Roanoke Island Attractions, Performances & Events
Roanoke Island’s world-class attractions are what lure many people here. Many of the attractions focus on Roanoke Island’s history as the site of the first attempted English colonization of America. Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, The Elizabethan Gardens, The Lost Colony outdoor drama, the Elizabeth II sailing ship, Roanoke Island Festival Park, a series of Elizabethan plays and others pay homage to this heritage. There are other Roanoke Island attractions, too, that you will not want to miss, like the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island, the performances at the beautiful outdoor amphitheater, the North Carolina Maritime Museum and the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse. With all these attractions and the many sites that capture Roanoke Island’s history, you’ll find that a day trip is never enough.
Elizabethan Gardens
- 1411 National Park Drive (off U.S. Highway 64) next to Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
- Roanoke Island
- (252) 473-3234
Designed by two of America’s foremost landscape architects to pay tribute to America’s first English colonists, The Elizabethan Gardens is a rare treasure on the Outer Banks. It’s a haven of verdant, flourishing growth and natural prosperity. The gardens are in bloom year round with azaleas, dogwoods, roses, camellias, daphne, a variety of annuals and herbs and much more. Adding exquisite touches are ancient stone fountains, garden ornaments, a waterfront gazebo, benches, statues, an expansive lawn and some of the most amazing live oaks you’ll ever see. The Garden Gift Shop sells books, gifts, herbs and plants.
New to the gardens this year is The Amazing Fossil Dig, a maze of gravel where children can play and sort through gravel to look for fossils and shark’s teeth. The gravel was imported from PCS Phosphate Mine in Aurora, North Carolina, a place known for its abundant fossils that can date back twenty million years!
The Gardens open at 9 a.m. seven days a week throughout most of the year and at 10 a.m. December through February. Closing time varies according to the season. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for youth ages 6 to 17 and free for children age 5 and younger. Reduced rates are available for group tours.
The Elizabethan Gardens and Roanoke Island Festival Park (see listing) have established a joint admission ticket (Park and Gardens Pass) that offers a 20 percent saving to both attractions. The tickets can be purchased at both attractions as well as at the Outer Banks Welcome Center on Roanoke Island. Prices are $13 for adults and $9 for youth ages 6 to 17; children 5 years old and younger are admitted for free.
The Diary of Adam & Eve, a one-act play from the Broadway musical The Apple Tree, runs this summer for its second season. Performances are held in the air-conditioned theater on Tuesdays at 2:30 p.m. from July 8 through August 12. Based on a short story by Mark Twain and set to words and music by the team of Harnick and Bock who created Fiddler on the Roof, this light comedy is the perfect story for a garden setting. Tickets are $10 and include admission to The Gardens. Younger family members can enjoy a concurrent program, A Snake in the Grass, if they choose not to see the play. The Elizabethan Gardens Family Fun Series continues with hands-on activities on Wild Wednesdays and Discovery Thursdays in the air-conditioned theater June 11 through August 14. All family fun activities are free with paid admission to The Elizabethan Gardens
The Gardens make a beautiful setting for bridal luncheons, weddings and receptions. Choose from a variety of backdrops for an unforgettable day. The Gardens are also perfect for organizational retreats or group meetings. An on-site Reception Hall, tent and Tea Garden accommodate parties large and small.
Fine Yarns at Kimbeeba and Fiber Arts Gallery
- 207 Budleigh Street
- Manteo
- (252) 473-6330
Kimbeeba is an amazing fiber arts supply center, classroom, weaving studio and gallery. The owner, Sybil, is an experienced artist who enjoys helping others and teaching classes in weaving, spinning, knitting, crocheting and fiber dyeing. Other classes will be offered here as well, such as glass-bead making, book-binding and more. In the store, Sybil offers specialty, novelty and fine yarns of all sorts as well as knitting and weaving supplies, books, patterns, needlepoint and cross-stitch supplies and lots of enthusiasm. In the gallery are finished fiber works by local artists and other artwork for sale.
