Mint Museum Uptown — Attraction in Charlotte

Just want to share a very disappointing recent experience at the Uptown location. If you are thinking of planning an event at the museum, think again. The events manager Laura Hale, was so beyond disrespectful to my wife and I during the entire experience. We first saw on their website where you can 'rent the mint' and thought it would be perfect for our elopement ceremony, as it was the location of our first date and was special to us as a couple. The Galleries on levels 3+4 that were listed as rentable online seemed perfect. So we contacted Laura to start the process. She informed us that the galleries listed online weren't actually available to us (with no explanation why). We then asked about the availability of some of the other spaces listed. Laura informed us that she personally didn't feel that those were 'within our reach' or a 'good fit for us'. We never once gave Laura a budget of any kind, it was our wedding and yes we were ready to splurge a bit obviously. She gave us no options to rent anything basically telling us we weren't welcome there. We were so disappointed as we had really been excited about renting one of the spaces, and didn't understand why were weren't able to. Instead we found on their website where you could fill out a form and get approval for photoshoots in the Mint. If we couldnt elope there some photos would be nice to have. So we filled out the form, got in contact with another representative at the Mint, who was very kind and respectful. We picked our date for our photoshoot and were approved, and i followed all instructions i was given. On the day of our wedding we arrive at the Mint and I share the form and correspondence with the front desk, they have no idea whats happening, the woman i was in contact with was not there, and theres event furniture being moved in everywhere (when we were told 4 weeks out there would be no events that day). We proceed with our photoshoot as we had secured approval to do so. And who shows up but Laure Hale. We could hear her talking about us spitefully 'i have NO idea whats going on over there' in reference to us, and sends security over to us to ask us to leave. I show security the approved form (again we are in full wedding attire it is our wedding day) and she looks over it, goes back to Laura, Laura demands a copy of the email correspondence, so she takes my phone again and spends 10 minutes emailing the approved form to Laura. Meanwhile berating our choice of honeymoon destination after asking us, telling us 'we should go somewhere better'. All around it was rude, disrespectful and unprofessional, we are still completely baffled as to why we were treated like that. Its put a huge damper on a place that was very...

The exhibits, rotating and permanent, are beautiful and worth checking out. And the space itself is beautiful. Love the building architecture inside and out. All 3 stars go to those factors.

I’ve been in the building as a paying customer in the past (met with sarcasm and general unwelcoming moods from the front desk) and most recently to request using the restroom while waiting for a neighboring restaurant in the same building to open 30 minutes later. Ironically and coincidentally, a wedding reception was happening / about to happen in the museum and I was dressed in wedding attire from a separate wedding that happened earlier in the day. I asked for the nearest restroom and was asked if I was attending the wedding reception (building was practically empty so I assumed it hadn’t yet started). Of course, I could have fibbed and said I was in the wedding - I looked the part - but I decided to be truthful and told them I was waiting for the restaurant to open. I was met with “well you will just have to wait to use their restroom, sorry”. Now keep in mind, I had asked for the nearest restroom, not necessarily to use the Museum’s bathroom (although I had hoped they would let me do that). Instead of offering me another solution, like trying a business or cafe that they knew was open across the street, both front desk attendants made no attempt to accommodate me whatsoever. So at that point, I re-emphasized that the restaurant hadn’t opened yet and that if I could use the Museum restroom I would be in and out. They weren’t willing to budge so I just smiled and left.

Now I respect that they don’t offer their bathroom to just anyone… that’s their choice. It’s important to them that if you don’t fund their business today, even if you have in the past or plan to in the future, no bathroom for you. But I don’t have to like it. And they don’t have to like the fact I’m leaving them a negative review and will think twice before taking my family to the museum, but they have to respect it. So if you’re looking for some amazing art exhibits with subpar customer service, Mint Museum Uptown is your place to go. As for me, I’ll instead recommend places that care more about their lifetime customer value than a single trip to...

You know I used to think super highly of this place, always loved coming here because of how "nice" everyone is. If there was a lower rating you've certainly earned it. Today I brought a friend up there with me that is struggling to recover from her addictions and severe trauma she experienced when she was younger. Someone I went to school with and I am helping through a sponsor. Today was the first time she ever stepped foot into an art museum, and the first time she's been in public in a couple years because she's well aware of how her complexion/demeanour has changed. She was super excited because art is one of the things helping her the most right now.. One staff member referred to her as a zombie as she walked to the restroom. While other staff, and pedestrians noticeably stared and talked about her with in hearing distance. She's on the verge of mental breakdown as we're leaving, and we go to the gift shop where I said she can get whatever she wants in attempts to cheer her up. Immediately upon entering the store she's looked at with disgust and bird dogged like someone trying to commit petty theft. Then the moment she chooses what she wanted ALL the staff members of the gift shop stated they were closing early and to have a nice day (demeaningly told to leave). So we do. This is at about 5:20. I'm now sitting in my vehicle do everything I can to convince a person thats barely hanging by a thread that there's nothing wrong with them. All while staff members laugh and mocked as she exited the building. 5:40 comes around, I can STILL see individuals in the gift shop purchasing items. I go back in to get what she wanted and all of a sudden, you're not closing, there still time to sell stuff to people you find "perfect" enough I guess? I genuinely hope none of you reproduce and pass your disgusting values off to...