A delightful tour of the museum and it’s free!We saw the “Beautiful Brain” exhibit full of amazing drawings by Santiago Ramon y Cajal.Also displayed were Asian statues from India, Rome, and other countries. I especially enjoyed Rodin’s and Degas’ sculptures!The paintings by Rubins and Herb Jackson were stunning.Hours: W-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5Off M, TWill definitely plan on going back!On a side note: Don’t touch any of the exhibits! We tried to read the carvings on a wooden chicken coop while lifting a lid. A security guard came running over to reprimand us! Oops

The permanent collection on the 1st floor is rather good. This is the only Asian collection in the region, plus Egyptian, Roman, European classical and Modern.

Nice collections of art. I especially enjoyed the beautiful brain exhibit. It is a free museum that is in walking distance to the shopping and food that downtown Chapel Hill/Franklin St. has to offer.

Ackland Museum is an art museum located in the downtown of Chapel Hill. It is indeed a small museum, but I love their collections. Ive visited this museum for 3 times and in each visit I saw different collection. The staff are nice and helpful. My last visit was the first day of Yayoi Kusamas exhibition. Though I couldn’t see a lot of her work, I can at least enjoy some of her fascinating masterpiece.

One of the best art museums Ive ever been to, a great find while I was staying in Chapel Hill. There was a really great variety of art, with lots of really interesting Asian and African art. There was a really great collection, I was very very impressed. Plus, its super interesting that the founder originally donated his collection to be displayed at Duke, but they wouldnt let him be buried in the museum, so he moved it to UNC!

The Ackland Art Museum had two main exhibits when I visited: Yayoi Kusamas Open the Shape Called Love and the Toriawase exhibit. The space is realtively small compared to other art museums but the exhibits were well-curated and thought-provoking.

Fun free outing for a couple of hours. check it out for general culture and some background on chapel hill and the ackland’s origins. fun with friends and family. there were some really cool art pieces.

Beautiful works of art on campus. Free admin

Small heterogeneous art museum with very interesting temporary exhibits. Perfect for a 1hrs stroll/visit... or more, if you have the time.

Don’t let the small size of the joint fool you into thinking this place is too small to have enough to draw you in. Allot of the art is worthy to be in ANY renown museum in the world (and several things we see have literally been in the Louvre Museum in loan). Take a leisure stroll and soak it in. If you are the type that reads EVERYTHING and pauses to really soak things in, you’ll finish everything in under two hours. If you’re like most people, you’ll blow through this place in 30 mins. I recommend it. Each area you enter has a book to pickup (return them before you leave) that identifies all the art in each section, with a little explanation of either the art, the artist, it’s origin or all of the above to build your appreciation. There’s ample sitting everywhere in front of all the art and even paper, clip boards and pencils throughout, encouraging anyone who wants to, perhaps, sketch what they see. Pictures without flash are allowed but, as with any gallery, do not touch the art. It’s all free and a nice respite in this area.

A great free art museum with a lot of current and past art installations. Great for children and for adults

Very nice, intimate museum with several small surprises (i.e. M.C. Escher, Degas, Matisse, Pissaro, Rodin). A wonderful way to spend couple of hours in Chapel Hill!

Came to view the featured display, Way Out West. Lots of art to view, well designed layouts. We especially enjoyed the Asian pottery exhibit that was arranged by color. Left off the last star as so much was interpretive- great for art/culture studies, just not quite general public material, I felt.

Love this jewel of a museum at UNC!

The museum for the people, right in the middle of Chapel Hill! Admission is always free. The exhibits are varied, gorgeous, and thought-provoking. The art at the Ackland includes pieces from thousands of years ago and pieces from right now, from all over the world and from our own area. We really have a treasure in the Ackland Art Museum.

Stunning art. This is such a great art museum

Lovely free museum that has a series of great collections. Always community events happening and located right on campus next to Top of the Hill.

Great stuff in gift shop, lots of places to sit down and enjoy the art. I am looking forward to their Japanese exhibit opening soon.

This is a serene and quiet place where I like to rest, think, and renew myself in the beauty of creativity. The exhibits are thoughtfully curated and reflect the multiculturalism in this museums artistic sensibilities and priorities.

Always love this place to bring out of towners. Good array of art.

Very cool and interesting artwork. Just the right size to be actually able to dive deep into the art pieces.