Manteo Self-Guided Walking Tour Book
- Manteo
- (252) 473-1111
Manteo is much more than a modern vacation resort. It’s a place with an interesting past. In the downtown and waterfront area, you can see remnants of days gone by — and a great way to experience this history is with One Boat Guides’ Manteo Walking Tour. The book features an easy-to-follow map and format that guides you through Manteo, showing historic photographs, pointing out historical details and landmarks and relating anecdotes along the way.
OneBoat Outer Banks also features walking and driving tours to Corolla, Nags Head, Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Village. The books are available on the Outer Banks in bookstores, gift shops, grocery stores, attractions and specialty shops. Or you can call (252) 473-1111 to order a copy in advance of your visit and have it shipped to you. Look for their distinctive covers with historic photographs. Have fun exploring the history of the Outer Banks!
North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island
- 374 Airport Road
- Manteo
- (252) 473-3494, (866) 332-3475
On a beautiful site overlooking the Croatan Sound, the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island is one of three state-operated aquariums on the North Carolina coast. The Aquarium on Roanoke Island features the 285,000-gallon Graveyard of the Atlantic saltwater tank exhibit, interactive exhibits, two touch tanks, a theater and an exhibit called “Oceans Revealed: Power of the Planet,” an interactive way of viewing Earth and its oceans.
New sharks are coming in the summer of 2010! The aquarium will bring new sharks to the 285,000-gallon Graveyard of the Atlantic exhibit and there will be a new 10,000-gallon exhibit that will feature smaller sharks. Plus there will be opportunities to learn about sharks and dispel myths about these sea creatures.
Throughout the aquarium are exhibit tanks filled with fish of North Carolina coastal habitats, including sharks and rays. You will see eels, sea turtles and more than 200 fish in a shipwreck habitat displaying a 1/3-scale replica of the USS Monitor. In the Wetlands on the Edge sky-lit atrium, you will see river otters, alligators and turtles lazing on rocks in the sun. Each day at the aquarium there are educational programs, fish feedings and demonstrations.
The gift shop has a great selection of toys and gifts related to sea life and ecology. Snacks are available outside the aquarium from vending machines, and in the summer months there are food vendors on site.
The aquarium is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $6 for children ages 6 to 17 and free for children 5 and younger and Aquarium Society members.
You can rent the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island for special events, conferences and weddings. Located on the Croatan Sound, the aquarium accentuates any event for up to 1,500 guests! Caterers, DJs, bands, beer, wine and all the usual wedding services are allowed. A self-guided tour of the facility is included for all guests. All weddings must occur after operating hours. Call the Special Events Coordinator at (252) 473-3494 ext. 258 for information.
To inquire about special activities like Breakfast with the Rays, Snack with the Sharks, Aqua Tales for Tots, Behind the Scenes Tours, fish printing, crafts projects, birthday parties and the ever-popular Seafood Series, call (252) 473-3494 ext. 232 or visit the interactive calendar on the website. Special activities require a separate fee and advance registration.
Looking for a special place to send your children to summer camp? The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island offers four sessions of day camp each summer. Two sessions run for ages 7 to 9, and two sessions run for ages 10 to 12, with a maximum of 12 campers for each week of camp. Educational activities, programs and aquatic field trip outings are scheduled for these week-long camps, with a sleepover in front of the 285,000-gallon Graveyard of the Atlantic saltwater tank exhibit for the older campers. To find out more about Aquatic Adventures and Jr. Aquatic Adventures Summer Day Camps or to pre-register, call (252) 473-3494 ext. 232.
Roanoke Island Festival Park
- 1 Festival Park, Across from the Manteo Waterfront
- Manteo
- (252) 475-1500
Did you know that the first Roanoke Island settlements predate the Jamestown settlement of 1607? The Roanoke Island settlements took place 20 years earlier, between 1585 and 1587. Though the Roanoke Island colonies didn’t prove successful as far as longevity, they were the foundations of English-speaking life in America and provided much-needed information about the New World that helped the later colonies succeed. Roanoke Island Festival Park is one place to learn about these first English settlements. The state-run park and cultural center is just across the bridge from the downtown Manteo Waterfront on its own 25-acre island. Be prepared for a day of fun, as there is a lot to do and see here.
