The North Carolina Maritime Museum, an agency of the Office of Archives and History, under the Department of Cultural Resources, is driven by its mission to preserve and interpret all aspects of North Carolina's rich maritime heritage through educational exhibits, programs and field trips.

The Museum has an active boatbuilding program, and offers many environmental education programs, including the Cape Lookout Studies Program, which operates from a remote facility on North Carolina's Outer Banks. A visit to the museum will enhance your appreciation of the natural beauty, precious resources, and rich cultural heritage of coastal North Carolina.

Exhibits at the museum are devoted to the state’s coastal history and include ship models, birds and fish, fossils, decoys and saltwater aquariums.