The new head of the NC Division of State History Museums will spearhead a renovation of the flagship repository for our state’s artifacts
by Hampton Williams Hofer | photography by Mehemet Demirci

In April, C.J. Roberts began his new role as executive director of the North Carolina Division of State History Museums, which includes the flagship Raleigh museum and seven regional history museums around the state. The NC  Museum of History downtown is undergoing substantial renovations, to be unveiled in the fall of 2028, which will include both essential updates (HVAC, accessibility, leak repairs, and the like) as well as expanding the physical space with exciting, reimagined exhibits. It’s a new era for the iconic museum, a pillar of our state’s cultural heritage that boasts some 150,000 artifacts paying homage to 14,000 years of North Carolinians. 

Roberts will also oversee the extensive repairs from Hurricane Helene’s damage to the Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center in Old Fort, a tribute to the rich history of music, art, food and the natural world at the gateway to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Other regional museums under his directorship include the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras, the Museum of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City, the Museum of the Cape Fear in Fayetteville, the NC Maritime Museums in Beaufort and Southport, and the Tobacco Farm Life Museum in Kenly. 

Certainly, North Carolina’s history is dense and dynamic, sweeping from the mountains to the sea, from pirates and planes to Revolutionary War frontiers. Protecting the keepers of these stories is no small feat, but Roberts knows what he’s doing. As president and CEO of the Tampa Bay History Center for the past 20 years, he took the museum from concept to completion, earning it accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums and expanding it across numerous sites. Prior to that, he served as president and CEO of the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum in Savannah, Georgia, and director of the George C. Marshall Museum at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington. Not to mention, Roberts led the team that established the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, a 6-acre campus of state-of-the-art historical exhibits and pavilions that was designated by Congress as the official WWII museum of the United States.  

We caught up with Roberts to learn more about his enthusiasm for a new adventure in North Carolina.  

What is it about North Carolina that made you want to take this job?

I’d been in my current role in Tampa for 20 years, and when thinking about the next chapter, this opportunity checked a lot of boxes. My wife and I love the location and are excited to immerse ourselves in the community and all the state of North Carolina has to offer, on both the recreational side and the cultural side. This will be my third museum-building project, and as I look back on my career, what I’ve enjoyed the most is when I’ve had the chance to build new physical spaces, like what’s happening in Raleigh, in addition to new programs and exhibits. 

In your opinion, what is the value of history museums in our communities?

We often say “study the past to make decisions for the future” — and I truly believe that the more we understand our history, the more we understand each other. In some ways, the donated artifacts have the most value. These pieces have stories behind them because we know where they came from — when a family donates a great-great-grandfather’s Civil War uniform, for example, we have a name and an artifact that can really be brought to life. As the artifacts from the NCMH are carefully being packed and stored nearby, it’s a reminder that preserving these things is important, as is making them accessible to people — it joins communities. Ultimately, diverse experiences and cultures make for better places to live. 

What can visitors expect from the new space?

In a few years, the museum will look completely different, with a new entrance atrium, new plaza, new restaurant and overall just a complete renovation of the building, with expanded space and new systems throughout. We are redoing the museum’s signature exhibit, The Story of North Carolina, which covers some 14,000 years of history from the state’s earliest inhabitants — think, the signature wigwam and canoe — to the 20th century. That exhibit will now incorporate newer technologies to tell broader and deeper stories; it will be at the front end of design. I think this is going to be an exciting transformation and our visitors will be very happy to see more stories, more artifacts, and broader interpretation. 

Is there a particular period in history that draws you, or an exhibit you’ve never forgotten?

I would have to say 19th-century American history, though I’m no historian. Having spent so many years working for military-themed museums, I’m drawn specifically to the pre-Civil War and Civil War era. That said, an exhibit that has made a lasting impact on me was The Blitz exhibit at the Imperial War Museum in London. You could actually go into a simulation of the German air raids on Britain, and understand how it felt to be there — the sounds, everything. It was just really well done — immersive and powerful. 

What excites you most about your new role?

When I left New Orleans, having led the team that built and opened the National World War II Museum, there was a going-away party where a donor came up to me and asked how
it felt to come into a new community and leave it a better place. That question really made an impression on me. I had never thought about my work in those terms, but in a way, this idea defines my job now. I can come to North Carolina, and as a steward of these important historical institutions, I can make
it a better place.  

This article originally appeared in the July 2025 issue of WALTER magazine.