Ackland Art Museum — Attraction in Chapel Hill

Don’t let the small size of the joint fool you into thinking this place is too small to have enough to draw you in. Allot of the art is worthy to be in ANY renown museum in the world (and several things we see have literally been in the Louvre Museum in loan). Take a leisure stroll and soak it in. If you are the type that reads EVERYTHING and pauses to really soak things in, you’ll finish everything in under two hours. If you’re like most people, you’ll blow through this place in 30 mins. I recommend it. Each area you enter has a book to pickup (return them before you leave) that identifies all the art in each section, with a little explanation of either the art, the artist, it’s origin or all of the above to build your appreciation. There’s ample sitting everywhere in front of all the art and even paper, clip boards and pencils throughout, encouraging anyone who wants to, perhaps, sketch what they see. Pictures without flash are allowed but, as with any gallery, do not touch the art. It’s all free and a nice respite...

I felt a dearth of space while visiting this museum. An "art lab" kind of area is right in the middle of a gallery, which I would imagine any activity that's going on there could well distract visitors from enjoying the art. The Africa gallery is tiny, and so is the "common space" around the information desk. There are also very few interpretive labels. Object guides are provided for more in-depth information, which I'm fine with but most people will neglect. All that being said, Ackland is still well worth visiting if you're in the area - it's free and the Asian collection is very good. You'll also discover a few big names in its galleries of...

Sure, I may be a sucker for museum stores, but trust me -- this one is well worth it. From beautiful gifts hand-crafted in North Carolina to whimsical and also hauntingly beautiful pieces imported from Japan, this shop has everything you need when you're shopping for the perfect gift. Whether you're looking for a unique decorative gift, a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry, a hand-made children's toy or an artful item for your home, the Ackland has it. Plus, it's conveniently located on Franklin street, so it's a great place to go window shop if you're looking to go for a...