Core Sound Waterfowl Museum & Heritage Center

Tucked on the shores of Core Sound in Harkers Island, the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum & Heritage Center is a gathering place for the living traditions of the Down East communities that have called this coastline home for generations. It's part museum, part community hall, part celebration of a way of life shaped by the water.

The museum's collection spans hand-carved decoys, hunting gear, fishing equipment, quilts, and photographs that tell the story of the people who worked and lived along Core Sound. Many of the pieces were donated by local families, and the stories behind them are just as much a part of the collection as the objects themselves.

Each December, the museum hosts the Core Sound Decoy Festival, one of the largest waterfowl festivals on the East Coast, drawing carvers, collectors, and visitors from across the country. Throughout the year, rotating exhibits, workshops, and community events keep the museum lively and rooted in the present as much as the past.

The setting alone is worth the drive. The museum sits right on the water with views across Core Sound toward Cape Lookout National Seashore, and the grounds are a quiet spot to take in the landscape that inspired it all.

Plan your visit at the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum website.