PROGRAMS

Sensory-friendly Mornings in the Naturalist Center
Free but registration is required.
Experience science and discovery at the Museum’s Naturalist Center during Sensory-friendly Mornings. Join us for this unique opportunity to gain hands-on access to specimens that are typically behind glass or in collection cabinets. Learn from educators and engage with a selection of specimens such as mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and insects. Explore at your own pace in an accessible and inclusive environment that offers modifications to sound and lighting, noise-canceling headsets, and a “cool down” area with sensory fidget items. Available on the first and third Mondays of each month.
Find upcoming Sensory-friendly Mornings
Guided Tactile Tours
Free but registration is required.
Join us for a sensory exploration of North Carolina’s diverse natural habitats and discover the variety of creatures who call North Carolina home. This interactive tour engages your senses to investigate the textures, sounds and smells of the natural world that surrounds us. Highlights include a variety of specimens like Atlantic Ocean whales, a giant salamander of the Appalachian Mountains, and the Terror of the South — the Acrocanthosaurus!
Register for a Guided Tactile Tour
OUTREACH PROGRAMS
Outreach programs can be tailored to meet the needs of any audiences, including Spanish language speakers, at-risk youth, students and adults with disabilities, pediatric patients and their families, and seniors.
EVENTS
STEAM CAREER SHOWCASE FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Held annually in the fall, the STEAM Career Showcase for Students with Disabilities is an educational event where attendees meet role models with disabilities who have thriving careers in STEAM fields. Students leave with a better understanding of the many professional possibilities available and the inspiration to pursue STEAM careers.
For information regarding the annual event, see the STEAM Career Showcase for Students With Disabilities on our Program and Events Calendar.
Interested in past events? Watch the archived recordings here.
Annual Sensory-friendly Event at the Museum
Held once a year for anyone to enjoy the Museum in a calmer, quieter atmosphere featuring Museum scientists, live animals and their keepers, and a host of other activities.
Check back soon for more information regarding our upcoming 2023 Sensory-friendly Event at the Museum!
GENERAL EVENTS
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences aims to provide a friendly, accessible experience for all visitors at our general events. The Events Access Guide provides a comprehensive list of available accommodations at our large public events.
Staff
- Hugo Romero-Sanchez
- Head of Inclusive Programs
- hugo.romero@naturalsciences.org
- 919.707.9965
- Jessie Rassau
- Coordinator of Accessibility and Inclusion
- jessica.rassau@naturalsciences.org
- 919.707.9976