The museum is housed in an 1809 brick building that was used as a school until 1971. One room contains exhibits pertaining to education and the history of the academy. Other areas of the museum incorporate displays describing the Algonquin people who lived in the area, the German and Swiss settlers who arrived in 1710, the Civil War and the architectural history of New Bern. Open Monday-Saturday 11am-5pm, Sunday 1-5pm, January 2-December 9; closed major holidays.