Elizabeth II—The centerpiece of the park is the 69-foot Elizabeth II, a 16th-century sailing ship. It’s a representation of a particular 16th-century English merchant ship, Elizabeth, one of seven in Sir Walter Raleigh’s 1585 expedition to establish England’s first New World colony. Costumed interpreters speaking Old English greet visitors to the ship with sea tales, legends and historical facts and answer questions about 16th-century seafaring. Kids love walking around on the decks and crawling down below, to see what life was like on the ship. The Elizabeth II’s tender, Silver Chalice, is 24 feet long and carries up to 15 crew members.
Settlement Site – The Settlement Site is where guests get to interact with costumed interpreters portraying the colonist men and women as they settled into life in the New World. Visitors can try their hand at blacksmithing, woodworking, colonial games and more. See how the first English settlers lived when they arrived in the New World. Try on some of their armor, learn some 16th-century warfare techniques and some of the arts and crafts needed to make life tolerable on Roanoke Island 400 years ago.
American Indian Town and Cultural Education Center – Roanoke Island Festival Park’s newest feature, scheduled to open in June of 2010, is this exciting education center featuring interactive, family-oriented opportunities for guests to learn about the heritage and traditions of the American Indians. Discover the American Indian Town and Cultural Education Center, featuring opportunities for guests to learn about the vital and vibrant culture, heritage and traditions of the American Indians in our region. It also includes a wide variety of true-to-scale structures, role-play environments and places to explore, plant, dance, build and play.
Fossil Search — Find ancient treasures, including shark’s teeth and coral, from a time long before the colonists arrived.
Roanoke Adventure Museum — The Roanoke Adventure Museum features highly interactive, multi-sensory hands-on exhibits and experiences on 400 years of Outer Banks history. The exhibits invite interaction, especially the dress-up trunk of Elizabethan clothing and the duck-hunting station. Watch as history comes alive for children of all ages in the hands-on exhibits.
Pavilion — The Outdoor Pavilion and surrounding grounds offer a perfect place to enjoy a picnic and concert. Events are scheduled year round. Go to www.outerbanksthisweek.com for up to date information about events.
Gallery — Located in the Administration Building, the Gallery features a different art exhibit every month, with most of the artwork done by local artists. Sometimes other important works of art are brought to this distinguished gallery.
Film Theater — The film The Legend of Two-Path is shown several times a day in the 242-seat Film Theater. This 50-minute film, produced by the School of Film Making at University of North Carolina School of the Arts, tells the Native Americans’ perspective of how the arrival of the colonists changed their lives. The Summer Children’s Performance Series, productions by Elizabeth R and Company and many other special performances are also held here year round.
Boardwalks & Grounds — Enjoy wildlife in a natural setting while walking the Boardwalk that runs throughout the park. Along the landscaped walks, native shrubs and flowers thrive in the sound and marsh. The Boardwalk joins the Roanoke Voyages Trail, which bisects Roanoke Island.
Outer Banks History Center — The Outer Banks History Center, (252) 473-2655, is a regional archives and research library with a friendly staff that is willing to help you find something interesting. See the separate listing for the center for details.
The cost for admission to Roanoke Island Festival Park, which includes all venues, is $8 for adults and $5 for ages 6 to 17. Children 5 and younger get in free. Tickets are good for two consecutive days. You can save 20 percent on a combined admission pass to Roanoke Island Festival Park and The Elizabethan Gardens. The “Park and Gardens Pass” is $13 for adults and $9 for youth ages 6 to 17. (Children 5 and younger are admitted free.) The Park and Gardens Pass may be purchased at either location. (See the listing about The Elizabethan Gardens earlier in this section.) It’s free to tour Festival Park’s Art Gallery, the Outer Banks History Center and to walk along the boardwalk that skirts the outer edge of the island that houses Festival Park. Parking is plentiful and free.
