Wildlife and nature

Animal shelters and rescues

Theater and dance

Rivers, parks and trails

Hunger and food

Schools and learning

Housing and homelessness

Community health

Mental health

Mentoring and foster care

Legal help and rights

Jobs and money help

Atlanta

The Triangle

Everywhere

The Collective Workshop

Royal Animal Refuge

Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta

Georgia Advancing Communities Together

Atlanta Writers Club

Cobb Collaborative

Bosleys Place

Jewish Fertility Foundation

The Museum of Life and Science ignites curiosity and fosters a community connected to science by investing in playful learning that enriches both individuals and the world.
Located less than five miles from downtown Durham, the Museum of Life and Science is one of North Carolina’s top family destinations. Our 84-acre campus includes a two-story science center, one of the largest butterfly conservatories on the East Coast, and beautifully landscaped outdoor exhibits. Our interactive experiences include Dinosaur Trail , Ellerbe Creek Railway , Hideaway Woods , Into the Mist , Earth Moves , and Aerospace , which features one of the largest collections of Apollo-era NASA artifacts in the state. The Museum is also an AZA-accredited zoo, home to rescued black bears, lemurs, endangered Red Wolves, and more than 60 species of live animals.
Learn more about our vision and mission and our approach to learning and education .
The Museum of Life and Science is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Museum earns over 83% of our annual operating budget through membership, admission, fees, and contributions. Thank you for your patronage and support!
We are also grateful for ongoing public support from Durham County. Through this public/private partnership, the Museum will continue to serve our region and our State with distinctive and dynamic learning experiences.

Give

In The Lab: Latine and Hispanic Heritage Month

¡Feliz Mes de la Herencia Latina e Hispana!

Nature Blog: Fall Butterflies Plus

Let be, let flow, let in

Nature Blog: High and Dry (almost)

2026 Pupdate #2

Around Town: June 2026

2026 Pupdate #1

Ready, Set, Resilience teams up with Museum to highlight middle school students’ work

Around Town: May 2026

Carly Apple

Carrie Heinonen

Kate Booth

Disha Dewan

Roy Griffiths

Betsy Hall

Lisa Ruth

Happy 28th birthday to Lightning, the best donkey we know! 🫏⚡️ Born November 6, 1998, Lightning came to the Museum at just six months old and has been here ever since! The yard he shares with our three Nigerian Dwarf goats (Bill, Charlie, and Percy) is often strewn with enrichment items he can pick up and explore. Catch him at the right time and you may see him playing with a large rubber ball!

Caaaan we interest you in about :35 of ambient Explore the Wild vibes? 🧡 Our ring-tailed lemurs and radiated tortoises live together because it's enriching! Mixed species habitats can be beneficial for animals in museum and zoo settings. Ring-tailed lemurs and radiated tortoises share a habitat in their native Madagascar, and are comfortable sharing space at the Museum as well. Exposure to other species can add variety in an animal's daily routine, offer stimulation, and help encourage problem-solving behaviors.

The leaves are changing and we're starting to look extra beautiful! 🍁 As the days get shorter and there's less sunlight, leaves get the message that it's time to stop making chlorophyll, the photochemical that allows plants to absorb light for energy (photosynthesis) and makes them look green. When you see the fall colors of red (anthocyanins), orange (carotenoids), and yellow (xanthophylls) come through, that is the other three main chemicals or pigments becoming visible in the absence of chlorophyll.

Today's the day! Get out and VOTE, y'all!

Conservation means boots on the ground ... and in the sky! For the second year in a row, our friends @pilotstotherescue donated transportation to ensure the easiest possible journey for the Red Wolves (and humans) involved in this week’s transfer. We can never thank them enough! Transfers like this one help support the managed population’s genetic diversity and long-term conservation goals. Carolina, Jacques, Cane, Champ, Puck, Stormy, and Whaler are safe and sound at the @wolfconservationcenter, and you can continue to be part of their story by following WCC and checking out the habitat cams on their website. Our new residents Sabine (2506F) and Mac Tíre (2274M) are settling in in Explore the Wild. We hope you’ll visit them with a quiet “hello!” Visit our website to learn more about our work as part of the @zoos_aquariums' SAFE American Red Wolf program and @usfws' Red Wolf Recovery Program.

They’re here! Red Wolves Sabine (2506F) and Mac Tíre (2274M) have arrived from our partners at the @wolfconservationcenter and are settling into Explore the Wild. Sabine, a three-year-old female, is the granddaughter of former Museum resident Moose. She’s easily identified by the large white pattern of fur on her snout and cheeks. Mac Tíre, pronounced mok-cheer-a, is named for a common Irish phrase meaning “wolf.” We call him Mac for short, and he is blind in his left eye. Explore the Wild: Red Wolves is open to guests, but we do ask for patience and understanding as Sabine and Mac make themselves at home. Please keep that in mind as you stop by to give your quiet and respectful hellos!

Did you know alpacas have prehensile lips?! Camelids have split upper lips that can be moved independently like fingers to grab and maneuver food. This dexterity is extra helpful for pulling full leaves of tasty greens out of Animal Care Jenn's hand! 📹: Animal Care Jenn

Watching a Red Wolf pup explore the habitat is our kind of Follow Friday 🧡🐺 Until the 20th century, Red Wolves' native range historically included lands from Texas to up along much of the east coast of the United States. As a result, Red Wolves are understood to have thrived in a variety of habitats like forests, prairies, and wetlands. The habitat in Explore the Wild is ringed by a former rock quarry wall, which provides a naturalistic backdrop and vertical climbing challenge. Two hillside dens and a waterfall pool create places where the wolves can cool off and retreat. With our current Red Wolf family moving on later this month, we hope you take the time to come wish them all the best before we welcome in our new pair!

"I made this 👉👈" -Olive, probably Olive, our female crested gecko and animal program ambassador, occasionally lays unfertilized eggs as a natural and healthy part of the reproductive cycle for female geckos. Much softer and more "deflated" than a fertilized egg, these unfertilized eggs can be consumed by the gecko as a source of calcium. While we aren't expecting gecko hatchlings, it's still very cool to see!

Some whimsy for your Wednesday ✨ Experiences for all ages await you at the Museum — whimsy included! Durhamites, join us for Durham Community Days on October 8 and 20 to get FREE admission with current proof of Durham County residence. Learn more on our website.

Here's what's on at the Museum this month! 🎃 Check out our website for the details on these events and more.

Well-repped at the 2026 @zoos_aquariums Annual Conference! 🧡 This week, nine members of our team traveled to Portland, Oregon, to connect with colleagues from around the world while exploring the latest ideas in conservation, animal well-being, marketing, guest experience, and education. We’re grateful to be part of such an inspiring community, and we’re proud that the Museum is represented on several AZA committees, including Directors, Volunteer Management, Public Relations, Safety, Government Affairs, and Conference Planning. And special thank you to @oregonzoo for hosting — we had a wild time!

Collective

Collections

Account

Updates

October 2026