Two floors. One IMAX. 540,000 guests a year. And a big idea about what childhood should feel like.

If you have lived in Raleigh for more than five minutes, you have heard of Marbles. Maybe you have a kid who went on a field trip there. Maybe you have a niece who insists on going every birthday. Maybe you took your own kids years ago and still remember the look on their faces when they first stepped onto the pirate ship.

Marbles Kids Museum is one of those rare local institutions that genuinely lives up to its reputation. And as a proud Best of Raleigh Gold Founding Partner, Marbles represents exactly the kind of business we love to celebrate: community-rooted, locally beloved, and quietly building something that makes Raleigh a better place to raise a family.

Here is the story behind one of the most impactful organizations in downtown Raleigh.

Who They Are

Marbles is North Carolina's ultimate play destination for families. Two floors of hands-on exhibits, an IMAX theater, daily programs, summer camps, and the kind of immersive special events that fill up a calendar fast.

It is also a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. That part matters. Marbles is not a chain or a franchise. It is a community-based children's museum with a clear mission: to spark imagination, discovery, and learning through play. Every dollar of admission, every membership, every donation goes back into the work of building a place where every child in Raleigh and the Triangle is welcome and celebrated.

The museum sits in the heart of downtown Raleigh in the Moore Square district at 201 East Hargett Street, serving 540,000 guests annually and ranking among the top family destinations in North Carolina.

Their Origin Story

Marbles opened its doors in 2007, but the story actually starts earlier. The museum was created through the merger of two community organizations, Exploris and Playspace, after a group of Raleigh leaders made the case that downtown needed something purpose-built for kids.

Founding CEO Sally Edwards led that vision for the first 15 years, growing Marbles from a brand-new museum into one of the top family destinations in North Carolina. In June of 2022, after a national search, Jonathan Frederick stepped in as the new President and CEO.

Jonathan came to Marbles after more than a decade leading the NC Science Festival, a flagship initiative of UNC Chapel Hill's Morehead Planetarium and Science Center. He is a career educator who has spent his life in informal learning environments, from aquariums in Tampa to North Carolina's first residential environmental education program in the state parks system.

What They Do Today

Walk through Marbles on any given Saturday and you will see why this place is worth your morning. Two floors. Dozens of exhibits. Every single one designed to put the kid in charge of what happens next.

A few of the current highlights:

• Splash | A reimagined water play exhibit with a 65-foot coastal-North-Carolina-inspired water table, 19 special features, a yellow science submarine, and a three-story pirate ship
• imagiFAB | A STEAM space where kids build, invent, and animate
• Around Town | A kid-sized version of a real community where children can drive a fire truck, run a pet store, or report from a weather station
• Power2Play | A fitness-focused exhibit with a kid-sized hockey rink, basketball court, and healthy kitchen
• Kid Grid | A long-running electrification exhibit, sponsored by ABB since 2014
• Moneypalooza | Financial literacy through play, featuring an oversized piggy bank, a kid-run pet care shop, and a lemonade-stand entrepreneur experience
• Under the Waves | A sensory-friendly exhibit with limited sound exposure, designed for kids who need a calmer space

And the campus is more than just exhibits. The on-site IMAX theater is Raleigh's only certified giant screen movie experience and the only 3D-capable giant screen in North Carolina. The 70-foot screen and 300-seat theater showcase educational documentaries and Hollywood blockbusters alike.

Outside the museum, the courtyard has been transformed into the Marbles Playway, a 44,400 square foot universally-accessible outdoor play space, free and open to the public. The Playway won the 2025 Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Community Appearance and a 2025 Downtown Raleigh Alliance Imprint Award. In 2025, Marbles was also voted Raleigh's Best Family Attraction.

Hungry kids? The award-winning Bean Sprouts Café serves whimsical, healthy food kids actually want to eat, plus sandwiches, soup, and pizza for grown-ups. And the Marbles PlayStore (open without museum admission) is one of the best toy shops in downtown Raleigh.

