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Points of Interest

Lost Colony Museum and Gifts

A small roadside museum and gift shop steeped in Lost Colony lore

(57)
Buxton, NC

About

Lost Colony Museum and Gifts is a small, independently run museum and gift shop on NC-12 in the village of Buxton, one of the strung-out communities that make up Hatteras Island within Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The name nods to one of American history's oldest unsolved mysteries: the 1587 disappearance of the English colonists who settled North Carolina's Roanoke Island. Inside, expect a mix of local and regional history alongside a gift-shop selection of Outer Banks souvenirs and keepsakes. With no reviews on file yet, it reads as a low-key, independent roadside stop rather than a headline attraction — a reasonable quick browse if you're already in Buxton for the lighthouse or the beach, rather than a dedicated destination on its own. Since NC-12 is the single road connecting the Hatteras Island villages and can close during storms, it's worth checking current road conditions before making a special trip, especially outside peak summer season.

  • Open daily 10am–6pm, closed Sunday
  • Located on NC-12 in Buxton
  • Phone: (252) 216-7178
  • Check their Facebook page for current hours and updates

Reviews (57)

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4.7

57 reviews

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Kristina Silvestry

We absolutely loved the Lost Colony Museum, but honestly, meeting Scott Dawson was probably my favorite part. We could have talked to him forever. He knows SO much, but it never feels like someone giving you a history lesson. You’re just talking, asking questions, hearing stories, and then suddenly realizing everything you thought you knew about the Lost Colony might not actually be the whole story. I don’t want to spoil any of it because you really need to hear it from Scott himself. What really got me though was finding out that he SELF FUNDED so much of this. The research. The archaeology. The museum. Years of his life dedicated to figuring out what actually happened and making sure this history, especially the history of the Croatoan people, isn’t lost. There is something really special about someone caring that much about something. No huge institution behind him. No giant budget. Just someone who became incredibly curious, kept asking questions, kept digging, literally, and put his own money behind finding answers and preserving what he found. I absolutely loved that. Scott was funny, unbelievably knowledgeable, down to earth, and just a really great human to spend time talking to. We walked into a little museum on Hatteras Island and walked out questioning basically everything we learned about the Lost Colony growing up. Go. Ask questions. Talk to Scott. And definitely don’t let the size of the museum fool you. There is A LOT in there.

Nathan Worley
Nathan Worley

4 weeks ago

Great place Scott is knowledgeable and gives a laidback history lesson of the area.

Brad
Brad

a month ago

Best museum experience I have ever had. Scott is awesome and hilarious. Will be back with more people!

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