Tryon Palace opens a new exhibit on Saturday, March 6.   “A Lasting Monument: Creating North Carolina’s First Permanent Capitol, will be presented in the Duffy Gallery of the North Carolina History Center.  The exhibit celebrates 250 years of Governor Tryon’s Palace, from 1770 to 2020.  One of North Carolina’s most beautiful historic landmarks, the story of this elegant Georgian-style structure reveals a complex, multi-faceted journey through North Carolina’s history beginning in Colonial America as the Royal Governor’s residence and administrative building, and triumphing over tragedy through decades of American change, destruction and perseverance.  The exhibit explores the process of establishing a permanent capitol in North Carolina, its short lifespan, and its resurrection into the legacy it is today.

“A Lasting Monument: Creating North Carolina’s First Permanent Capitol,” can be enjoyed Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and  noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays in the Duffy Gallery.   Exhibit dates are from March 6 through Jan. 16, 2022.  Entry to this special exhibit is included with purchase of a One Day Pass or Galleries Pass.  The Duffy Gallery, named for Minnette Chapman Duffy, is located inside the North Carolina History Center at 529 S. Front St., New Bern

On Monday, March 8, a second new exhibit will open at the North Carolina History Center.  Tryon Palace is honored to be one of the chosen sites for presenting the traveling exhibit, “Navigating Jim Crow: The Green Book and Oasis Spaces in North Carolina.”  The Negro Motorist Green Book, published between 1936 and 1966, was both a guide and a tool of resistance designed to confront the realities of racial discrimination in the United States and beyond. This special exhibit will be available from March 8, to May 2, 2021.  It will be shown in Mattocks Hall and is free to the public for viewing.

Additionally, in celebration of Women’s History Month in March, please take some time to visit the special exhibit in our Gateway Gallery, “Notable Women of New Bern.”  This exhibit recognizes more than two dozen women who made significant contributions to the community and North Carolina’s history and created a stronger voice for women everywhere.  One was Charlotte Rhone, who was not only the first black registered nurse in North Carolina but was also a co-owner and operator of the Rhone Hotel, an oasis space for African American travelers listed in the Green Book.

We are excited to finally be opening new exhibits again.  All three exhibits cover information and stories that are very relevant to the New Bern community and our state history. 

Additional information can be found at www.tryonpalace.org or by calling 1-800-767-1560.

About Tryon Palace

Tryon Palace, located in New Bern, NC, is part of the Office of Archives and History, an agency of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Tryon Palace is one of North Carolina's most significant historic sites. It is the home of the Governor's Palace, North Carolina's first colonial and first state capitol, and includes historic buildings, gardens, and the North Carolina History Center, which revolutionizes the visitor experience through use of the latest interactive technology. The History Center includes galleries, a performance hall, the museum store, and a waterfront café. Tryon Palace's mission is to engage present and future generations in the history of North Carolina from early settlement in 1710, through the development of statehood, and into the mid-twentieth century. It is dedicated to collecting, interpreting, and preserving objects, buildings, landscapes, and events that enrich understanding of the making of our state and nation.

Tickets and visitor information are available at the Tryon Palace Waystation, located at the corner of George Street and Pollock Street in New Bern. For directions and further information about special events, programs or group tours, employment and more, visit our web site: www.tryonpalace.org or phone (800) 767-1560 or (252) 639-3500.