Mint Museum Randolph

We came here as one of our stops on a day trip to Charlotte. There was plenty of parking. We purchased a membership when we were there as it was a money saver after the second time we go. There was quite a variety of exhibits, and it's an easy walk through. You can take as much or as little time as you want to enjoy this museum. Highly recommend!

My husband and I got married at the Mint Museum on Randolph on May 10, 2025 and had a great experience! We were looking for a laid back, elegant venue to get married and this was the perfect place! Our wedding was totally outdoors, on the front terrace and front lawn and turned out more beautiful than I had imagined! Alison was great to work with and always provided us with the information we needed in a timely manner. The event ran smoothly and we had the best time! Would highly recommend touring if you’re engaged and looking for venues! -all photos were taken by The Nelsons Photo

I absolutely love the mint museum. They switch up their artwork periodically. Also, there are free visits periodically. Over the summer, they offer free picnics with live music. Great asset to our city.

Overall a nice museum. Nothing overly exciting to see. Lots of pottery if that is your thing. Disappointed there was not more about the actual mint.

I visited the museum on a Sunday afternoon after lunch. It was a decent sized museum that would be suitable for a single visit. However, there wasn’t much to see.

I attended wild Wednesday with my children on 6/25/25, expecting a safe, inclusive experience like any parent would. Instead, I was racially profiled and followed around by a staff member who is darker than me. I was approached/questioned/treated in a way that was clearly different from how others were being treated, and the only thing that set me apart was the color of my skin. This experience was not only upsetting for me but confusing and heartbreaking for my children to witness. What was supposed to be a fun, positive family outing turned into a moment that reminded us how far we still have to go when it comes to equality and basic respect. Events for children should reflect the values of inclusion, fairness, and kindness. I hope the organizers and staff take this seriously and provide anti-bias training to prevent this from happening to anyone else. No family should be made to feel like they don’t belong.

Loved it! This museum had lots to offer. There was a section on skateboard art, which we have never seen before. Also three rooms on shoes which was very cool. They had many different exhibits from all over the world during a large time range. Plan to spend several hours here. Each ticket is good for both Mint Museums in Charlotte also!

An incredible museum. The skateboard and Puerto Rico Christian displays were particularly amazing. Highly recommend!

I really wanted to go to the Mint Museum in Uptown, but my friends decided on this one, so maybe that's why I was a bit underwhelmed by this museum. This museum is free on Wednesday nights and parking was free. The exhibits were fine, but I didn't really like how the rooms flowed together. Found myself wandering and back tracking a lot. Nothing spoke to me, but I'm truly a novice so I'm trying to learn more. Wasn't bad or anything, my friends who are artist seemed to love it, so take what I say with a grain of salt. Lol I hear that the Randolph location focus more on older European art while the Uptown location has more contemporary, modern art, so that would be more my speed than this one was.

Though I enjoyed the Mint Museum Uptown more, this one was also a great museum. The collection is not as big as the art collection at the museum in my hometown, but the different displays were nicely displayed. Lots of great pieces and well worth a visit. The grounds are also beautiful; all the greenery and the great lawn makes it a very relaxed and peaceful place to visit.

Excellent what an interesting and well curated museum. It used to be the US mint! Stop here its a must

This is a lovely, eclectic museum easily located in Charlotte. We came during the week, so there was plenty of parking available and it was nice to not be crowded while visiting. The grounds outside were gorgeous, even at the tail end of winter/beginning of spring. Little roundabout with a fountain allows cars to drop off/pick. up passengers. There is a ramp to the side to allow access to the front doors for those in wheelchairs, etc. We were greeted warmly by the young lady at the front desk. We paid admission and were given small reusable plastic tags to wear on our shirts to show security we had paid. We started off on the ground floor which had a circular path, starting off with history of the Mint Museum and samples of what we would see on the upper floors. We truly enjoyed the Art of the Ancient Americas exhibit the most. They had the standard pieces you'd expect, but they also had some of the most exquisite items I had never seen before and, frankly, never realized the outstanding artistry of the area. That alone was worth the admission price. All in all, it was a lovely museum, but I do have one major complaint. The lack of seating. There were so many wonderful rooms with many pieces of art that I would have loved to have sat and marveled at, but very few rooms had benches. It was technically handicapped accessible, but mainly for those in wheelchairs. Anyone with a cane or walker, would have had a difficult time.