Special events are ongoing at Festival Park all year long, but the summer has the most offerings for all ages. Elizabeth R and Company presents its plays Elizabeth R, Bloody Mary and the Virgin Queen and Shepherd of the Ocean here in the summer (see Performances section). The Summer Children’s Performance Series (June 23 to July 31) is an annual favorite (see our Performances section).
Silver Bonsai Gallery
- 905 S. U.S. Highway 64
- Manteo
- (252) 475-1413
Silver Bonsai Gallery features original art, hand-crafted jewelry and unique gifts. As you wander the gallery, bonsai garden and water garden, you’ll discover an impressive collection of fine arts and crafts by local, regional and national artists. Peek into the jewelry studio as owners Ben and Kathryn Stewart use heirloom-quality techniques to create their award-winning designs crafted from gold, platinum and silver. With more than 20 years of combined experience, Ben and Kathryn specialize in custom design, repair and restoration, and hand engraving. They are generous with their time and ideas and look forward to assisting you in finding the perfect creation to add to any collection.
Bloody Mary and the Virgin Queen
- Roanoke Island Festival Park’s Film Theatre
- Manteo
- (252) 475-1500 or (252) 473-1061
This outrageous musical farce is based on the fact that Queen Elizabeth I and her half-sister Mary Tudor absolutely loathed one another during their lives, yet they were buried in the same tomb at Westminster Abbey. The show, set in present day, begins when the tourists have left the Abbey, allowing the ghosts to start their vocal bantering and arguing. The dialogue is a blend of contemporary issues and political satire about world and Roanoke Island events. This production is recommended for ages 14 and up. Admission is included in the price of general admission to Roanoke Island Festival Park. The play is performed on Wednesdays June 3, 10 and 17 and on August 5, 12 and 19 at 3 p.m. and lasts about an hour.
Dare County Arts Council Gallery
- 104 Sir Walter Raleigh Street
- Manteo
- (252) 473-5558
This great little gallery showcases the work of Dare County artists. The main gallery is full of paintings, prints, pottery and jewelry, and the work is refreshed monthly. There are bins of local artists’ unframed art too. Each month the Dare County Arts Council Gallery features an exhibition of a different Dare County artist, always with a fun opening reception that coincides with Manteo’s First Friday celebration from April through December. You have to check out the gallery’s cool Art-o-mat machine where you can buy cellophane-wrapped packages of original artwork by North Carolina artists. The Dare County Arts Council Gallery is also the office of the Dare County Arts Council, and as such is the place to get any information you need about the arts in Dare County.
Dare County Regional Airport Museum
- Dare County Regional Airport Museum, 410 Airport Road
- Manteo
- (252) 475-5570
The Wright Brothers weren’t the only famous pilots to fly on the Outer Banks. Located inside Roanoke Island’s airport is a small, two-room museum dedicated to the days when a Naval Auxiliary Air Station was based on Roanoke Island. In 1941, the U.S. Navy took over the county’s airfield, making it a training site for World War II aircraft. Check out the museum to learn about local heroes like “Kitty Hawk Kid,” Lt. Sheldon R. “Ray” Beacham. Beacham is credited for shooting down two Japanese Zeros in the South Pacific. Beacham and his VF-17 Squadron were one of the most famous Navy Fighter Squadrons, known for the skull and crossbones painted on the noses of their planes. You can also learn about Dave Driskill, who is credited with bringing aviation to the Outer Banks starting in the 1930s. The museum is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and admission is free.
Decoys by Nick Sapone
- 292 The Lane
- Wanchese
- (252) 473-3136
Local carver Nick Sapone welcomes visitors to his home/studio to have a look at his hand-crafted decoys. Sapone makes hunting-style decoys, as opposed to decorative decoys, in wood and in the traditional Outer Banks canvas style. Call ahead to make sure he’s there if you’re making a special trip to Wanchese just to see him.
