▁group ▁of ▁citizens ▁raised ▁$ 9 5 0 ▁for ▁the ▁dis m ant ling ▁and ▁removal ▁of ▁the ▁Str ick land ▁building ▁to ▁its ▁present ▁location ▁on ▁don ated ▁land ▁on ▁Rand olph ▁Road . ▁ ▁The ▁Museum ▁formally ▁opened ▁to ▁the ▁public ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 3 6 ▁as ▁North ▁Carolina ' s ▁first ▁art ▁museum . ▁ ▁The ▁building ▁under w ent ▁major ▁exp ans ions ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁ ▁The ▁structure ▁was ▁placed ▁on ▁the ▁Charlotte - Me ck len burg ▁Historic ▁Land marks ▁Commission ' s ▁List ▁of ▁Design ated ▁Historic ▁Land marks ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁ ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁planned ▁renov ation ▁of ▁its ▁Rand olph ▁Road ▁campus , ▁the ▁museum ▁announced ▁in ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁that ▁it ▁will ▁open ▁a ▁research ▁center ▁based ▁on ▁North ▁Carolina ▁pot tery ▁at ▁the ▁facility . ▁▁ ▁The ▁research ▁center ▁will ▁offer ▁re lic s ▁in ▁the ▁extensive ▁collection ▁for ▁study ▁and ▁open ▁its ▁pot tery ▁arch ives ▁to ▁sch ol ars ▁and ▁students ▁for ▁study . ▁ ▁The ▁pot tery ▁arch ives ▁currently ▁includes ▁ 1 9 , 0 0 0 ▁volumes . ▁ ▁M int ▁Museum ▁of ▁History ▁The ▁M int ▁Museum ▁of ▁History ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁at ▁the ▁He zek iah ▁Alexander ▁House ▁on ▁Sh am rock ▁Drive . ▁The ▁M int ▁Museum ▁ran ▁the ▁site ▁until ▁ 1 9 8