North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

The mission of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is to enhance the public's understanding and appreciation of the environment in ways that emphasize the natural diversity of North Carolina and the southeastern United States and relate the region to the world as a whole.

A Letter from Our Director

For me and my colleagues, author Richard Louv has struck a deep and resonating chord. In the preface of his landmark book, "Last Child in the Woods," Louv calls for a healing of the broken bond between our young children and nature, or what he terms Nature-Deficit Disorder. "The health of the earth is at stake," he writes. "How the young respond to nature, and how they raise their own children, will shape the configurations and conditions of our cities, homes - our daily lives." For us at the Museum, nothing could be more true ... or more important.

My own passion for nature started as a young child. Imagine a young girl with high energy who loved being outdoors, and like most young people, I was infinitely curious and interested in the world around me. Fortunately, I had parents who took the time to support my love of the outdoors and encouraged my creativity by providing many educational experiences that would ultimately set the tone for my future endeavors.

While the Museum provides an accessible and guided look at the natural world, we also know there is no substitute for the real thing. Part of our mission is to help encourage and prepare the younger generation to explore the outdoors thoughtfully. You can help by taking a child outside - whether as a parent, sibling or mentor - and studying or simply enjoying the world around you. The more we understand that world, the better prepared we are to preserve it.

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