The more suburban location of the Mint Museum is probably a bit smaller than the downtown one. It was an actual mint at one point, it seems. The collection was nonetheless impressive. While I visited on a free preview weekend, they tried to charge me here, but fortunately I got my free ticket online for the downtown museum, which they honored here. Tickets to one Mint location are good for both for two days, which is a big plus. This collection was more historical and global whereas the downtown one felt more contemporary and regional to me. The variety between galleries was quite wide. They told me that I couldn't carry even my small bag, but lockers were available for free so no big deal for me.

The museum and grounds are a real treasure - these are both a "must visit". The setting of the museum in the grounds is beautiful and provides both indoor (art, artifacts) and outdoor (walks/paths) delights. This combination is a real winner for families and groups with varied interests. We (8 year and myself) spent a few hours sketching inside the museum (only pencils and paper allowed inside the exhibitions). The folks at the museum were friendly and really added to our adventure with pieces of information and encouragement. Apart from the permanent collection, which is great, we enjoyed the two exhibitions, Shinichi Sawada: Agents of Clay and Objects of Affection - Jewelry by Robert Ebendorf. This will be a permanent "go to" place when in Charlotte

If you're looking for something to do this summer and can't quite choose one thing, then #trythischarlotte The #randolphmintmuseum is part park where you can go for a stroll; part art-Americana and history museum; and for #numismatics it is a treasure trove of artifacts from the #queencity and her influential past in the #usmint and current position as #financecenter It's a great place to spend a #summerafternoon rain or shine. So, get your #charlottenc education on, especially during this beautiful weather!

As a Charlotte native I've been to this museum countless times as a child on field trips, but it definitely hits different as an adult when you can actually appreciate the art in front of you. I had the pleasure to attend a special ticketed event showcasing NC wines and chefs. It was truly an amazing experience and so much fun. Each winery had a special dish paired with their wines and everything married so well. And while sipping, got to walk around the museum exploring the exhibits. Whether you go just for a regular visit or for a special event, I think anyone will enjoy this beautiful museum.

I used to frequent this museum often in my 20's and 30's (mostly 30's?), thanks to many of its interesting events...both inside the museum, as well as right outside on their expansive yard. However, for some reason, I rarely visit this museum now. Think the last time I visited was because of some fashion designer display several years ago...and again, my latest visit (today) was due to a fashion icon, Anna Sui! (Thanks again for the suggestion, Ellen!) There was a $15 entry fee...and though fairly small (3 rooms filled with fashion, as well as a ton of accessories (hats, jewelry, boots, sunglasses, perfume, you name it!), Anna Sui exhibits were truly worth seeing. As an iconic Queen of prints and patterns, her exhibit was truly colorific! I think I almost forgot how this artist branched into just about everything surrounding fashion. Truly an amazing success story. I also realized once over how UN-Asian her designs are on the most part (if not all?). I would describe her style as vintage chic...classic, culturally influenced styles, with some hipster, modern influences (much of it from musical influences)? ANYWAY, if you see her exhibits, you'll see just how eclectic her vintage-hipster styles really are! Think I'm a bigger fan now than I've ever been before. On this particular day, I wasn't too thrilled with the rest of the exhibits...as majority of the displays were pottery and ceramics (impressive, but just not what I'm into). Guess I prefer paintings...or more exciting, modern works or art. Anyway, it was truly a quiet day. Think my friend and I were mostly on our own on the most part (aside from the ever-present guards!). Think there were less than 6 people in the entire museum! One thing I truly love about this museum is its gift shop...with a ton of cute things...but one thing I absolutely do NOT love is the fact that there's not even a tea or coffee stand. It amazes me that a place like this doesn't come with at least a coffee/dessert cafe. No matter, I'm just glad this museum is still here...in business. I hope to return more often in the future. I hope they continue to add many more exciting fashion exhibits in the future...and also hope that they consider installing a coffee/dessert bar (if the business picks up, I guess?).

3*=A OK We visited the last Sunday of the month where its supposed to be a Block Party vibe. There were a couple of food trucks and a small bar. There was also a small band playing. I wish there was seating available or a better description on the website suggesting to bring lawn chairs. I can tell people that come before knew to bring chairs or blankets. Umbrellas would be nice. To be in shade, you are far from the music because the band was positioned at the front door. We decided to take advantage of the inside air and walk around. There is not much to see on the 1st floor. We followed the directions given at the front desk, and I felt like we were walking opposite from everyone else. There were more interesting exhibits upstairs. I was suprised to see an updated Black Culture exhibit. I enjoyed that the most. I would come to a block party again knowing to be prepared to bring my own chair and umbrella to enjoy what's being offered outside.