Diary of Adam and Eve
- The Elizabethan Gardens’ Theatre
- Manteo
- (252) 473-3234
The Diary of Adam and Eve is a one-act play from the Broadway musical The Apple Tree. Performances are held in the air-conditioned theater at The Elizabethan Gardens on Tuesdays at 2:30 p.m. in July and August. Based on a short story by Mark Twain and set to words and music by the team of Harnick and Bock who created Fiddler on the Roof, this light comedy is the perfect story for a garden setting. Younger family members can enjoy a concurrent program, A Snake in the Grass, if they choose not to see the play. Admittance to the play is free with paid admission to The Elizabethan Gardens.
Elizabeth R
- Roanoke Island Festival Park’s Film Theatre, 1 Festival Park Drive
- Manteo
- (252) 475-1500
Miss Barbara Hird gives a commanding performance as Queen Elizabeth I in this one-woman, internationally acclaimed show. Hird is committed to authenticity in this interpretation of the character of Queen Elizabeth I. In the hour-long performance, the Queen spills the intimate details of her life, including her likes and dislikes, the reasons for making her decisions and information about her parents, her lovers and Sir Walter Raleigh’s colonies. This production is recommended for ages 14 and up. It runs Tuesdays June 2, 9 and 16 at 3 p.m. Admission is included in the general admission ticket price to the park. Tickets can be ordered in advance.
Endless Possibilities
- 105 Budleigh Street
- Manteo
- (252) 475-1575
This shop offers a truly unique concept in creativity and fund-raising. The goods sold here — rugs, purses, pillows, boas and more — are hand-woven and handcrafted out of recycled clothing that was donated to local Outer Banks Hotline thrift shops. The creations are amazing, colorful and original. The shop also offers the work of talented artists on consignment. The knitters, jewelers and sculptors who display their wares here all work with other found or recycled materials. Proceeds of the goods go to Outer Banks Hotline, a local nonprofit organization, to help local women and families on the Outer Banks.
Weavers are at work on the looms right in the store, and they welcome volunteer weavers. (They’ll teach you what to do.) You can also come in and pay a fee to make your own woven items. This is a great activity for young and old alike — just call ahead to check for loom availability.
First Friday
- Downtown Manteo
- Manteo
First Friday is a family-oriented downtown festival held in the evening from 6 to 8 p.m. on the first Friday of every month from April through December. Downtown Manteo’s sidewalks come alive and the streets are festive on these nights. Several shops and restaurants do an individual celebration of some sort, such as live music, special sales and hors d’oeuvres, and the Dare County Arts Council Gallery usually has an opening reception during First Friday. It’s a great time to explore downtown Manteo.
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
- 1410 National Historic Drive (off U.S. Highway 64)
- Roanoke Island
- (252) 473-5772
This national historic site commemorates and preserves the first English attempts at colonization and aims to help visitors gain a better understanding of the known elements of the settlement. To get the full story of the colonists straight, tour the museum in the visitor center. Educational exhibits, artifacts unearthed from the site, plus exhibits on the colonists and Elizabethan life are on display. A short film relates the story of both English attempts to establish colonies here. Also in the visitor center is the Elizabethan Room, with paneling from a 16th-century English house that is similar to the kind a colonial investor would have lived in. During the summer months there are interpretive programs. Outdoors, the Thomas Hariot Nature Trail winds through the wooded area between Roanoke Sound and the visitor center, making about a quarter-mile loop. Hariot’s descriptions of the New World are quoted on signs along the trail. You can also see a restored earthen fort. Also, you will find a Civil War marker that designates the park as part of the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, a nationwide program of sites that addresses the Underground Railroad story. This area was part of a Freedmen’s Colony where escaped slaves found refuge during and after the Civil War. Visitation to Fort Raleigh is free. It’s open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the summer; it closes at 5 p.m. during the rest of the year. Just by the parking lot is a great picnic site with tables under shady trees and a spacious lawn for kids who love to run.