More Than a Museum

One of the things that makes Marbles different is how the team thinks about access. This is not just a destination for families who can afford a day out. It is a community resource.

• Free Foster Family Memberships launched in March 2026 in partnership with Blue Cross NC and Wake County Social Services. Licensed foster families in Wake County now receive free year-round access to the museum, IMAX, and member events.
• Sensory-Friendly Playtime events take place quarterly. These free, after-hours experiences are designed exclusively for kids with sensory sensitivities, with reduced noise, dimmed lighting, and a "Lights Up, Sounds Down" IMAX showing. Marbles received KultureCity certification for sensory-inclusive programming in May 2025.
• Marbles Family Field Day is a free annual outdoor festival at Moore Square. Classic field day games, a try-athlon, and music for everyone.
• Toddlers Hollow story times happen every Tuesday at 11 AM, included with admission.
• Ready, Set, School | A free school readiness program for pre-kindergarten children who have not attended formal preschool, run in partnership with the Wake County School System.

This is the kind of work that does not always make the press release, but it is the work that defines who Marbles is.

Looking Ahead: Futuropolis and the Largest Expansion in Marbles History

In April of 2026, Marbles broke ground on the largest expansion project in its history. A nearly $6 million build that will reshape the museum and add three major new spaces. Wake County is contributing the largest portion. The remaining funds were raised through an 18-month capital campaign powered by the Raleigh community.

Coming late 2026:

• Futuropolis (presented by The Conlon Family) | A 2,895 square foot immersive city-of-the-future exhibit that will let kids explore careers in construction, transportation, and manufacturing. The ManuFactory section, sponsored by Novo Nordisk, will include a real GoFA collaborative robot donated by ABB. This is hands-on career exploration through play, and it is unlike anything else in the region.
• Marbles Skyway (presented by North State Bank) | A whimsical rooftop courtyard featuring a kid-sized racetrack, supported by The Barnhill Family.
• Think Tank (presented by First Citizens Bank) | A multipurpose classroom that will expand capacity for educational programs, field trips, and camps.

Plus a Blount Street facade beautification project, new family restrooms, and a refresh of the museum's interior flow.

The museum will stay open during construction. And the grand opening of Futuropolis later this year is going to be one of the biggest moments in downtown Raleigh's 2026 calendar.

Why Raleigh

Marbles is downtown Raleigh. The two have grown up together. The museum opened in 2007 just as the Moore Square district was beginning its transformation, and Marbles has been part of that momentum every year since.

It is also a partner. Marbles works with Wake County Public Library, PBS North Carolina, the City of Raleigh, Wake County Social Services, and dozens of local nonprofits and businesses to bring play and learning into every corner of our community. The campus serves families across every economic and cultural background in the Triangle.

And when you walk through downtown Raleigh on a Saturday morning and you see a stream of strollers and small kids in superhero capes pointing at the bright blue Marbles building, you understand exactly why this place matters.

Plan Your Visit

Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 AM to 5 PM. Thursdays open until 7 PM. Closed Mondays. Member early entry from 9 to 10 AM.

Admission: Starts at $9. Children under one are free. Members are always free. Save $3 on museum admission when tickets are purchased in advance online.

Address: 201 East Hargett Street, Raleigh, NC 27601

Private events: Marbles' vibrant spaces are perfect for weddings, galas, holiday parties, corporate meetings, and everything in between. Reach out for rental options.

Ready to experience Marbles Kids Museum for yourself?

Visit them at 201 East Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh, or book your tickets online at marbleskidsmuseum.org.

Follow along on Instagram @marblesraleigh for upcoming events, exhibits, and IMAX showtimes.

Marbles Kids Museum is a proud Best of Raleigh Gold Founding Partner. Follow @thebestofraleigh for more spotlights on the people, places, and businesses building this city's next chapter.