Discovery Place Announces Name, Branding for New Nature Museum
Charlotte Museum of Nature will include otter habitat, owl aviary, and frog bog
Discovery Place has a name for its newly reimagined nature museum coming to south Charlotte: the Charlotte Museum of Nature. The new museum, slated to open in 2026, is currently under construction on the site of the original Discovery Place Nature facility at 1658 Sterling Road in the southeastern corner of the park, right on the border of the Dilworth and Myers Park neighborhoods.
Designed by Liollio Architecture and Hood Design Studio and constructed by Rodgers Builders, the new facility will include a North American River Otter habitat, an owl aviary, a frog bog, a naturalist lab and an expansive collection representing animal species native to the Piedmont.
Other features of the Charlotte Museum of Nature will include nature trails, an outdoor pavilion and open-air experiences like a treetop canopy walk. The design is intended to be more accessible and integrated with Freedom Park through the public gardens and community spaces already available to all park visitors.
The museum’s new name comes with a modern fractal tree logo symbolizing growth, interconnectedness and exploration. The rebranding by The Creative Organization with support from research firm Medalli is intended to signal the new facility’s expanded mission, recasting Charlotte Museum of Nature as a learning center and gathering place for the community, according to a Discovery Place press release.
“The new Charlotte Museum of Nature will be a treasured institution in our community and its new name underscores our deep ties to Charlotte while honoring our organization’s roots,” stated Catherine Wilson Horne, Discovery Place president and CEO, in the release. “We’re creating a museum for everyone — one that will inspire joy, wonder and understanding in the heart of our growing city.”
Built in 1951, the old facility was closed on Jan. 31, 2024, with demolition beginning in the spring. Construction on the Charlotte Museum of Nature began after groundbreaking and ceremonial tree planting in May 2024. Another celebration was held Dec. 16, 2024, to mark the placing of the last steel beam on the structure. The museum is a public-private partnership between Mecklenburg County and Discovery Place.
The new museum will offer economic accessibility through Discovery Place’s Welcome Program, under which card holders for WIC, the supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children; and EBT (Electronic benefit transfer) recipients in North and South Carolina can access all Discovery Place museums for a $3 charge that includes admission for up to five additional guests. Welcome Program participants can also purchase discounted parking at $8 per vehicle.
The unveiling of the new name and visual identity is part of several upcoming milestones leading up to the opening of Charlotte Museum of Nature in 2026, according to Wednesday’s release. For more information about the museum and updates on progress, visit its website.
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