Explore Durham, NC Unforgettable Activities & Iconic Highlights
History of Durham: THE BULL CITY
Durham became known as “The Bull City” because its identity became tightly linked to the famous Bull Durham tobacco brand, which rose to national prominence after the Civil War. The name stuck as the bull symbol spread across factories, advertisements, and eventually the city’s baseball team. Durham earned its nickname from the Bull Durham tobacco brand, which became nationally known after the Civil War. Today, the bull lives on as a city symbol and in the name of its hometown baseball team.
Discover the best of Durham with an exciting mix of entertainment, history, nature, and culture! Catch a game or fireworks at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, stroll the open-air courtyards and dining spots of the historic American Tobacco Campus, explore Civil War history at Bennett Place, marvel at the Gothic architecture of Duke University, and unwind amid the vibrant blooms and koi ponds at Sarah P. Duke Gardens.
Families will love the hands-on exhibits and butterfly house at the Museum of Life & Science, while theater lovers can catch Broadway hits and live shows at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC). Immerse yourself in local Black heritage and the arts in the Historic Hayti District, shop and dine in converted tobacco warehouses at Brightleaf Square, uncover African American history at Historic Stagville, visit the "Black Wall Street" landmark at the NC Mutual Life Building, and experience the region's innovation hub at Research Triangle Park (RTP).
Unforgettable Cinema, Culture & Legacy
Durham’s star power bridges iconic cinema, global talent, and historic institutions. The city provided the backdrop for films like Bull Durham, Brainstorm, The Handmaid’s Tale (1990), Kiss the Girls, and Arthur Newman, while inspiring the local desegregation drama The Best of Enemies. It is the home and launching pad for cultural icons like Shirley Caesar, Betty Davis, 9th Wonder, Andre Leon Talley, Nnenna Freelon, G. Yamazawa, and Christopher “Play” Martin, as well as sports standouts John Lucas Jr., TJ Warren, and Rodney Rogers. Anchoring this extraordinary legacy are landmark educational institutions: Hillside High School (Durham's oldest historically Black high school), North Carolina Central University (NCCU), and Duke University, endowed by industrialist James B. Duke.