Entry No. 1 — the Raleigh file — filed under: oddities
H.H. Brimley Victorian Taxidermy Exhibit (NC Museum of Natural Sciences)
Tucked away inside North Carolina's main natural history museum is a faithful recreation of original curator H.H. Brimley's clutter-filled 19th-century taxidermy office and workshop. The display showcases vintage specimen jars, taxidermist tools, and early Southern natural history curiosities collected over Brimley's 50-year career starting in 1895.
The story
Herbert Hutchinson Brimley didn't just collect specimens—starting in 1895, he built North Carolina's natural history collection from scratch using field jars, skinning knives, and sheer stubbornness. Tucked away on the museum's second floor is a recreation of his 19th-century workshop, crammed with vintage specimen jars, taxidermy implements, and oddities gathered over a career that spanned more than half a century.
This was natural history in its raw, Victorian era: hands-on, smelling of preservatives, and decidedly un-sanitized. The direct result of Brimley's work hangs elsewhere in the museum: 'Trouble,' a 54-foot sperm whale that stranded on the North Carolina coast in April 1928. Brimley personally salvaged, cleaned, and mounted the enormous skeleton—a colossal feat of taxidermy craft that still suspended over visitors nearly a century later.
What it's like
Head up to the second floor at 11 West Jones Street and look for the tucked-away workshop exhibit. It's easy to blow past if you're following crowds toward the larger exhibits, so linger by the glass to examine the clutter of antique tools and preserved jars. Once you've seen where he worked, walk over to the whale gallery to stand beneath 'Trouble' for full scale. Admission to the museum is free, but double-check current open hours before you walk over.
The move: Find the Brimley curio room on the 2nd floor to admire Victorian taxidermy implements, then head over to view 'Trouble,' the massive 54-foot sperm whale skeleton Brimley personally preserved and mounted in 1928.
- 📍 Downtown Raleigh
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 11 W Jones St, Raleigh, NC 27601
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Heck-Andrews House — Walk two blocks east to inspect one of Raleigh's earliest post-Civil War Victorian mansions for a matching dose of 1870s architecture.
- Watts & Ward — Pair Brimley's 1928 whale mounting era with a drink down inside this subterranean 1920s-style parlor.
- Foundation — Trade 19th-century specimen jars for local spirits in a subterranean bar hand-excavated out of a downtown dirt crawl space.
Good to know
Where in the museum can I find the exhibit?
The recreated Victorian taxidermy workshop and curio display are located on the 2nd floor of the main North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences building.
What is the story behind 'Trouble' the whale?
'Trouble' is a 54-foot sperm whale skeleton that stranded on the North Carolina coast in April 1928. Brimley personally led the effort to preserve, process, and articulate the massive skeleton for the museum.
How long did H.H. Brimley work for the museum?
Brimley began his career with the state natural history museum in 1895 and spent over 50 years building and curating its collections.
Is there a ticket fee to view the Brimley exhibit?
No, general admission to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is free to the public.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · dncr.nc.gov · digitalcommons.liberty.edu · Facebook
last checked: 2026-07-21