Full Moon Art Gallery—Pure Island Art
- 208 Queen Elizabeth Street (on the corner with Sir Walter Raleigh Street)
- Manteo
- (252) 473-6666
This one-of-a-kind gallery features the finest of local arts and crafts — by Outer Banks artists only. Sharon Enoch, co-owner of the Full Moon Café & Grill next door, is a restaurateur by day and a potter by night (though we’re sure those timeframes interchange!). You’ll find her beautiful stoneware pottery creations in this funky shop along with local handmade jewelry, fused glass vases, sea glass earrings, prints, cards, textiles, original watercolors and garden art. Support the local artists and take home a true treasure from the Outer Banks.
Gallery 101
- 101 B Budleigh Street
- Manteo
- (252) 473-6656
Gallery 101 displays fine art and craft from local, regional and out-of-state artists. The focus is on ceramics, both functional designs and fine art pieces, but there are also paintings, art glass, jewelry and photography, including works by local photographers. New owner, Dee Isenhour, is a potter, and she displays her ceramics here along with the raku pottery and paintings of the former owner, Scott Stockdale.
John Silver Gallery
- 105-A Fernando Street
- Manteo
- (252) 475-9764
John Silver Gallery provides an inviting and intimate setting for 12 American painters. The artists, including Roanoke Island resident John Silver, are plein air and studio painters working in oils, acrylics or watercolors. The owners and experienced staff are happy to assist you with a selection, and as art connoisseurs they are glad to share with you their love of painting and the artists they exhibit.
Lost Colony
- Waterside Theatre, 1409 National Park Drive, Waterside Theatre, off U.S. Highway 64
- Roanoke Island
- (252) 473-3414
Since its premiere in 1937, The Lost Colony outdoor drama has become one of the Outer Banks’ most beloved attractions. The play itself has become as much a part of the culture and history of Roanoke Island as the historic events it portrays. The symphonic production tells the 400-year-old mystery of the 117 men, women and children who lived for a short time on Roanoke Island then vanished without a trace. Held in the beautiful, open-air Waterside Theatre, the lively show features song, dance and drama. Getting to the actual theater requires a short walk down a paved path through an enchanting forest, stirring the imagination about the colonists’ lives.
In September 2007 a fire consumed The Lost Colony costume shop, destroying all of the show’s working stock and historical costumes. The silver lining in this tragic event was that the show rebounded to an even more stunning production. Renowned Broadway costume designer William Ivey Long, creative costumer for such productions as The Producers and Hair Spray, designed and created a thousand new costumes for the show, and The Lost Colony is more visually stunning than ever. The new costumes are not only beautiful, they are more historically accurate, as the redesign allowed Long to portray the Elizabethan class system of the colonists. A new director has also changed some key elements of the play. Even if you’ve seen The Lost Colony several times, it’s worth it to go again to see the new level of sophistication it has attained.
The Lost Colony is performed Monday through Saturday nights from May 28 through August 20, 2010. The show starts at 8 p.m. and is about two hours long. Tickets for Upper Level Seating cost $20 for adults, $19 for seniors (62 and older), $12 for children 11 and younger. Lower Level Seating costs $24 per person. On Mondays and Fridays, one child age 11 and younger gets in free with the purchase of a full-price adult ticket. On Saturday, one child gets a half-price ticket with the purchase of a full-price adult ticket. Advance reservations are recommended. For tickets, you can call (252) 473-3414 or visit www.thelostcolony.com to purchase your tickets online.
The Lost Colony organization offers backstage tours Monday through Saturday nights at 6 p.m. On this 45-minute walking tour you’ll see insider views of the theater, costume shop and props. Reservations are required, and the cost is $7 per person. The Lost Colony production company also offers many special events throughout the year, such as children’s theater, musicals and more.
Manteo Farmers Market
- 104 Fernando Street, George Washington Creef Park, Manteo Waterfront
- Manteo
- (252) 473-2133
On Saturday mornings in the summer months, the Farmers Market features home-grown, home-baked and homemade goods for sale. Pick up fresh herbs, produce or flowers, buy some local artwork or sweets, all in a beautiful waterfront setting next to the Roanoke Island Maritime Museum. This makes a great family outing as there’s a playground next to the market area. The market is held from 8 a.m. to noon. For more information visit www.townofmanteo.com.