I stopped here on a road trip making my way through Charlotte after realizing that my ticket for Mint Uptown also allowed me access to Mint Randolph. Because I hadn't researched it prior, I had no idea what to expect going in. In general, I don't particularly love art that was done prior to the 15th century, just because I personally value either the technicality of high-quality paintings and drawings or the intensive thought process behind most contemporary art. That being said, a large percentage of this museums collection is of "old" art from all over the world. If you are into that, this is a great museum for it! Even though it's not my favorite genera of art, I still found several pieces compelling. One of the compelling things I found about this museum was the juxtaposition of the "old" and "new". The curators of the exhibitions did a great job having modern day artist next to work done by the people group/nation centuries ago that caused the viewer to think about the older work in a new light. My favorite part of the museum were the more modern pieces, particularly the fiber art. They had a great selection! I think it is really great that you can purchase access to one museum and get access to both over the next couple days. I don't know if I've ever been to a museum that does that, so I thought that was really awesome. Overall, I definitely recommend. I had a great experience!

I love the Mint! It's our go to date night as it's free wednesdays after 5pm, at both locations. I like the chill vibe at the Randolph location. There's plenty of free parking too. We went for the African fashion exhibit. As a Nigerian American and lover all ankara fabric, I had to see this exhibit. It did not disappoint. It featured tons of gorgeous ankara fabric, dress, shoes and accessories. My favorite thing, that was unexpected was the stories and wonderful photos from Africa. They featured designers and producers of the goods. There's also quite a bit about the history of the fabric, textile and fashion industry. As well as the evolution of the fabric and brands regarding production. As someone who owns 100+ pieces of Ankara fabric and creates garments, it was such a joy to see our fabric and history represented at the Mint. I smiled the entire time. I even noticed a few pieces of fabric that I own on display. Wonderful exhibit!

I attended the beautiful exhibition opening of "The World of Anna Sui" at the Randolph Mint Museum. Admission to the museum was free for the weekend due to the exhibition's opening that day. The museum did a wonderful job accommodating space for this exhibit which was beautifully displayed on the 2nd floor. My group arrived promptly at 11AM and were able to run into the designer Anna Sui herself walking through her exhibit! She gave us a personable tour, walking us through different looks, eras, and iconic moments throughout her career. It was so cool! We even had time for pictures and one-on-one questions at the end. The museum also coordinated an artist talk later that afternoon in their auditorium that ran smoothly and was very informational. Everyone honored the mask mandate so felt very safe in the crowded space during the hour long discussion. They presented Anna Sui with a beautiful and thoughtful gift which was very touching. They also had a surprise for the guests of the evening, 50 autographed copies of her Exhibit book for sale in the book store! I thankfully was able to snag one and a few cosmetics after the talk. I am fully impressed by the work of the Mint Museum Randolph and excitedly look forward to more of their events in the future!

While I've visited the Mint Museum downtown in Charlotte many years ago, I had never before had the chance to check out the Randolph location. In fact I wasn't even really aware an alternate location existed. What a great idea to take an old culturally and historically significant building no longer needed for its original purpose and turn it into a museum. The significant square footage here offers space for several individual permanent exhibits and temporary/traveling ones. When I visited these spanned ceramics from Europe, arts and crafts from Africa and Ancient Americas and a striking basalt sculpture installation among others. It's $15 for adults, or $10 for students with an ID. I went with my college student cousin and used a free pass from a friend for my own fee - making the visit especially worth it. Staff was friendly and helpful and gave suggestions on where to start. There appear to be regular guided tours with groups available too. The gift shop is extensive, if that's your thing, but pricey as one can expect. The exhibits aside, the building itself is a great look at government architecture of a different era. Even if you wanted to stop by and hang out on the massive green lawn in front of the building you could park in their lot. You'd find a peaceful day reading a book or picnicking in the grass here.

Okay, so the Mint Museum Randolph is not as beautiful as the Mint Museum Uptown. Regardless it is still well-worth a visit. And it is included in the price of your ticket to the Mint Museum Randolph. I found plenty to enjoy at the Mint Museum Randolph, though I did spend less time there than at the other. And it is located in a very pleasant park-like area, making it a good place to take a break from the hustle of downtown Charlotte. I truly enjoyed my visit.

