About the NCMC

The purpose of NCMC is:

• To encourage and improve the practice of high standards in North Carolina museums
• To stimulate public interest in and support understanding of all museums
• To represent North Carolina museums and museum personnel on a local, state, regional, and national basis
• To monitor legislation, both regional and federal, pertinent to North Carolina museums
• To provide members a forum for sharing ideas with colleagues and gathering information on career-related issues.

The North Carolina Museums Council is a non-profit organization of museums and individuals interested in the advancement of North Carolina museums and the museum profession. An all-volunteer Board of officers and committee chairs conducts the business of the Council year-round. For more information about the Board please look at the Board page. The Contact Us page lists all of the Board members and e-mail addresses.

The contemporary definition of "museum" has expanded to encompass many kinds of non-profit institutions with exhibit functions and educational programming. NCMC includes not only museums with collections of art, history or science related objects, but also such diverse organizations as visual art centers, zoos, planetariums, historic houses, arboreta and botanical gardens, science centers and other forms of programming especially for children..

NCMC strives to encourage and improve standards and practices of all museum and museum staff in the various museums in the state. The organization provides for the interchange of ideas and cooperation among museums and museum staff. Through its members and activities, NCMC promotes North Carolina museums throughout the state, the region and the nation.

You can become a member of NCMC today to help us further our goals. If you would like more information about NCMC, contact us at: president@ncmuseums.org or mail to P.O. Box 2603, Raleigh, NC 27602-2603.

NCMC History

The stated purpose of the North Carolina Museums Council (NCMC) is to enhance public education by improving the administrative, interpretive, and collections practices of museums, historic sites, science centers and related facilities in North Carolina. NCMC also strives to stimulate public support for the work performed by these facilities, and to provide a forum in which Council members can exchange ideas, as well as foster cooperation and improved communication with the communities they serve.

The NCMC began in December 4, 1963, when 35 museum professionals met in downtown Raleigh at the Sir Walter Raleigh Hotel and proposed the establishment of an organization that would connect colleagues throughout the state and promote their institutions regionally and nationally.

The leading gathering and educational opportunity presented by the NCMC is its Annual Meeting and Conference, held in late February or early March each year in various locations around North Carolina or nearby. The Council also conducts its necessary business, presents its annual awards, and offers numerous networking opportunities during this gathering.

As members and visitors can see elsewhere on this site, NCMC also gathers and provides information on programs such as FOCoS, workshops, job listings, grants, internships, and other services for its members. It is entirely operated by its volunteer officers and Board (committee chairs, section chairs and others).