A major renovation that has taken place recently and has changed the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum into an innovative museum of the state’s maritime history is being awarded nationally.
The Hatteras museum, which is a branch of the North Carolina Maritime Museum System under the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources has been selected as a contender for the USA 10 Best Reader’s Choice Awards for Best New Museum. Voting begins Nov. 25 at noon and continues until 11:59 a.m. Dec. 23.
‘This nomination speaks volumes about the efforts made in the renovation process of the museum and the improvement of the capacity to disseminate the history and culture of the North Carolina coast,’ Maritime Museums Director Maria Vann said. “The staff of the Maritime Museums and I are happy to be part of this national recognition and even happier with the new design that gives the visitors a better feel of the maritime history.”
Now, even if the museum is not a new concept, the kind of experience that people can get there is new, all because of a renovation. The renovation process started in late 2022, and Riggs Ward Design worked with state staff members who are experts in maritime history throughout the design process and the installation. The museum was reopened for the public in May of 2024.
Some of the main attractions of the new museum design are a full rigged ship model of Monomoy surf boat with lifesize figureheads, a first order Fresnel lens from Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and some of the exhibits depicting shipwrecks off the coast of North Carolina.
The redesigned museum also features several new technologies, including touch screens and holographic video, to give visitors a fun and informative way to learn about the area’s history of shipbuilding.
“The positive response from the public has been phenomenal, which is particularly gratifying after all the hard work that went into the new space,” Vann said. “Now I’m eager to see that same response once the USA 10 Best voting opens.”