After days of togetherness at the holidays, a familiar question often rings out - "What can we do for fun?" And, after holiday bills, many are looking for something free to do as a family. Here are some suggestions from the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.

Record Family History

Use holiday time together to record family stories, recipes, and other memories. If there is a veteran in the family, the State Archives has a list of questions that can help the guide the interview. For more information, contact Military Archivist Sion Harrington at (919) 807-7314, or Sion.Harrington@ncdcr.gov.

History Happens Here

The Museum of History in Raleigh, along with the Museum of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City, the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex in Fayetteville, the Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center in Old Fort, the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort and Southport, and the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum on Hatteras Island, encourages visitors to discover the past; to reflect on their own lives and their place in history; and to preserve state, regional, and local history for future generations. www.ncmuseumofhistory.org.

The Art of Having Fun

The N.C. Museum of Art in Raleigh and the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem showcase art from around the world and from right here in North Carolina in permanent and revolving exhibitions. The Museum of Art also boasts a 164-acre park that consists of woodlands, open areas and streams filled with trails and monumental works of environmental art. The combination of an important art museum and a large natural area offers a rare opportunity to explore art and ecology together. www.ncartmuseum.org.

Historic Sites

North Carolina's 27 historic sites open the door to the exciting and fun history of our state and nation. There is a North Carolina Historic Site within an easy drive of every North Carolinian. Visitor centers with exhibits and multimedia presentations can be found at most sites, as well as picnic facilities. Most tours and many special programs are free. www.nchistoricsites.org.

On-Line Collections

The State Library has a Web site where visitors can "Explore Cultural Heritage On-Line," located at www.ncecho.org. NC ECHO promotes the use of digital technologies to broaden and enhance access to the special collections of the state's libraries, archives, museums, historic sites, and other cultural institutions. On-line collections include:

Wildcats Never Quit: North Carolina in World War I uses selected World War I materials from the State Archives, the State Library of North Carolina and the N.C. Museum of History, including printed books and documents, letters, diaries, photographs and artifacts.
From Crossroads to Capital: The Early History of Raleigh, North Carolina spans the 50-year period from 1792 to 1842, and showcases some of the more valuable resources maintained by the State Library and State Archives.
The Black Mountain College Collection Web pages offer background on the history of the experimental western North Carolina college, plus finding aids, a photo gallery, and links to further resources. From 1933 to1956, the college strived to educate the whole person with an emphasis on the role of the arts and creative thinking.
North Carolina Maps is a comprehensive, on-line collection of historic maps of the Tar Heel State. Featuring maps from three of the state's largest map collections - the State Archives, the North Carolina Collection at UNC-Chapel Hill, and the Outer Banks History Center - North Carolina Maps provides an unprecedented level of access to these materials.

The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources is a state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina's arts, history, and culture. Join the Cultural Resources 2008 theme observance of "Telling Our Stories." For more information, visit www.ncculture.com or call 919/807-7385.