Museum of Durham History

Small, but very cool.
Really just a little outbuilding at the bus stop, it contains very informative displays about local history, people, and neighborhoods. I hope they can move somewhere larger soon– there’s a lot to learn from their collection. I learned a lot about tobacco, local businesses, black history, and some of the buildings you can see from the parking lot.

For locals and tourists alike, the History Hub (as the locals call it) is a perfect stop to learn a little more about what makes Durham unique. This old bus station turned museum is located in-​between Brightleaf district and the DIY district and makes for a 15 – 30 minute stop. With rotating exhibits, stories from locals and interactive pieces, there’s something here for everyone. It only had a handful of parking spots, so might be better as a walking destination but there’s activities for adults and kids alike (a small corner with dress-​ups and trains for the tots).
The highlights of the History Hub for me are the «before and after» views. With windows all along the building, they’ve created areas where you can look out and see Durham as it is now and photos of how it used to me. Including buildings such a the Hill Building (now 21C Museum hotel, previously the SunTrust Building) and the NC Mutual building. I also love their area where locals are encouraged to share stories and visitors have the opportunity to listen. They have a couple interactive activities and an area where people are encouraged to list things that the History Hub has «left out». The Hub then looks for articles and photos from comments to increase their collection. For a city that’s incredibly community based and driven, the History Hub is the perfect example of our community and I encourage you to check it out.

This place was wonderful! It’s a brand new history hub with rotating exhibits on Durham’s history, including wall panels, books, and a video section in the back. The exhibits were fascinating and the staff was especially friendly in telling me about random Durham history facts and about other places in the area I should visit.