Museum of Coastal Carolina
Ian Kaplan
The Museum of Coastal Carolina is a fantastic spot to spend the day. If you believe museums are stuffy, quiet places where visitors go for research, reflection, or when there’s nothing else to do, then you haven’t visited North Carolina’s only natural history museum on a barrier island. New exterior paintings reveal some of the things you’ll see in the Museum of Coastal Carolina at Ocean Isle Beach.
There’s so much to do and see when you visit the museum. Those that stop by can see toddlers can climb aboard a wooden strip boat made right here in the county. The shark exhibit is sure to amaze everyone who sees it. And as Carolina parents educate their young children about protecting wildlife from waste, they’ll pass by the Litterbug Hall of Shame on their way to keeping the beach clean and our animals safe from the trash.
Imagine being up close to the animal species on exhibit in the Green Swamp diorama. Touch or hold a sea star, an urchin, or a hermit crab at the touch tank after seeing it from afar. At the newly enhanced Carolina Shells and Fossils display, discover what really goes on behind those shells. Bring your beach finds to identify so you can have some fun with them.
The Ocean Reef Gallery depicts a reef habitat located about 65 miles from the coast of North Carolina. It is bursting with excitement and colors. The Barrier Island Gallery has a toddler area where your little ones can play with puppets, toy ocean animals, puzzles, etc. They are sure to have lots of fun! There is also an exhibit called Legacy of the Loggerhead sea turtle which includes a short video filmed on Ocean Isle Beach about the life cycle of loggerhead turtles. This video shows everything from when the mother turtle lays her eggs to when the hatchlings start crawling toward the sea.
On the coast of North Carolina, visitors may get up close and personal with the American bald eagle. Identify the shorebirds you observed on Brunswick beaches. With the pelts draped over their shoulders, children pretend they are a coyote or a bear. Fishermen express amazement at how similar their bamboo rods are to those in the antique fishing equipment exhibit.
The Museum of Coastal Carolina is a delight for youngsters and young adults. It is a multi-generational activity for the entire family that many tourists enjoy. Locals are well aware of it as one of Brunswick County’s finest family activities.
The Museum of Coastal Carolina is located at 21 East Second Street, Ocean Isle Beach beside the playground and just a block from the beach and the pier. Enjoy the coastal natural history!
Driving Directions To Summit Roofing, An Ocean Isle Roofing Company, From Museum of Coastal Carolina
Driving Directions To The Swamp Park
