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About LEARN NC
LEARN NC, a program of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
School of Education,
finds the most innovative and successful practices in K–12 education and makes them available to the teachers
and students of North Carolina — and the world.
The Battleship North Carolina. Photograph from the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Tourism Division.
Field trip opportunities
- Airlie Gardens (Wilmington)
- Environmental education programs in a beautiful setting can be found at this public garden in Wilmington, North Carolina.
- Battleship North Carolina (Wilmington)
- Uses a variety of formats including oral histories, video footage, and zoomable images to cover the history of the USS North Carolina and other naval vessels afloat during WWII.
- Bellamy Mansion Museum of History and Design Arts (Wilmington)
- A spectacular example of antebellum architecture, this home was commandeered by Federal troops after the fall of Fort Fisher during the Civil War. The Bellamy Mansion is now a museum that focuses on history and the design arts and offers tours.
- Burgwin-Wright House Museum and Gardens (Wilmington)
- Visitors will enjoy the fine detail of the Georgian style architecture, the 18th and early 19th century furnishings and stories of the people who have lived in this house.
- Cameron Art Museum (Wilmington)
- Visit the Cameron Art Museum and see its wonderful “collection of fine art, design and crafts, including significant holdings of historical and contemporary work by North Carolina artists, designers and artisans.”
- Cape Fear Museum of History and Science (Wilmington)
- The estimated 40,000+ artifacts in the collection of the Cape Fear Museum of History and Science relate to the history, science and cultures of the Lower Cape Fear.
- Cape Fear River Watch (Wilmington)
- Offer several opportunities for environmental education and community development which include hands-on experiences for field trip groups.
- Cape Fear Serpentarium (Wilmington)
- Find some of the world's rarest reptiles at this museum located in downtown Wilmington.
- Carolina Beach State Park (Carolina Beach)
- Developed in the late 1960s, this state park preserves the unique environment along the Intracoastal Waterway. The Venus Flytrap and other plant life, the dunes, birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals are all protected in this special place.
- Carolina Ocean Studies (Carolina Beach)
- A visit to the beautiful barrier islands and ocean reefs of North Carolina will help students understand the importance of our coastal environment and the habitat of the creatures that live there.
- Fort Fisher (Kure Beach)
- Photos of artifacts and the Fort Fisher oceanfront as well as several Civil War battle maps. Also contains information about the river defenses, running the blockade, the attacks on Fort Fisher, and the aftermath. Additionally, there is a section that explains the role of Fort Fisher during WWII.
- Fort Fisher State Recreation Area (Kure Beach)
- The Fort Fisher program introduces students to the habitat and life history of "colonial-nesting coastal birds." The program also focuses on endangered, threatened and special-concern bird species.
- Latimer House and Archives (Wilmington)
- This historic home takes visitors back in time to the elegant era of upper class Wilmington in the mid-1800s.
- MarineQuest (Wilmington)
- Ocean education and marine environmental education programs providing "hands-on, feet-wet, high-tech" experiences for K-12 students.
- Masonboro Island (Wilmington)
- One of the four sites of the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve. Interpreter led field trips must be reserved two seasons ahead. This is a favorite field trip for many teachers.
- North Carolina Aquariums (Kure Beach)
- Visit one of the three North Carolina Aquariums and learn about the "diverse natural and cultural resources associated with North Carolina's ocean, estuaries, rivers, streams, and other aquatic environments."
- Poplar Grove Plantation (Wilmington)
- Students will enjoy touring the big house and tenant farmer's cabin, the craft shops, and the blacksmith's shop at Poplar Grove Plantation.
- Sea Grant North Carolina (Wilmington)
- With a variety of research and outreach programs, this organization provides several educational opportunities for marine science educators including workshops, marine science and environmental education curriculum development, research opportunities and grants, and field trips.
- Wilmington Railroad Museum (Wilmington)
- Learn about the historical development of railroads in the Wilmington area with the eclectic collection of displays at the Wilmington Railroad Museum.
- Wilmington's Children's Museum (Wilmington)
- Younger students will enjoy exploring the Wilmington's Children's Museum with its many hands-on exhibits.
- Zeke's Island North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve (Wilmington)
- Part of the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve, Zeke's Island has interpreter led field trips which focus on the importance of estuaries to the North Carolina coast.