What are the opening hours?

Monday 5am - 12am Tuesday 5am - 12am Wednesday 5am - 12am Thursday 5am - 12am Friday 5am - 12am Saturday 5am - 12am Sunday 5am - 12am

Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park

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Wilson, NC
Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park

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Public park in the heart of Historic Downtown Wilson featuring 30 massive, vibrant, wind-driven whirligigs made from found materials by Vollis Simpson.

These whirligigs are officially recognized as North Carolina's State Folk Art. Imagine a place where vibrant color, dynamic motion, and rhythmic sound dazzle the senses, a public park and outdoor museum where local community and international visitors alike can gather around the iconic, monumental, wind-powered sculptures of world-renowned artist and engineer Vollis Simpson. A one-of-a-kind art park in the heart of Historic Downtown Wilson, NC, NOW OPEN, provides fascinating artistic, educational, and recreational opportunities at the intersection of art and science.

10/31/2026

We are honored to have been chosen by the readers of the Wilson Times Co. as 2026 winners in the categories pictured above 🏅

10/29/2026

Conservator, Mel Bowen talks to us about repairs made to the fans on Windmill.

10/27/2026

Great visit from WCTI News 12!

10/27/2026

America’s Best Sculpture Park is right here in Wilson, NC!

We’re still celebrating the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park being named #1 Best Sculpture Park in America by USA TODAY 10Best! We’re glad to celebrate alongside our friends at the NC Whirligig Festival, pictured here with Vollis’ award-winning whirligigs in the background.

Did you know the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park & Museum and the NC Whirligig Festival are two separate non-profit organizations? While we share a love for these incredible works of art, we each play a different role in celebrating Wilson’s whirligig heritage.

Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park & Museum is dedicated to preserving and showcasing Vollis Simpson’s one-of-a-kind whirligigs, sharing his story, and educating visitors about this remarkable art form recognized as North Carolina’s official State Folk Art.

The NC Whirligig Festival brings the community together for an exciting and lively celebration of whirligigs. It offers a platform for local artists, craftsmen, and performers to showcase their talents, as well as a chance for attendees to enjoy live music, delicious food, and interactive activities centered around these captivating artworks.

Whether you’re visiting this the park to take in these incredible sculptures or joining us in Downtown Wilson NC for festival weekend, both organizations offer unique experiences that highlight the rich culture heritage of this fascinating artworks form.

We hope to see everyone during the 22nd annual NC Whirligig Festival

Saturday, November 7 | 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday, November 8 | Noon - 5 p.m.

10/24/2026

Don’t forget to come check out the park at night to see how they reflect💡

The park is open from 5 am to midnight!
Be sure to make some nighttime memories this fall.

10/20/2026

We had Jay, Garret, Ivy, Ella, and Jacob come to visit the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park & Museum with the NC State’s Senior Design Program in the Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering. 🐺❤️🤍

This is what Garret had to say about their trip to Wilson.
“We were all very impressed with the park and with Wilson. There is an energy and a spirit for innovation that is evident throughout the city. The scope of our project is to continue to build upon the work of the previous two teams. Specifically, we will be expanding to the North Carolina Museum of Art and the Gregg Museum. We will also perform an overhaul of the user interface to create an enhanced public website/ dashboard that will show wind, tilt, vibration, etc. Behind the scenes, we plan to build a new maintenance portal for the museum to use to schedule maintenance and detect structural degradation. Ideally, some sort of predictive modeling will be used to alert the museum team to necessary repairs before the whirligigs actually begin to break. “

Stay tuned in to follow their journey to helping our whirligig’s preservation.

10/17/2026

Check out the projects our conservators are working on for this fall conservation season 🍂
For our non-profit organization, your donations make conservation possible.
So thank you to all who have donated to keep the whirligigs spinning.

10/13/2026

Last Tuesday, we had the Barton Faculty come help out in the park and museum for service day! It was amazing to see their Bulldog spirit! 💙

Liz, Bill, and John - Barton College Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Faculty

We want to thank them for all their hard work!

10/06/2026

The park is such a great space to spend your time ❤️
Stop by and check out the park, it’s open from 5 a.m to midnight.

10/03/2026

Looking for something to do in the cool fall weather?

Check out these great events going on through October 🍂🥧🧥

Address

301 Goldsboro Street S
Wilson, NC
27893

Opening Hours

Monday	5am - 12am
Tuesday	5am - 12am
Wednesday	5am - 12am
Thursday	5am - 12am
Friday	5am - 12am
Saturday	5am - 12am
Sunday	5am - 12am

Telephone

+12526741352

Website

http://wilsonwhirligigpark.org/

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