Such an amazing, free resource! They have a very impressive permanent collection as well as high quality rotating exhibits.

Wonderful variety of work.

A treasure on campus edge.Quiet, cozy, Id add intimate but, eh.Good for first date, or when bored with each other. Springboard for fresh conversation. Thoughtful gift alcove.

The museum is always amazing, the brain exhibit was exceptional. I always appreciate this top notch museum.... especially that it is free! There are always a few stellar pieces, and many many other interesting objects/artwork.

Wonderful small art museum with ver well curated exhibits.

This place is a gem! It is so small but has some very impressive works of art. The small size makes it a relatively short time commitment and the price (free) makes this museum a must see for all visitors (and if you are a local, what are you waiting for?)

Free museum with a box to donate, if you wish. The 4 stars is specifically for their Way Out West special exhibit and the Pat Doughertys Step Right Up installation. Overall the museum is just the right size to absorb and enjoy.

This museum has some truly world-class pieces of Art! This is a true treasure in the city of Chapel Hill! 5000 years of human history before your eyes, to see things like this sends a chill up your spine, and leaves you humbled, for the art is so elegant in its brevity. This is an absolute must-see for anyone who lives in the city! I love it!!! And make sure you check out the awesome gift shop!!! ️️

Great exhibits and engaging staff. Its amazing they can keep this admission free.

Absolutely amazing museum! Its definitely worth a visit if youre in the area. The permanent exhibits are pretty fantastic, but for me the temporary exhibits are where Ackland really shines. They bring all sorts of really interesting pieces from different collections all across the US (and probably international exhibits too).

Open, not restrictive to view art, talks with curators eryn interesting and informative

Although the art was nice, the security is so tight and the atmosphere is cold its difficult to thoroughly enjoy myself. I dislike the feeling of being watched so intensely.

Great museum. Good blend of historic through modern art

Wonderful small museum with an eclectic collection. The current exhibit during the summer of 19 titled Way out west focuses on the western half of the U.S. with paintings from the 19th-20th century, and photographs mostly from the 20th century, I found it to be an excellent show, well worth my time. Just be patient finding finding parking if you want to go.

Interesting shows, and we have been lucky to hear docents leading discussions on different pieces. They are very knowledgeable and bring a greater depth of understanding. The staff are welcoming and helpful. A great experience for an unbeatable price, free.

This was a fun, little museum! They display a good variety in comparison to the amount of works they have. The way they displayed the works was thoughtful and impressive. The exhibit they had when I was there brought insight to the concept of space and history.

Interesting place. We stopped in while touring the campus to beat the heat for a bit. They really have quite an eclectic collection. Stop in and give the place a turn - worthwhile.

Very cool, very eclectic

Small friendly museum. Minor paintings and artifacts. Lovely people working there. Havent come from New York this was a very minor Museum to visit but still very pleasant. Thats why I gave it three stars because even though it wasnt up to the standards that youd find a New York it was still Pleasant to go visit.

A wonderful small museum with so many amazing painting gems!

There are some real treasures there, a few of my favorites were the Albert Bierstadt Blue Mountain and Lake and the Rembrandt sketches. Also really like the branch sculptures outside the museum.

Outdoor sculptures were fun for the grandkids. They quickly toured the indoor exhibits and wanted to return to the outdoor exhibit. Overall a good experience.

A great place to visit if you have a full day on campus. The exhibits change semi regularly so there is usually something new to see. Students have free admission but you must store personal items in lockers.

Great and thoughtful art and exhibits.

Very accessible and interesting exhibits.

A good place to spend an hour or two when you are in downtown Chapel Hill.

Wonderful way to spend some time viewing excellent collections.

Very friendly staff. The view and the artifacts were just breath taking. It was almost therapeutic for me. Also at a good location.

Nice collection of paintings some sculpture and artifacts. Its a small but interesting museum. We especially enjoyed the activities for kids they had on this day.

The museum have good works of art, you can go and learn about different types of cultures.

Interesting free museum great for Chapel Hill date day.

Best museum ever

Awesome, small museum with astounding art

Surprisingly large and diverse collection. Engaging presentation of materials. Free admission.

Compact art museum right on UNC-CHs campus, just down the street from TopOfTheHill restaurant. Free to the public. Often have really unique exhibitions. Went to see The Beautiful Brain - very cool, well displayed, with interesting info next to the pieces. We often go prior to or after dinner or lunch on Franklin Street.

