Mint Museum

The Mint Museum, located in Charlotte, North Carolina, stands today as one of the region’s leading cultural institutions, yet its story is deeply tied to the layered history of the land on which it rests. The museum acknowledges that its two sites, Mint Museum Randolph and Mint Museum Uptown, are situated on the ancestral homelands of the Catawba, Cheraw, Sugaree, Waxhaw, and other Indigenous peoples who lived, traded, and gathered in the area long before the city was established. It also recognizes the unpaid and often invisible labor of enslaved African peoples who contributed to the construction and development of its historic Randolph building. These acknowledgments form an essential part of the museum’s ongoing reflection on its place in history and its responsibility to the communities it serves.

Founded in 1936, the Mint Museum Randolph opened in what had been the first branch of the U.S. Mint, giving the institution both its name and a direct connection to Charlotte’s 19th-century past. Today, the Randolph location houses expansive collections, including American art, historic costumes, and decorative arts. In 2010, the museum expanded into the vibrant center of the city with Mint Museum Uptown, a striking contemporary building that offers dynamic exhibition space for modern and contemporary works, craft, and design.

The Mint Museum has earned a reputation for its dedication to education, inclusion, and accessibility. Its programming—ranging from school partnerships and community workshops to scholarly lectures and large-scale exhibitions—encourages dialogue across cultures and disciplines. With over 36,000 objects in its permanent collection, the museum offers visitors the opportunity to explore artistic traditions from around the world while engaging with pressing social and cultural questions.

As it continues to grow, the Mint Museum remains committed to honoring the legacies of the past while fostering creativity, conversation, and connection in the present.