Our state’s capital is abuzz with a variety of outdoor activities. You could spend all weekend at this enormous flea market, or spend a day zipping around Pullen Park on the rails. But one oft-overlooked outdoor activity deserves some love, too. Many people may not choose a museum as among their first choices for outdoor recreation, but here’s why the North Carolina Museum of Art deserves to be at the top of your list of outdoor spots to explore in the Tar Heel State:

The Art in the Park installation exhibits and landscaping are an outdoor adventure that you'll want to experience again and again.
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Presently, there are 29 major works of art or installations, many of which are rotating constantly. From a huge pair of legs resting peacefully on the perfectly manicured lawn, to a whole lot of Head Space (shown above) in a pair of opposing faces, the outdoor art in this park is unparalleled in the Tar Heel State.
Additionally, the Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park is open daily and is FREE.
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Here, you'll find miles of trails and walking paths. Walk, sit, and walk some more. Contemplate, view, appreciate and then reflect. Who says you have to be inside a building to view and appreciate professional artwork?

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Exploring!
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Bring a picnic and a blanket and enjoy a picturesque lunch next to the huge rings of Gyre, one of the anchors of this art in the park. Like the art itself, the possibilities for exploration at this park are endless.
You can pop into the museum for a map of the Art Park and the various trails/walking paths. And then spend the day discovering each delightful piece at this one-of-a-kind park in North Carolina.
North Carolina Museum of Art

The Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park is located at the North Carolina Museum of Art at 2110 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh, NC 27607. Visitor parking is free and located in the Blue Ridge lot on the right after entering the Museum drive. The park is free and open 365 days a year from dawn to dusk. Pets are allowed, as long as they are leashed and you clean up after them. For more information, see this link on the official website of the North Carolina Museum of Art.

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