Pope House Museum

The Pope House Museum is a two-story residential home in downtown Raleigh containing original furnishings and household items from the early 1900s. The building was constructed in 1901 and holds the rooms where an African-American family lived and operated a medical practice.

Dr. Manassa Thomas Pope, a Shaw University graduate, was one of the first licensed African-American physicians in North Carolina and built this house in 1901. His career took place during an era of severe restrictions on Black professionals in the South.

The home illustrates how a prominent African-American family lived and worked during the segregation era. The rooms offer insight into the daily life and social circumstances that Black professionals faced at that time.

Access to the museum is through guided tours available on weekends at specific times. The location sits centrally downtown and is easy to reach on foot.

This house is North Carolina's only African-American house museum dedicated entirely to that heritage. The owner was also the sole Black mayoral candidate in a Southern state capital during the Jim Crow era, underscoring his remarkable standing in his community.

Location: Raleigh

Opening Hours: Saturday 09:00-16:00; Sunday 13:00-16:00

Website: http://popehousemuseum.org

GPS coordinates: 35.77330,-78.63856

Latest update: December 10, 2025 20:07