If you have ever been to Raleigh Wide Open or First Night Raleigh, you know that North Carolina's capital city knows how to throw a street party. Each year, these events draw tens of thousands of visitors out into the streets for great food, the arts, live music and local culture.

The upcoming 24-hour grand opening of the Nature Research Center will be no exception. On April 20-21, a crowd of more than 50,000 people is expected to pour into the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, its new wing and the outdoor area next to the SECU Daily Planet for two days that will set the bar high for grand openings.

Just how large a crowd does 50,000 visitors make, you ask? Imagine every inch of Carter-Finley Stadium filled with people, or nearly three PNC Arenas filled to the brim. That's large! More than 280,000 square feet of combined space at the location of the grand opening and the 24-hour timeframe guarantees that while the crowd will be huge, you won't have to worry about being overcrowded.

Let's be honest. If there's a crowd of 50,000 people gathering somewhere for a unique 24-hour grand opening event, don't you think it's something you won't want to miss? We'll be there, making history at one of the largest and most highly anticipated gatherings in Raleigh!

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