Cool space, about an hour to see the entire museum and there is a quiet expansive park to stop through afterwards. Came when there was a great children's exhibit in the illustrations of Tony Terlizzi never abandon imagination and it was great for both adults and kids. Easy free parking in front

The Good: This is my second time here. There are well displayed items with fair description of each. I took an out of town guest here because there is usually a good bit to see. Note: You won't learn anything new here, or be impressed one way or the other, but the facilities are clean, well lit, streamlined and the space is gorgeous. Parking is plentiful and the staff is extremely courteous and pleasant. The Bad: Rather than a suggested donation, there is an entry fee which also included entrance to their other location. Valid for the next day only. We were unable to use it because we had plans the day, so of course it was wasted. We also had the misfortune of coming on a day where the place was being rented for a prom, so several sections were off limits to us. Still we were charged the full price and not allowed access to all the displays. The Ugly: There were so many displays that weren't finished, or not up. Naked, half assembled mannequins like a mannequin graveyard. Empty shelves and bare display cases made up about 20% of the exhibits on the day we went in May. Yet we were charged a full price. This is not a fair business practice.

The Central and South American collections and the African collection are the strengths of this museum. I could look at the Central American vases and other pottery for hours because, although the parking lot outside is deceivingly large, it's surprisingly easy to find yourself as one of only a few visitors rambling through this former mint.

Over a weekend in Charlotte with family, we visited the Mint Museum Randolph and the Mint Museum Uptown (if you pay for admission to one, you have free admission to the other the same day or the next day). The museum is inside the original branch of the United States Mint and became North Carolina's first art museum when it opened in 1936. The Mint Museum Randolph houses the Mint Museum's collections of European Art, Art of the Ancient Americas, Native American Art, and more. The Mint Museum Uptown has more of the contemporary art, while the Mint Museum Randolph has collections of older art and international-focused collections. The museum was fine, but it felt dated. And the collections were fairly standard and very small. Between the two, I definitely preferred our visit to the Mint Museum Uptown. However, if you're interested in European decorative arts, you'd really like this museum's collection. We didn't spend much time here, and it wasn't our favorite stop over the weekend.

How can I write a review for a museum that is in two places? When one visits either Mint ($12 adults, $9 seniors and students) one gets a ticket good at both venues for the same day OR the next day. I visited Randolph first and Uptown the next day. But, I doubt many people use their ticket to visit both. If the two parts were united in one large museum, it would definitely get at least four stars, but... The Randolph building is interesting historically because it was literally the US Mint before the Civil War. Then, the building was used for other purposes until it was dismantled and moved in 1933 to this delightful site next to a park (great spot for outdoor sculpture - but not used for that). Inside is a potpourri of art: pre-Columbian, Spanish colonial art, Modern Mexican masks, arts of Africa, European and Chinese porcelain and ceramics, European paintings (NOT modern), American decorative arts and pottery. On the ground floor is material related to the history of this building and gold coins minted here. They have some galleries for special exhibitions like Oscar De La Renta (up now). Bottom line: if you have the time and love art go to both parts of the Mint Museum. An added bonus in Randolph is lots of free parking (good luck parking "uptown").

This museum is ok...It differs vastly from the Mint Uptown in that is is more historical and artifactual whereas the Uptown location houses the contemporary stuff. The campus that it is located on is huge and gorgeous. People were out playing games and having picnics on the grounds, which I thought was cool. It also has its own parking lot. Staff was nice, but I just didn't find this museum very thrilling. Perhaps just not my taste in art for the exhibits so can't give a low rating based on that :-) The exhibits are cool to see, but I cannot say that I would go here again. Still, it is definitely worth exploring at least once.

The Mint Museum has plenty of parking available and an awesome park. We love to come here and let our dog run around, and we always see others here doing the same thing. It is free to park at the museum, and the ample park is perfect for a picnic, drinking a cup of coffee, or just walking around. The county is currently in the process of putting in the Briar Creek Greenway which will run inside the park. There is a cute bridge over a stream along the Greenway. This is an awesome place to bring your dogs or children to run around and get some energy out! Highly recommend!

A nice museum on beautiful grounds. Good site for weddings and they do have them frequently, with the receptions on the wide and deep entrance patio. As the name implies, it used to be a US Mint. A popular place with rotating, interesting exhibits. Very nice gift shop. Docents have a schedule of tours. Fashion is a big exhibit area and although I have little interest in fashion I found the exhibits interesting and my wife did really like them. My only regret is that it is small in size. However, the downtown (they call downtown Uptown) location can be visited on the same ticket on the same day of purchase. The Uptown Mint is much larger and has many more exhibits to see. Worth a trip to see both.

