclusive Caterer

Rocky Top Catering

For additional catering information please contact Rocky Top Catering staff at 919.850.2340 or museumevents@rockytophospitality.com

Rocky Top Catering is committed to making your next function a memorable experience. We will not settle for the ordinary, and neither should you. That is why we offer an array of options for any private party you want to host, be it a wedding rehearsal dinner, a smaller celebration or a corporate event.

We work with you in creating a menu to meet your tastes, cultural influences and themes.

View the Full Service Catering Menu

All Prices are Subject to Change

For more information or to schedule a site visit, please contact the Museum rental coordinator at museum.rentals@naturalsciences.org or access the online Virtual Site Visit Scheduler to make an appointment today.

Newlyweds pose for a photo in the prehistoric undersea tunnel.
Photo: Southern Love Studios.