Nobody throws a downtown party like Raleigh and we're about to have a humdinger!

The new wing at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will open its doors for the first time on Friday, April 20, 2012, at 5pm and stay open until 5pm on Saturday, April 21, for the biggest all-night party downtown Raleigh has seen in a long time, years… maybe ever!

Event planners are expecting as many as 75,000 people to converge on the streets surrounding the museum (two blocks on Jones Street, plus sections of Salisbury, Lane and Edenton Sts.) during that 24-hour time period. They are putting together a full slate of concerts, exhibits, food and other surprises (plus the wonder of the museum itself) for their guests.

It's a great excuse to plan an all-night or a whole weekend trip to Raleigh. Get a room, go to the party, nap awhile, then go back for more.

You can find the latest rundown of the event here. And to be in the know about everything related to the new wing, go to www.visitRaleigh.com/newworld to sign up for future updates.

We hope to see you there!