The NC Museum of Natural Sciences is in downtown Raleigh between the State Capitol and the Legislative Building. It is on a block bordered by one-way streets:

Downtown Map
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Free aboveground parking is plentiful on weekends. State underground parking is now closed to visitors for security reasons. Four public parking decks are located within two blocks of the Museum. An aboveground state visitors parking lot is now open across from the NC Museum of History: entrances are on Jones and Edenton streets ($1/hr, max. $8/day). For parking choices within walking distance of the Museum, please see the downtown map.

Directions
From Outside Raleigh | From Within Raleigh
Walking directions from the Amtrak station

From Cary (via NC-54)

1. Take NC-54 EAST toward Raleigh
2. NC-54 becomes Hillsborough Street
3. Take Hillsborough Street EAST toward downtown Raleigh
4. Turn LEFT (NORTH) on McDowell Street
5. Turn RIGHT (EAST) on Jones Street
6. Go two blocks EAST, the Museum will be on the RIGHT

From Cary (via US-1/US-64)

1. Take US1/64 to I-40 EAST
2. Take exit #298-B onto McDowell Street (NORTH)
3. Turn RIGHT (EAST) on Jones Street
4. Go two blocks EAST, the Museum will be on the RIGHT

From Chapel Hill, Durham, Greensboro or Charlotte

1. Go EAST on I-40 toward Raleigh
2. Take the Wade Avenue exit
3. Take Wade Avenue to Capital Boulevard (toward downtown)
4. Take Capitol Boulevard SOUTH toward downtown Raleigh
5. Capitol Boulevard SOUTH becomes Dawson Street
6. Turn LEFT onto Jones Street
7. Go three blocks EAST, the Museum will be on the RIGHT

From Fuquay-Varina, Fayetteville or Garner (via US-401)

1. Take US-401 NORTH toward Raleigh
2. Take US-401 to South Saunders Street
3. Take South Saunders to McDowell Street
4. Take McDowell NORTH
5. Turn RIGHT onto Jones Street
6. Go two blocks EAST, the Museum will be on the RIGHT

From Garner, Smithfield or Goldsboro (via US-70)

1. Take US-70 NORTH toward Raleigh
2. US-70 becomes Wilmington Street
3. Turn LEFT onto Edenton Street, go two blocks WEST
4. Turn RIGHT onto McDowell Street, go one block NORTH
5. Turn RIGHT onto Jones Street
6. Go two blocks EAST, the Museum will be on the RIGHT

From Knightdale (via Business US-64)

1. Go WEST on Business US-64 toward Raleigh
2. Business US-64 becomes New Bern Ave
3. New Bern Ave becomes Edenton Street
4. Turn RIGHT onto McDowell Street, go one block NORTH
5. Turn RIGHT onto Jones Street
6. Go two blocks EAST, the Museum will be on the RIGHT

From Pinehurst, Sanford, Southern Pines or Apex (via US-1)

1. Take US-1 NORTH toward Raleigh
2. Take the Inner (clockwise) I-440 Beltline
3. Take the Hillsborough exit
4. Turn LEFT (EAST toward downtown Raleigh)
5. Take Hillsborough Street EAST toward downtown Raleigh
6. Turn LEFT (NORTH) on McDowell Street
7. Turn RIGHT (EAST) on Jones Street
8. Go two blocks EAST, the Museum will be on the RIGHT

From Wake Forest, Rolesville or Louisburg

1. Take US-401 SOUTH toward Raleigh
2. US-401 becomes Capital Boulevard
3. Take Capitol Boulevard SOUTH toward downtown Raleigh
4. Capitol Boulevard SOUTH becomes Dawson Street
5. Turn LEFT onto Jones Street
6. Go three blocks EAST, the Museum will be on the RIGHT

From Wendell, Zebulon, Rocky Mount, Greenville or Wilson

1. Go WEST on US-64 toward Raleigh
2. Take EXIT 419 toward US-1/Wake Forest
3. Merge onto I-440 NORTH
4. Merge onto New Bern Ave via EXIT 13A (toward downtown)
5. New Bern Ave becomes Edenton Street
6. Turn RIGHT onto McDowell Street, go one block NORTH
7. Turn RIGHT onto Jones Street
8. Go two blocks EAST, the Museum will be on the RIGHT

From Wilmington

1. Follow I-40 WEST into Raleigh
2. Take US-401 to South Saunders Street
3. Take South Saunders to McDowell Street
4. Take McDowell NORTH
5. Turn RIGHT onto Jones Street
6. Go two blocks EAST, the Museum will be on the RIGHT

Directions From Within Raleigh

Glenwood Avenue

1. Take Glenwood Avenue SOUTH toward downtown Raleigh
2. Turn LEFT onto Jones Street
3. Go five blocks EAST, the Museum will be on the RIGHT

Creedmoor

1. Take Creedmoor to Glenwood Avenue
2. Take Glenwood Avenue SOUTH toward downtown Raleigh
3. Turn LEFT onto Jones Street
4. Go five blocks EAST, the Museum will be on the RIGHT

Capital Boulevard

1. Take Capitol Boulevard SOUTH toward downtown Raleigh
2. Capitol Boulevard SOUTH becomes Dawson Street
3. Turn LEFT onto Jones Street
4. Go three blocks EAST, the Museum will be on the RIGHT

Hillsborough Street

1. Take Hillsborough Street EAST toward downtown Raleigh
2. Turn left (NORTH) on McDowell Street
3. Turn right (EAST) on Jones Street
4. Go two blocks EAST, the Museum will be on the RIGHT

Wake Forest Road

1. Take Wake Forest Road SOUTH
2. Take the Capitol Boulevard exit SOUTH toward downtown Raleigh: Capitol Boulevard becomes Dawson Street
3. Turn LEFT onto Jones Street
4. Go three blocks EAST, the Museum will be on the RIGHT

Walking directions from the Amtrak station

1. Follow Cabarrus Street EAST (cross the railroad tracks) three blocks to Salisbury Street
2. Go 5 blocks NORTH on Salisbury Street, past the Capital to Edenton Street
3. Go half a block EAST on Edenton Street
4. Turn LEFT into the Bicentennial Plaza
5. The Museum of History will be on your RIGHT, the Museum of Natural Sciences is at the end of the block on the LEFT

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