We visited the museum today and liked it. In particular, the temporary (photography) exhibit - "Bearing Witness" - was superb. I'm very familiar with the photos and I've met two of the photographers (who are in their 90's) - but regardless; the exhibit was a real highlight, and it also included a short portion of a wonderful documentary. The rest of the museum had some interesting items, and I particularly liked some of the ancient statuary & the costumes. Note that admission to one of the Mint Museums gives you free admission to the other one. Also note that AAA members get a $2 discount - but if you're with someone else who also has an AAA membership (such as a couple, whereby you have a family membership), be sure to pay for separate admissions. When we showed my husband's AAA card, it turned out that we were only given one discounted admission - so then we had to get a refund & get two separate discounts (i.e., by also showing my AAA card). It also turns out that tax is charged on museum admission (we were told that's a recent development) and therefore the AAA discount essentially just covered the tax. The woman at the ticket desk and the woman in the gift shop were both very friendly.

Just the right size with a wonderful variety of art from Africa, Asia, South America, Europe along with some North American Art. A quiet and lovely place to spend a few hours. My only suggestion is the lighting. I don't know if it's a lightbulb issue or a redirecting of the lights issue but when you sit on the benches in front of big pieces the glare obstructs the view. (The bench view in front of Queen Charlotte and King George is too glare-y to see either portrait.)

Came here a few times when living in Charlotte and had a decent time. The grounds on which the Mint lies are gorgeous and you'll oft see couples picnicking, Queens residents running their gorgeous dogs, the occasional engagement shoot, or jaunty passersby. The exhibits themselves aren't the most gripping, but they are rather fascinating. The occasions that I've visited, there were several exhibits of ancient pottery and china, old dresses from the Victorian/Elizabethan era, and many old English nicknacks. All well and good and fun to appreciate the craft. It's a pretty sleepy museum. Not as over-traversed as some others you may have been to and you feel well-removed from the hustle and bustle of Uptown. We recently visited yet again for a wedding reception held here. The Mint makes one hell of an event space, in my opinion. It's fun to be amongst all of the art and items behind glass while eating a wedding meal with friends. I dig the Mint on Randolph. May not be the most riveting spot in town, but worth the visit for sure.

I woke up Saturday with every intention of spending the day cleaning my house, but on my morning perusal of twitter I discovered that it was Museum Day and that, for exactly no dollars, I could go enjoy the Mint Museum of Art, which I had been meaning to go to anyway in order to prove to myself that I am not an cultural heathen. It is perhaps not the best compliment that I could give the Mint Museum but I am glad I skimped on my bathroom scrubbing to take advantage of this opportunity. Instead being heavy on the european painting like many museums, though they do have some of that, the Mint dedicates a large portion of its gallery to native peoples of the Americas and their traditional art. The accompanying plaques give enough context to give you an appreciation for the exhibits without becoming overwhelming. Even the space itself lacked the stodgy feeling that would not be unheard of in an art museum. The museum has an interesting gallery dedicated to fashion which currently houses an exhibit on haute couture. They are also hosting an exhibit on the history of platform shoes which added a punch of whimsy between the Central American weaving display and the Chinese court robes. The top floor is largely dedicated to pottery, and I imagine that if that were your thing it would have been very interesting, but it's not really my thing. To top it off, the museum grounds are lovely and the staff I spoke to while "buying" my ticket were knowledgeable and friendly. They do close at 5 on Saturday which is a shame since I feel like I rushed through some of the displays. I suppose I'll just have to return, perhaps after visiting their newly opening uptown location, since admission at one museum affords you admission to the other within 2 days.

My friend LB and I wandered into the Mint Museum Randolph in pursuit of the Platform Shoe Exhibit which we had been seeing signs for all over town. But, I assumed that it was at the Mint Museum Uptown so we went there first... Instead it was at the Randolph location. The good news is that we were able to pay $10/each and visit both locations in the same day. It's a good deal. After visiting the Uptown Mint, Randolph pales in comparison. The rooms are small, lowly lit and a little smelly. We also got lost on the back stairway even though we had a map. It's not laid out too well. All in all, it was a little creepy since we didn't see a single other person while we walked through the exhibits. The plus side is that we did enjoy the Platform Shoe and the Haute Couture exhibits. They had an excellent collection of top designers' clothes and shoes from at least the 40's on. We had a lot of fun looking at these and reading about the designers. We learned some stuff, too :) The museum offered a lot of other unique collections but we were too tired to really explore too much so I can't give an accurate review of these. But, I can tell you that they had a decent amount of things to explore. I would probably only go back here if I knew they were showing something that I wanted to see. However, the park surrounding the museum was gorgeous. It looked like a great place for a picnic or some place to let your dog run around.

