Close
1937
21c Museum Hotel Durham
Durham, North Carolina
111 North Corcoran Street, Durham, North Carolina 27701
Original Property Opened in 1937
Historic Hotels of America member since 2019
art
The 21c Museum Hotel Durham inhabits the former home of the Durham Bank & Trust Company, which later became the Central Carolina Bank in 1961. Famed architectural firm Shreve, Lamb & Harmon designed the building during the mid-1930s for the bank’s co-founder, John Sprunt Hill. Finished in 1937, the building stood as the tallest structure in Durham and housed the bank for the next 68 years. 21c Museum Hotels bought the location during the 2000s, transforming it into a full-service hotel in Durham, NC. Debuting as the 21c Museum Hotel Durham in 2015, this historic building has been restored as a glamorous destination and a contemporary art museum with rotating exhibits and over 10,500 square feet of art-filled event space.
Discover
- Discover the imposing façade of the 21c Museum Hotel Durham, which was once the tallest structure in Durham. The former headquarters of the Durham Bank & Trust Company, this 17-story skyscraper was once known as the "Hill Building," and was designed by the illustrious New York-based firm of Shreve, Lamb, & Harmon, who also designed the Empire State Building.
- Discover historic details complemented with artwork and the iconic Fuschia Penguin throughout the 21c Museum Hotel Durham. This historic hotel features the historic bank vault, original green marble and silver leaf ceiling in the foyer, and preserved terrazo floors throughout. Visit the art gallery to see innovative artwork in the 10,500-square-foot space.
- Discover the the beautiful artwork inside this spectacular historic hotel. As visitors ascend physically on the elevator or the stairwell, Andrew Erdos’s Ascendance, which consists of waterjet cut mirror glass and a panoramic video loop that can be seen in cloud ‘windows’ cut into mirrors, surrounds them.
- Discover the American Tobacco Campus directly across the street. Listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, this amazing facility was once a massive tobacco factory. It is now a district teeming with many differnet cultural attractions to see.
- Learn about the History of the 21c Hotel’s Penguins that have remain part of the Hotel’s permanent exhibition since 2006. They were first debuted at 21c Louisville and 21c founders Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson purchased the sculptures after seeing them perched around the city at the 2005 Venice Biennale public art project. People really interacted with the penguins would be seen taking photos with them, taking them to dinner, and even just walking around with them. They became an icon and contributed to the hotel’s mission of making contemporary art more accessible to the public. Over a decade and many hotels later, each 21c has its own flock of Penguins and each are in the color that embody the singular identity of the city. (For those looking to visit them all: 21c Louisville, Red Penguin; 21c Cincinnati, Yellow Penguin; 21c Bentonville, Green Penguin; 21c Lexington, Blue Penguin; 21c Durham, Fuschia Penguin; 21c Oklahoma City, Purple Penguin, 21c Nashville, Teal Penguin, 21c Kansas City, Sky Blue Penguin).
Explore
- Explore the Nasher Museum of Art, a permanent collection of more than 10,000 pieces of artwork and traveling exhibits in a 65,000-square-foot modern building.
- Visit the Museum of Life and Science, an indoor and outdoor museum with interactive exhibits on space exploration and life on earth.
- Travel to the Duke Homstead nearby. This wonderful historic site was once an active tobacco farm that now serves as a house museum.
Experience
- Learn about the history of Durham at the Museum of Durham History, a small venue showcasing exhibits, artifacts, and spoken accounts of regional history and culture.
- Enjoy a performance at the Durham Performing Arts Center, a modern, multilevel theater showcasing recent Broadway shows and well-known musical acts and artists from around the world.
- Attend a screening at Power Plant Gallery, an exhibition space for university students and local artists focusing on experimental and documentary works.
Taste
- Dine at the hotel's Counting House and celebrate North Carolina's rich heritage of fresh seafood, prepared according to various rotisserie and roasting techniques. Guests can relax in the former bank's historic vaults, which have been converted into a cozy lounge area for sipping local beers, unique cocktails, and fine wines.
- Enjoy a meal at Luna Rotisserie and Empanadas, a South American-style restaurant offering custom cocktails in an exposed-brick environment.
- Visit Bull McCabe's Irish Pub for traditional burgers and other pub stables, beers on tap, and sidewalk tables.
FEATURED ACCOMMODATIONS
Featured Offers
National Trust for Historic Preservation Month Rate – Save 10% Off Best Available Rate
Friends of Historic Hotels of America receive up to 10% off the Best Available Rate using the code NHP.
Best Available Rate
Book the Best Available Rate at this property on HistoricHotels.org and receive a complimentary one-year family membership (a $30 value) to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
