International Civil Rights Center & Museum — Attraction in Greensboro

This review is coming from someone who has deep roots in this history, someone who doesn’t take our legacy lightly. I am an HBCU alum, educated right here in Greensboro, where the sit-in movement began. I’ve walked these streets. I’ve studied this work. I’ve supported this museum for years.

But this recent experience? Absolutely unacceptable.

I’ve now visited the International Civil Rights Center & Museum three times, and what happened on this last visit was beyond disappointing, it was disorganized, disjointed, and borderline disrespectful.

We arrived around 3:50 PM for the scheduled 4:00 PM tour. The young man at the front desk confirmed we’d be guided through. No mention of needing masks, no instructions about elevator access, no clarity on anything. He walked ahead of us so quickly my husband had to tell me to slow down. There was no consideration for pacing, tone, or hospitality, just “go sit in the theater.” That’s it.

We sat with two other patrons who were just as confused and frustrated. They’d seen two other groups go ahead while we just sat. No one followed up. No one greeted us again. We were just left.

Eventually, the first guide arrived, a Black woman named Sage. I had high hopes, but she seemed rushed and unprepared. She glossed over important exhibits, forgot details, and didn’t take time to connect to the heart of what this space represents. When I asked questions, her answers were short, incomplete, or shrugged off.

Midway through, we were told to wait again for someone else to “pick us up” and continue the tour, no explanation why. We were shuffled like an afterthought.

Then came the second guide, a white woman named Janet. And the tone immediately shifted. Her energy felt performative. She spoke to us as if the topic of civil rights needed to be simplified. We know our history. We live it. The delivery felt almost condescending, like we needed a reminder of what “colored-only” signs meant. She also contradicted herself multiple times. First, she said she’d been here since opening. Then later, when I questioned why she didn’t know about visible renovations, she said she’d taken “a few years off” and wasn’t sure what had changed.

Let’s be clear: this museum has been remodeled. I’ve seen it myself. I’ve brought students here. I’ve brought my own children here. So to be gaslit like I didn’t know what I was talking about, in front of my husband and other guests, was infuriating.

My husband walked out saying: “This right here… this is what we still deal with in real life.”

He’s right.

Because while this museum is supposed to honor the dignity and fight of our elders, the experience we had today showed the disconnect between mission and execution.

Let me also say this: I watched with my own eyes how that same front desk staff member greeted two white patrons with more enthusiasm, more engagement, and more care than he showed us. And no, I’m not imagining that. The energy was completely different. As a Black woman, I notice these things. I feel it in my gut. And it stuck with me. Especially in a place like this.

This museum should never run like it’s just trying to “get through the day.” This is sacred ground. This is our story. This is not a routine.

We didn’t come for a quick presentation. We came for the weight of what happened here, and what’s still happening today.

Instead, we were rushed, dismissed, and passed off like an obligation. The whole thing felt transactional, not transformational.

If your team is tired, say that. If you’re preparing for a gala, say that. But don’t use that as an excuse for delivering a lackluster experience to paying patrons who planned their entire day around being here. I came to be moved, not managed.

So here’s the truth: This museum still has potential to be life-changing. But the delivery, the tone, the organization, and the honor for the guests who walk through that door, it has to match the legacy.

Because that legacy? It deserves better....

The experience was phenomenal. Though other people in their reviews complained about how strict the gum policy was it was made clear to us that the reason this was is because people have left gum on pieces of the exhibits and we were more than happy to abide by the rule.

I was at the Museum as a part of our schools Diversity Alliance Club and it was an overall amazing experience

The tour was full of information and information that isn’t taught to students in schools because of the graphic nature of the content. From start to finish you are walked through the history of the civil rights movements as well as prominent figures of the movement, with a great emphasis on the A&T Four. You get the chance to see the Woolworths Diner and the counters in which they say at, which we’re beautifully preserved. From the moment you step into the diner area it is as if you have walked back in time, a truly unique experience! The other areas of the museum provide information of the struggles faced by civil rights leaders as well as the kinds of things black people had to face.

They museum covers topics such as lynchings, bombings that occurred to churches etc, the KKK and the kinds of things they would do, Emmet Till, the A&T Four, Segregation and the kinds of experiences faced by black people during segregated times, Integration of black people into white schools, Black Face, the importance of churches within the black communities, the March on Washington, a beautiful memorial, info on The Jim Crow laws, voting, and other revolutionary changes that occurred within the state of North Carolina and the significance of those victories for the black community.

The tour guide was a female who was extremely kind and truly helped us understand the material and content of which we were seeing and provided us with and overall great experience. She had us glued and eager to hear every word she said and the impact was even greater. She was kind, courteous, and respectful and again provided us with a great experience.

There is a portion at the beginning which is rather graphic in terms of the content it shows but we were told if we did not feel comfortable or felt unable to see such things that it was okay and we could move on to the next portion of the exhibit if need be. Honestly seeing the images provided us with a deeper and more personal understanding of the suffering and experiences faced by the black community, it was the content not taught in school because of how graphic it is but thanks to that portion of the exhibit what we heard about finally came full circle and gave us a better understand of the...

The International Civil Rights Center & Museum is a must-see for anyone interested in the Civil Rights Movement. It is located at the site of the historic Greensboro sit-ins, and it tells the story of the movement through interactive exhibits, films, and artifacts.

The museum is well-organized and informative, and it does a great job of explaining the complex history of the Civil Rights Movement in a way that is both engaging and educational. I was particularly impressed by the exhibit on the Greensboro sit-ins, which included a recreation of the lunch counter where the sit-ins took place. Mrs. Washington our tour guide was passionate, thorough and kept our group together and used her platform to bridge the gaps in togetherness right in the tour. I was appreciative of her companionate wise words during such an emotionally wrenching time for reflection.

The museum also has a number of interactive exhibits that allow visitors to learn about the Civil Rights Movement in a more hands-on way. For example, there is an exhibit where visitors can sit at a lunch counter and experience what it was like to be a black person in the South during the Civil Rights Movement. There is also an exhibit where visitors can learn about the different forms of nonviolent protest that were used during the movement.

They just purchased the building adjacent to them. So more expansion is in the future. Be sure to donate extra for the build out and the staff so we can keep this history out in the open. Overall, I highly recommend the International Civil Rights Center & Museum to anyone interested in learning more about the Civil Rights Movement. It is a powerful and moving experience that will stay with you long after you leave.

Here are some additional details about the museum:

It is open from 10:00am to 6:00pm, Monday through Saturday.

Admission is $20 for adults, $14 for seniors, and $14 for children ages 6-17.

The museum offers a variety of educational programs for groups and schools.

The museum is located at 134 S Elm St, Greensboro, NC 27401.

• Metered street parking...