Greensboro's Civil Rights Museum Anchors Local History and Education

On February 1, 2010 the International Civil Rights Center and Museum opened its doors at 134 S. Elm Street in downtown Greensboro, occupying the former F.W. Woolworth building that was the scene of the 1960 Greensboro sit ins. The timing of the opening on the 50th anniversary underscored the museum's mission to preserve and interpret the nonviolent student led sit in movement that helped catalyze civil rights changes across the United States.

Exhibits at the museum document the history and context of segregated public accommodations, the actions of the Greensboro Four who began the sit ins, related activism across the country, and the broader civil rights struggle. The building itself is part of the story, and its location in the downtown historic district anchors the museum within Greensboro's civic and cultural landscape. The site is recognized nationally for its role in civil rights history and continues to draw visitors who come to connect with a pivotal moment in American democracy.

For residents, the museum functions as more than a memorial. It hosts school groups, public programs, docent led and self guided tours, and special events that support local education and community engagement. These activities make the site a hands on classroom for students studying local and national history, and a gathering place for civic conversations. Visitor information, hours and tour options are available on the museum's official site for those planning visits.

The museum also factors into Greensboro's long term downtown development and cultural economy. As part of the downtown historic district it contributes to place making, draws cultural tourists, and sustains programming that local organizations and schools use year round. By preserving the Woolworth site and the story of the sit ins, the International Civil Rights Center and Museum continues to influence how the community commemorates civil rights history, educates new generations, and integrates historical memory into Greensboro's economic and civic planning.