Nancyware Pottery
- 402 Queen Elizabeth Street
- Manteo
- (252) 473-9400
This is the potter’s studio as well as her exhibit space, so you can often see her at work at the wheel. Nancy’s functional ceramics are made of high-fired stoneware that is dishwasher, microwave and oven safe including pie plates, colanders, dishes, tumblers, vases and spoon rests. She also makes odds-and-ends jars, beaded jewelry, small collectible mirrors and tile murals. Nancy can create personalized, special orders, which make great wedding gifts or wedding favors! Ceramics classes are offered in the off-season.
Outer Banks History Center
- Roanoke Island Festival Park, across from the Manteo Waterfront
- Manteo
- (252) 473-2655
The Outer Banks History Center is a regional archives and research library administered by the North Carolina State Archives. Its holdings document the history, development and growth of the North Carolina coast. It’s a great place to find historic photographs of the Outer Banks. The public is welcome to use the center to research geneaology or any other topic related to the Outer Banks or to peruse their extensive reading library of current periodicals. The Outer Banks History Center is open year-round, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The History Center’s gallery features changing exhibits of topics about the Outer Banks. Admission is free, and the gallery is open from March through December, seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 2010 show is a photography exhibit by Bruce Roberts.
Roanoke Heritage Art Galleries & Military Museum
- 543 Ananias Dare Street Ext.
- Manteo
- (252) 473-2632
This little museum and gallery is behind the home of the owner on Ananias Dare Street across the main highway from the downtown area. Herbert Bliven runs a small museum housing his collection of Civil War artifacts that he found on Roanoke Island. You’ll also see World War I and II, Native American and Korean War memorabilia as well as antique decoys. He also operates a frame shop, offering custom framing and a variety of original artwork, photographs and limited-edition prints, all complemented by his handcrafted wooden frames. Call before you stop by.
Roanoke Island Festival Park Museum Store
- 1 Festival Park Road, Roanoke Island Festival Park, Across from Manteo Waterfront
- Manteo
- (252) 475-1500
The Museum Store at Roanoke Island Festival Park is more than your typical museum store. Historically themed gift merchandise is categorized into an Elizabethan section, a nautical section inspired by the Elizabeth II, a Civil War section and an American Indian section, but there’s so much more than that. Fun and educational toys, beach décor, jewelry, candy, fine teas, food items, soothing music, fancy journals and much more will delight you. They have a large selection of fascinating local interest books by local authors.
Roanoke Island Maritime Museum / Creef Boathouse
- 104 Fernando Street, Manteo Waterfront
- Manteo
- (252) 475-1750
Originally a boathouse used to build world-record-holding speedboats, this building has seen a variety of boat-building uses in its day. The building’s double-wide doors and barn-like roominess create the perfect setting for this working boathouse museum. The Roanoke Island Maritime Museum is a treasure-trove of local seafaring history. Come inside for a look at some locally built boats and possibly to see boat building in the process.
Whatever you see, you’ll learn about the island’s traditional boats, what they were used for and how they were used. On the water, you’ll see a variety of traditional watercraft, the most noteworthy of which is the reproduction North Carolina shad boat, The Spirit of Roanoke Island, built by museum volunteers. Head over to the boathouse to see the Ella View, an original shad boat built in 1883 by George Washington Creef, the boathouse’s namesake.
The museum has a number of programs and workshops to celebrate maritime heritage. The Maritime Museum offers Build a Boat in a Day workshops once a month from June through October. They also offer boat rides in a traditional shad fishing boat once a week throughout the summer. Call to register in advance. The museum’s community sailing program and Learn-to-Sail camps for kids are very popular (see our Recreation section). It’s free to tour this museum and talk with the volunteers and staff. The museum is growing all the time, so check back often for new programs and events.