It's shameful I've lived here for over a year and only just made it to the Big Mint this weekend. Pros: huge, green park surroundings. Lots of activities for kids, including "kits" for almost every exhibit. Perfect lighting (don't no duh me - I've seen some terribly lit museums). Gift shop had some unique stuffs, so a good resource for Xmas. Love the architecture, although I felt like I was looking at a Met in miniature, for some reason (did you know this building used to be uptown, and they MOVED it here, many years ago? Awesome). Weird: 10 bucks admission (4 dollar hike in 2 years? yikes). Super specific collections that, while you're wandering from gallery to gallery, butt up against each other in a jarring way. Docents are STRICT (and fiesty) about the rules. Stale smells. It is what it is. And it was super quiet, nice and cool, and an awesome way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Frightening that we were the only people there, and I hope that isn't the regs. I can't wait to see the Uptown annex in October, and am crossing my fingers for a collection of contemporary art to be unveiled. It isn't fair to make the McColl center do all the hard work.

This was my first visit to the Mint Museum on Randolph in several years and I was pleased with the blended offerings of student art (some of these kids have an awesome talent at an early age!) to pottery to a huge portrait of Queen Charlotte on the top floor. The student art on the first floor definitely warrants a trip down that corridor. There were 2nd grade artists that were showing serious potential and high school artists well on their way to showcasing their photographic and modern artistic skills! The North Carolina and Native American pottery was interesting to browse through as was the collection of traditional garments from several collections. There were several pottery pieces that caught my eye! The Coco Chanel exhibit is definitely worth the trip from the suits to the gowns to the shoes to bags! There were many visitors wandering around in these rooms and it was almost as fun to watch them looking at the exhibits as it was to view the pieces myself! I will keep my eye out for future exhibits at this Mint location...great museum...and don't forget Tuesdays from 5-9 are free...check it out!

My biggest complaint is that they wouldn't let me bring my camera bag inside with me. Why is this such an issue of contention? The gigantic woman who bought admission ahead of me carried a total of two (2) purses in with her at least as big as my camera bag, and not a word was spoken to her regarding the size of her luggage. So, photography is permitted, kind of, just don't try to bring in your camera bag if you're a guy. A decent-sized museum. Nice exhibits. A good way to kill a couple hours on a weekend afternoon.

Every elementary schooler in Charlotte travels to the Mint Museum to see the giant portraits of Queen Charlotte and King George (or at least they used to, twenty years ago). What you don't realize until you view the rest of the collection, however, is how great a museum this is for a city the size of Charlotte. This museum does look a bit dated, but the galleries are nice and the progression through the exhibits is--for the most part--logical. There is also a nice park/grassy green outside the museum. The Mint Randolph houses a wonderful fashion collection (think 1920s ladies suits, Victorian ball gowns, even Dior fashion from the mid 1990s). It also has a nice collection of art from the Americas--starting from ancient times and traveling up through the Spanish colonization of Latin America up through the 19th and 20th century US. In addition, there are a few nice rooms of African art. Overall, I prefer the uptown museum for it's design collection, stunning architecture, and central location. However, the original Mint Museum shouldn't be forgotten!

Although I probably wouldn't return to this museum to see the permanent pieces, I would definitely return for their events, such as the film screenings, etc. What I really liked about this museum is when you enter at the first floor and go straight to the gallery, you are greeted by the history of the museum and building itself along with a brief history of gold discovery in North Carolina. They also have a few very rare coins from the 1800's, along with magnifiers so you can examine the detail. This treasure is a real treat to see. I also really like the exterior of the building with the brick drive, fountain and entrance.. on a warm summer day you could have lunch outside. Back inside to other exhibits. Some exhibits, I didn't look at pretty much at all.. I'm not interested in clothing of the 18th century or really many paintings during that era, most are portraits and blah.. no connection to me, so I don't much care to use my time viewing. Some areas, well.. most of the museum has that really old museum/library .. old stuff smell.. just a warning..if you bring kids, they might say it stinks, so be prepared. There are some very interesting and intricately designed tea sets, plates, bowls and serving dishes from various countries and time periods, made in varying materials.. many are pewter, ceramic, glass, clay, or metal. Tip: Wednesdays are absolutely FREE from 5-9 PM and there is a tremendous amount of parking on-site, which of course is also FREE.

