Parking lot reopens near downtown museums

Dec. 17, 2002
For Immediate Release
Metro and feature editors
Contact: Karen Kemp (919) 733-7450, ext. 304

(RALEIGH)—Visitors will find parking less challenging near the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences this week, because a parking lot that had closed for renovations has now reopened.

The 240-space visitor section of the lot borders Wilmington Street between Jones and Edenton streets and includes six handicapped spaces. The surface lot is convenient to the Museum of Natural Sciences, the Museum of History, the Capitol and the state Legislature Building. Other sections of the lot contain numbered, assigned spaces, which are leased by state employees.

“Reopening this lot will help ease the weekday parking crunch that Museum visitors have experienced in recent months,” said Museum Director Betsy Bennett. “We hope people who may have been frustrated during the renovation phase will give us another try.” Even with the reopened lot, Bennett noted that weekday parking still can be a challenge in the area, especially when the Legislature is in session, so the Museum continues to pursue longterm solutions.

The state Department of Administration, which owns and operates the parking lot, had closed the lot in August to install guard booths, barriers and gates. Museum visitors formerly could park in an underground garage on the southwest corner of Jones and Wilmington streets. However, to improve security, the state decided to restrict garage access to state employees only.

Drivers can enter the reopened surface lot from Edenton or Jones streets. The fee is 50 cents per hour or a maximum of $4 a day. On weekends, the lot is free and numbered spaces also become available for public use.

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, in downtown Raleigh, documents and interprets the natural history of the state of North Carolina through exhibits, research, collections, publications, and educational programming. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sun., noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Visit the Museum on the web at www.naturalsciences.org. The Museum is an agency of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, William G. Ross Jr., Secretary.

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