4330 Westmont Dr., Charlotte
704/401-3200
www.billygraham.org

HOURS: Mon.–Sat. 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m.

COST: Free

The Billy Graham Library isn’t a library at all; it’s a museum honoring the life of Christian Evangelist Billy Graham. The $2.7 million facility opened its doors in May 2007 to much fanfare; former presidents Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush, and Bill Clinton turned out to celebrate its grand opening.

One of the permanent exhibits, “A Journey of Faith,” details the historic moments in Graham’s life, from the 1940s to the present. There are hundreds of photographs that detail Graham’s global reach, including pictures taken with world leaders as well as video footage and audio clips that span six decades.

A bookstore and a café are also part of the complex (in case learning about everlasting life triggers a craving for cookies).

The site also houses a replica of the dairy farm where Graham grew up, complete with a reconstructed brick colonial home that is an exact model of Graham’s childhood home. The home itself is a museum of sorts, filled with period furnishings and accessories, including several original pieces from the Graham homestead. Even the bricks and wood flooring on the main level were reclaimed from the original home and used to build the replica.