They have a good collection from all over the world! Check the Jean Baptiste Camille Corot's work on the First floor and the works of Barbara Morgan, Sonia Handelman Meyer. Amazing!

We came here on a field trip. We had went to the uptown location that morning and met back up at the Randolph location after lunch. The two museums are two entirely different experiences. The uptown location was all art while the Randolph location had more artifacts. It was a great day for us because between the two locations there was definitely something for everyone!

I highly recommend you go see the Andy Warhol exhibit at the Mint Museum of Art. They're showing a very cool collection of his work. While you're there, you can also view the haute couture exhibit (which is interesting but far less engaging). Entry for adults costs $6 and is free from 5-9 Tuesdays. And you can take your receipt to the Mint Museum of Craft + Design and get in for free there on the same day, which is a pretty good deal.

The Mint Museum Randolph overall is a nice place to spend an afternoon. They have some really nice pieces from ancient Mesoamerica. The display for the Mesoamerican items was very well done. The Mint also has an uptown location that I'm looking forward to seeing.

This is one of my favorite Mint Museum locations and I would recommend this place to anyone who visits Charlotte. This museum is the perfect place for the historically inclined individuals because it offers many exhibits and unique stories on every item in the exhibit. In comparison with the Uptown museum which only offered modern day art, the Randoph location is perfect for vintage art and civilizations. I attended the exhibits House of Dior, House of Balmain and House of Saint Laurent which were really interesting to learn about. The Mint Museums also offers FREE Wednesday admission after 5:00PM for anyone who is curious to check them out.

The Mint is a nice museum. There was not real 'wow' factor going on. The great thing was that I Bank of America was sponsoring the weekend so it was free for visitors with BOA cards. My girlfriend really enjoyed it and there was some really nice art pieces. It's a nice place so spend a couple of hours.

As a member of the museum for almost a year (which I highly recommend joining... I am part of the Young Affiliates group, which has other happy hours/young professional networking events), I shamefully haven't visited this location until this past weekend. I have been here before, including the holiday party hosted here for my work. It is tucked away down Randolph, not particularly near anything. I know everyone has already mentioned about the green space in the front. I honestly haven't hang out there, but I saw plenty of people enjoying a gorgeous day with their pups. But I know the Mint hosts movie nights, Derby Day and other outdoor events there as part of their year round fundraising effort. Now back to the museum. I was there particularly for the Bearing Witness exhibit. It's a small collection of photo from the New York Photo League (1930s to early 50s). I'm a not-so-good amatur photographer, and I'm very excited they are having photo exhibits at both location at the moment (the one here and the one uptown). I enjoyed this one. It reflects a style of photography that I can appreciate. Most of subjects were not posed. The photos captured life as it was, thus "bearing witness" to the social conditions during that period in NYC. (NOTE: this exhibit will last through June 2014, plan a visit) I skipped most of the other permanent exhibits. Please keep in mind that this museum is quite expansive; the permanent displays can be a daunting task to walk through with all the side rooms in one trip. My personal suggestion is to visit during a feature exhibit that you think you will enjoy most, and then pick one or two of the permanent exhibits to walk through. This way you don't get too tired, and it will allow you other new things to see for your next visit. Another suggestion: check out their event calender. They have cool happenings (often time free or very low cost) that you and your family (especially kids) may like to partake. As I was checking in at the front desk, I was told there's a "black & white print" craft session going on which was ending in 30 minutes. At first I thought I maybe a little too single (as in kidless) to be in a craft room, but the curious part of me took over. I popped my head in and the 3 ladies were very nice welcoming me and I ended up making some very cool gelli prints. IN CONCLUSION (if you are to skip everything I wrote so far): 1. Visit, and consider joining the museum as a member. It's always a good policy to support local art establishments. 2. Very touching exhibit happening now until June 2014, called Bearing Witness. Especially for the fans of photography. 3. Check out the museum website for other happenings. They have cultural events that you may find interesting.

The Mint Museum is a Charlotte landmark that infuses some much-need culture in this city. While it has its flaws, the Mint Museum is still a great place to learn about cultures and art periods that you probably glossed over in your art and world history classes in college. As someone who is decidedly not an art snob, I felt enlightened when I finally saw the connection between art history "isms" and their social context. The museum has a strange hodgepodge of collections. I probably looked like Where's Waldo going through each collection. Oddly enough, the museum has a strong pre-Colombian collection of pottery and statues, medieval Madonnas, West African ceremonial masks, and an rotating exhibit of formal dresses in the 20th century among other collections. King George III and Queen Charlotte's oversized portraits will remind you vividly why we are in the Queen City. I agree with the other Yelpers that $10 admission is somewhat steep, but who wouldn't spend $10 or more in the mall? They have free Tuesday night admissions, plus BOA cardholders can get in for free once a month. The place needs some TLC, but I hear that this will occur when the new museum uptown opens. Not an art aficionado? At least add the Mint Museum to your Charlotte bucket list.

