The Museum of Life and Science ignites curiosity and fosters a community connected to science by investing in playful learning that enriches both individuals and the world.

Located less than five miles from downtown Durham, the Museum of Life and Science is one of North Carolina’s top family destinations. Our 84-acre campus includes a two-story science center, one of the largest butterfly conservatories on the East Coast, and beautifully landscaped outdoor exhibits. Our interactive experiences include Dinosaur Trail, Ellerbe Creek Railway, Hideaway Woods, Into the Mist, Earth Moves, and Aerospace, which features one of the largest collections of Apollo-era NASA artifacts in the state. The Museum is also an AZA-accredited zoo, home to rescued black bears, lemurs, endangered Red Wolves, and more than 60 species of live animals.

Learn more about our vision and mission and our approach to learning and education.

The Museum of Life and Science is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Museum earns over 83% of our annual operating budget through membership, admission, fees, and contributions. Thank you for your patronage and support!

We are also grateful for ongoing public support from Durham County. Through this public/private partnership, the Museum will continue to serve our region and our State with distinctive and dynamic learning experiences.

Carrie Heinonen | President and CEO

Carly Apple | Vice President of Education and Engagement
Kate Booth | Chief Financial Officer
Disha Dewan | Vice President of Advancement
Roy Griffiths | Vice President for Exhibits and Planning
Betsy Hall | Vice President for Guest Experiences
Lisa Ruth | Vice President for People and Culture

Bernice Bond | Chair | State Chief Information Security Officer – North Carolina Department of Information and Technology
Lilith Anderson | Vice-Chair | Senior Manager – Strategy& – a PwC company
Karl Deonanan | Treasurer | CFO at Precision Medicine Group
Maggie Woods | Secretary | Deputy Director, North Carolina Office of Digital Opportunity

Nida Allam, Chair of the Durham Board of County Commissioners
Colby Andrews, Assoc. Director, Manufacturing Strategy & PMO for Merck
Jennings Brody, Owner, Parker and Otis
Chelsea Cook, Commissioner – Durham County
Jenny Denney, Senior Vice President, Clinical Operations – Parexel International
John Hardin, Executive Director, NC Board of Science, Technology and Innovation
Beverly Harris, Director of Finance, Duke Sanford School of Public Policy
Ian Jepson, Ag Biotech Consultant – President, Jepson Advisors LLC
Dr. Nicholas King, Deputy Superintendent for Durham Public Schools
Ann Leininger, Project Manager, AECOM
Heidi Marks, Owner, Marks Consulting, LLC
Charlie Moore, Retired – VP of Investments, Wealth Management, Merrill Lynch
Evian Patterson, Assistant Transportation Director , Durham Department of Transportation
Neely Shah, Principal Legal Counsel – SAS Institute
Christy Shaffer, Partner, Hatteras Venture Partners
Shannon Trapp, Chief of Staff – Durham County