The West exhibit is great, as is the Afrofuturist project.

The Ackland is simply one of my favorite art musuems in North Carolina. Its commitment to providing high quality art and a wonderful selection for its size is clear. See the newly renovated Asian art installation--you wont be disappointed. I taught at UNC for years and always took my students there. What a great collection and presentation. Go, donate, or, even better, go and become a member.

I felt a dearth of space while visiting this museum. An art lab kind of area is right in the middle of a gallery, which I would imagine any activity thats going on there could well distract visitors from enjoying the art. The Africa gallery is tiny, and so is the common space around the information desk. There are also very few interpretive labels. Object guides are provided for more in-depth information, which Im fine with but most people will neglect. All that being said, Ackland is still well worth visiting if youre in the area - its free and the Asian collection is very good. Youll also discover a few big names in its galleries of oil paintings.

Amazing art museum

Fine gallery located right off campus and Franklin street in Chapel Hill, very clean and well kept. Staff available and helpful with answering questions

The exhibits were fantastic, varied and interesting. For anyone with a mold allergy or even general sensitivity to mold/mildew, though: stay far away. Im not sure if it was the building or some of the pieces themselves, but the whole place reeks of it. My throat became scratchy and swollen immediately and staying longer was definitely a poor choice.

Nice museum, free entry, not much going on, passed an hour, 3-5 pieces that made me double take

Excellent samples of artwork from all over the world. Great collections. Something good to do in Chapel Hill on a hot day!

Had a great time looking at all the Art.

Great museum; education Depts work with faculty and students particularly strong. Study gallery is a cool space.

Nice museum with booklets telling you about all the art.

This is a good place to look at people who made art

Small but beautiful art musuem. Personally, I love the room with the drawings and paintings. Outside I love the little stick houses, me and my sister like to play in them. :)

Well maintained with friendly staff.

Cute art museum with art from students and from around the world.

Nice art but not wholly related to UNC or North Carolina. The rotating exhibits are definitely a highlight.

Excellent for a small museum. Check out their special exibits. We saw a special Portrait exhibit in conjunction with the national gallery. Free, see the gift shop and make a donation

Too much fun for FREE!!!

Small art museum with great art! I wasnt expecting all of that variaty in one place also free entrance!

It was closed.

Nice art work

Lively party for 60th anniversary with many new exhibitions and very well curated.

I enjoyed looking at the art, but being followed around by a security guard the whole time really ruined the experience. My two friends and I went to look at the art, not to be treated like delinquents. We were pointing at parts of the art to show each other what we liked and were yelled at for touching the art, which we didnt do in the first place.

Check it out--its free! Ackland has an amazing collection of ancient-modern art. The exhibits rotate and change with relative frequency; look them up online and see what the current exhibits are. Compared to other art museums I have visited, Ackland is on the smaller side, but I dont see that as a negative.

The staff was kind and helpful. My daughter loved Drawing for Tweens!

Free museum with an eclectic mix of art in permanent display - coupled with an ever changing special exhibit that is always great.

Very nicely done exhibits, enjoyed every minute of it .

Wo derful place to visit.

It was inspiring to see new art and some very classical pieces as well.

Helpful staff. Great permanent collection. Diverse visiting collections. Check out the Calendar of events.

Beautiful art selection

This museum is a little gem. There are amazing pieces you would never expect to find here. Chapel Hill is really lucky to have it, a must see.

Free for UNC students. Great collection of artwork.

A small museum with a surprisingly good quality, varied, and well-displayed collection.

Such a special place ️

Intimate setting, nice collection.

The art starts outside with wicker animals (woven twigs). This art museum is free and absolutely beautiful. It is surprising how many high quality pieces are presented. There are works by Picasso, Pissarro, Miro, Klee, Corot, Courbet. Medieval art, Roman, Greek, all the way to the 20th Century. Until January, they have a special exhibit on a Japan war in the 19th Century.

Current portrait show is world-class.

Staff was very friendly. Went as a 3rd grade field trip and the kids seemed to enjoy it as much as I did...

Great Meissen exhibit.

Great art museum. They have a variety of exhibits that keep you interested.

Nice little museum. Diverse collection. Free admission.

Eclectic. Excellent.

Lots of things for kids to do to interact with art, very friendly staff and easy to get to. Good shows, interesting collection and free.