Out of the nearly 300 museums in North Carolina, the best, according to Condé Nast Traveler, is Uptown's Levine Museum of the New South. For more than 30 years, the museum has told the story of Charlotte's growing population, development, and all things "New South."

"The New South period for historians is right after Reconstruction," said Keri Petersen, Senior Director of History and Exhibitions.

Museum guests will notice one main exhibition, "Charlotte: Moving Forward, Looking Back." The exhibition shines a light on the settlement of the Queen City, telling the stories of people, places, and events that built Charlotte and provokes the question: where are we headed?

"Charlotte Moving Forward Looking Back" features photographs, artifacts, and interactive media to paint the picture of Charlotte's growth. | Photo by CLTtoday

"It's a thematic experience of Charlotte history," explained Petersen. "The experience also addresses systemic inequalities that have gone throughout our past and we don't want to repeat those, so we've got to take the time to look back."

While the 3,000 sqft space could be considered "small," the impact is mighty.

"What we want people to come away with is that if we really want to move forward together as the city we are now, all the different kinds of people that we have here, all the different kinds of businesses... if we really want to move forward together in a productive way where all of us can benefit from what Charlotte has to offer, then we've got to look back and understand the choices that were made."

The museum at 401 S. Tryon St. welcomes guests for free Tuesdays-Sundays and hosts community activation and events year-round.

Fun fact: The museum launched season 2 of its podcast, offering a digital approach to learning the history of the New South.