Dive into Outer Banks History at These Museums

Beyond the beaches, watersports and great outdoors, the Outer Banks is well known for its history. From Native American history to early English colonization and piracy, shipwrecks and lifesaving to war battles and a post-Civil War Freedman’s Colony to the very first airplane flight in the world and the first national seashore in the country (and so much more), these islands have seen their share of remarkable historical events.

Books, articles and films have covered this history in depth, but if you want to learn more about these events while getting a deep sense of the place where they happened, you have to be here. Trekking up the same hill the Wright brothers launched the world’s first flight is an incomparable experience. Walking the Roanoke Island woods where members of the 1585 English colony themselves walked is surreal. Climbing a lighthouse cements the feeling of what it was like for the old lighthouse keepers to cart oil up and down hundreds of stairs day in and day out.

Fortunately, Outer Banks history is extremely well interpreted at museums across the islands. Museums and displays large and small will immerse you in the noteworthy and history-making events that happened right here on the Outer Banks.

Keep in mind that all these attractions may not be open here in the middle of winter, but they will all be open in spring.

Photo: A John White painting depicting Native American tribes fishing in the New World.

Native American History

Before the arrival of Europeans, the land that is now known as the Outer Banks was home to Algonquian-speaking Native American tribes. 

To learn more about the Native American history of the Outer Banks, go to Frisco Native American Museum in Frisco, where they have displays of Native American artifacts from the Croatoan people who thrived on Hatteras Island, along with displays Native cultures from around the world.

At Fort Raleigh National Historic Site on Roanoke Island you can see Carolina Algonquian pottery and jewelry that was found on the historic site grounds as well as displays about Native American life and culture. At Roanoke Island Festival Park you can explore an interpretive exhibit called American Indian Town and watch a film called The Legend of Two Path.

A depiction of Fort Raleigh on Roanoke Island, courtesy of NPS

Early English Colonization

Roanoke Island was the site of the first attempt at English colonization in the New World. Colonization was initiated by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1584, when he sent an exploratory voyage to the New World and made contact with Roanoke Island and set up a preliminary colony. Subsequent expeditions in 1585 and 1587 aimed to settle a permanent colony, but none were successful. The 1587 colony became known as the famous “lost colony.”

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site interprets this history with displays, artifacts and exhibits. It’s a good place to get familiar with the key players in English colonization of the New World. They have the remnants of an earthwork fort, monuments and walking trails. Also on site is Waterside Theatre, home of The Lost Colony outdoor drama, a fictionalized account of the 1587 colony. The outdoor drama is held from late May through August.

Over at Roanoke Island Festival Park, you’ll find family-friendly options for learning about English colonization. It’s fascinating to explore the Elizabeth II, a representation of a merchant ship from the 1585 voyage, and imagine crossing the ocean in it!

Shipwrecks / Lighthouses / Life-Saving

The Outer Banks islands are impacted by intense weather, rough seas and shallow shoals, a deadly combination when it comes to maritime traffic. So many shipwrecks have occurred off these shores that the area has been dubbed the Graveyard of the Atlantic.

One of the best places to learn about this history is the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras. It’s an entire museum dedicated to the preservation and presentation of the state’s coastal and shipwreck history. It interprets this history for all ages with modern interactive exhibits and displays.

Lighthouses were constructed on the Outer Banks to make it safer for ships to through these waters (and avoid shoals and land). Each of the four lighthouses on the Outer Banks offers information about the fascinating lives of lighthouse keepers and the work they did to keep mariners safe. Currituck Beach Lighthouse in Corolla is open for climbing in spring, summer and fall. Bodie Island Lighthouse near Nags Head and Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Hatteras offer exhibits about the history of lighthouse. Ocracoke Lighthouse is not open for climbing but you can explore the site. Click here for more information about the three lighthouses in Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

The U.S. Life-Saving Service set up life-saving stations along the Outer Banks to house life-savers who could quickly respond to shipwrecks and save lives. At one point there were 22 stations on the Outer Banks. Some of the buildings are gone, others have been repurposed. Chicamacomico U.S. Life-Saving Station Historic in Rodanthe was one of the first seven stations built along the Outer Banks and it has been restored as an immaculate historic site with original buildings and a summer reenactment ceremony that give you a real feel for what life was like at the stations. North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island also offers some information about the life-saving service with an exhibit on Capt. Richard Etheridge, a Roanoke Island native and former slave who served as the first African American commander of a life-saving station and an all-Black crew.

The Wright brothers, December 17, 1903, as photographed by John Daniels. Photo courtesy NPS.

First Flight

The Wright brothers, Wilbur and Orville, of Dayton, Ohio, successfully flew the world’s first airplane, the 1903 Wright glider, of a dune in what is now Kill Devil Hills in 1903. Wright Brothers National Memorial interprets this entire story, from the brothers early years to the ensuing aviation advances at this world-renowned museum. You’ll hear stories and enjoy exhibits and displays, and you can walk the grounds where all this took place. Climb the hill to appreciate the monument to the brothers’ accomplishments and enjoy a sea to sound view.

Many More Museums

There is so much more history to explore on the Outer Banks. You can learn about maritime history and boats at the Currituck Maritime Museum in Corolla and Roanoke Island Maritime Museum in Manteo. You can learn about the history of Corolla’s wild horses at the Corolla Wild Horse Museum, and the golden era of duck hunting at Whalehead in Historic Corolla. You can learn about the Freedmen’s Colony, a post-Civil War safe haven for escaped and freed slaves, at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and the North Carolina Aquarium and about 1850s life on Roanoke Island at Island Farm. You can learn about the first national seashore in the United States, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, at several visitors centers on Bodie, Hatteras and Ocracoke islands. As you can see the Outer Banks is thick with history so have fun exploring and learning more! Click here for a rundown of all the Outer Banks historic sites and museums.