This rating is actually for the greenspace around the museum. This is a neighborhood park for the area & seems to be little used. There is plenty of space to roam around and find a bright spot of sunshine to bask in. If it's been raining, though it can stay a bit soggy. There are several benches around the space as well as doggie bags & bins to clean up after your pooch. There are also plenty of gorgeous oak trees to find that shady respite for yourself in the summer.

My review will be based on the exhibit that I came to the Mint Museum Randolph to see - which was the fashion exhibit. I was amazed at the fact that you could practically touch every article of clothing from the 1800s and beyond because they were only roped off and there wasn't security in every room. Of course they must have been very trusting and no one did touch anything. There are interactive exhibits, but this is not one of them. The Mint was not crowded, maybe this is due to the fact that the location is kind of far from uptown. It seemed like it was just off of a random side street, but I'm not sure because I am not from North Carolina. The Balmain dresses from the 1950s were so beautiful that any picture I took of it, could not do it justice. The dresses were all so beautiful in their own way. I was so glad that I found the exhibit and my mom really enjoyed it as well. I'm so glad that we went and the museum is on a beautiful grounds that would have been perfect for a picnic. I bought a nice print of one of the paintings for my grandmother and it only cost $10 - what a steal!

This museum has a strange layout, but the exhibits are done nicely. I went to see the Chanel exhibit and it was nice, but I was hoping for more of the earlier designs. Most of the clothes were from 2000 and on. AND, it is free on Tuesday evenings! What a great way to spend and evening and not feel guilty for leaving 30 min in.

A great way to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon. It can be pricey (10$ per person) but is is full of wonderful historical treasures and beautiful green grounds. Give it a shot.

To Whom It May Concern - On Saturday, May 30th, 2015, my husband and I decided to take a very excited 11 year old girl to see the historical costume exhibit at the Mint Randolph. Unbeknownst to us - as it was NOT readily explained on the website, which of course, we referenced before our trip - the near entirety of the costume exhibit was NOT on display. We were simply treated to a few rooms of haphazardly clustered and undressed mannequins, with maybe 3-4 clothed examples of period costumes on display. WOW! I can't convey the degree of surprise and disappointment we experienced after making the 2 hour drive from Greensboro to the Mint Randolph museum. Even at the museum's 'first station' the ticketing desk, where ostensibly, any relevant, recent news about the museum and its exhibits should be conveyed, we were told NOTHING about the sad state of the one exhibit folks routinely make the trek out to the Randolph Mint for - the costumes. The folks at the desk just happily took our admission fee and said NOTHING! It was only after grilling both the woman in the museum's gift shop and the security guard that we understood that one's best chances of seeing the items in the exhibit would be to go downtown to the main Mint museum. After finding downtown garage parking (and paying for it!) we arrived at the ticketing desk of the downtown Mint, only to be told the only exhibit with any significant degree of fashion on display was a 'special' exhibit requiring an additional fee!! I was floored with incomprehension at the gall of any organization that would organize itself so ridiculously and treat it's PAYING visitors with such insult and disdain. It was only after a LENGTHY explanation of the distance we'd come to see the exhibits NO ONE had told us were no longer on display, and how egregious our treatment as paying visitors had been, that the ticketing agent decided to comp us free tickets to the 'special' exhibits. Had we not croaked loudly about being mistreated, your institution would have happily kept the cost of our tickets without ever offering remedy. Unbelievable!! Yes, this isn't New York, but I had much greater faith in the ability of local North Carolina cultural mainstays to handle themselves with greater decency and integrity. Instead, I felt the museum deliberately misinforms visitors about the lack of access to a major reason they would make the trip to the Mint Randolph and pay the fees. You can do better than this - surely!! DSL, Greensboro

This place has an AWESOME fashion exhibit on haute couture. I think that most of the exhibits were great but the security was really creepy and borderline stalking. A security person appeared from nowhere when we parked and tailed us on our walk into the museum. Then once we paid the OVERPRICED $10 admission there was basically someone with an earpiece and a jacket following my friend and me around. I don't know if this place doesn't get a lot of visitors or what, but the Louvre was less guarded than this place. Overall, a totally creepy experience.