February 18, 2002
Raleigh City Museum Showcases Yarborough House, Central Prison,
Lightner Arcade and Other Lost Landmarks
Photo exhibit rediscovers approximately 20 vanished
architectural sites that once graced the downtown area.

RALEIGH, N.C. (Febr. 18, 2002) - The public is invited to the grand opening of the Raleigh City Museum's new exhibit, Lost Raleigh: An Architectural & Cultural Odyssey. Through this photo exhibit visitors can rediscover the Yarborough House, once Raleigh's premier hotel; the fortress-like Central Prison; the Lightner Arcade, the former hub of the African American community; and 20 other lost landmarks that once graced the downtown area. The exhibit's Grand Opening, free and open to the public, will be held Saturday, March 2, 2002 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the Museum's first floor Main Gallery at 220 Fayetteville Street Mall in downtown Raleigh. The exhibit will remain on display through August 4, 2002.

"The interpretation for this exhibit will be two-fold," said Dusty Wescott, curator for the Raleigh City Museum. "The structures and sites will be given an historical and cultural interpretation -- what role did the buildings play in the community and why were they significant to the development of the city. The second form of interpretation will take a look at the past structures as a form of architecture -- why were these structures important aesthetically and how did they influence the look of the city then and now." For the architectural interpretation, the museum will be assisted by local architecture experts including practicing architects, preservationists, and university instructors.

For more information on "Lost Raleigh: An Architectural & Cultural Odyssey," please contact the museum at 919-832-3775 or visit http://www.raleighcitymuseum.org/.

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