Meet Moore Square: Your Downtown Playground
Let us introduce you to the world’s best backyard - meet Moore Square.
Embedded in the center of Downtown Raleigh, this public green space has become a go-to for picnics, yard games, and local festivals alike. Featuring an interactive water feature, a large event lawn, tons of shaded seating, and plenty of dining options - Moore Square always seems to have more to explore!
Here are a few of our favorite things to do when spending the day around this popular city-square.
Embrace Your Artsy Side in Downtown Raleigh
Get Cultured at Artspace
Moore Square’s accessibility to various art galleries has established the park as the perfect place to start your artistic endeavors & exploration. Our first stop? The largest and most notable nearby gallery: Artspace. This 30,000-square-foot historic building features 25 dedicated artist studios, each with a distinct style & flare to soak in.
Visitors can meet and interact with working artists, take art classes, or purchase original artwork from individual studios. As a special event venue, the studio often hosts gallery shows, where visitors can gather amongst local artwork to sip on wine and soak in the harmonious sounds of live music.
The best part? A visit to Artspace is free (although donations are appreciated).
Marbles Kids Museum in Downtown Raleigh, NC
Learn & Play at Marbles Kids Museum
Marbles Kids Museum allows children to imagine, discover and learn through dozens of interactive exhibits, special events, and giant-screen IMAX films. It’s a popular destination for families, drawing more than 600,000 visitors annually. Even though the museum is designed to engage children, watching little ones rocket around, playing dress-up, building giant towers, and acting out various jobs is anything but boring.
Marbles is also home to N.C.’s only 3D-capable giant screen, the Wells Fargo IMAX Theatre at Marbles, which offers one of the most immersive moviegoing experiences in the world.
Walk the Streets at Historic City Market in Downtown Raleigh
Enjoy First Friday Movies & Craft Market
Moore Square really lights up on the first Friday of each month, due to the popular First Friday Movie series. All you have to do is grab a blanket or a chair, and stroll over to Moore Square to catch a free feature film! Before each show, you can also enjoy some on-theme live music or entertainment.
Movies include family-friendly hits both old and new, like The Princess Bride, Coco, Back to the Future, and The Lego Movie. Food is available for purchase on-site via food trucks, or you can hit up one of the many restaurants around the square before you go. Craft-lovers will also want to attend the pre-film Pop-Up Market, featuring local-made arts and crafts, baked goods, body products and more.
