North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences was founded in 1879 by the North Carolina general assembly. The museum illustrates the agricultural and the natural history of the state. It has a research department that maintains the state s zoological collections and conducts primary research in the natural sciences. The museum store offers a wide assortment of books, videos, cassette tapes, gems and jewelry, natural science kits and educational toys. It has various clubs and organizations, such as bird, fossil, shell, astronomy, gem and mineral clubs, entomological society, herpetological society and wake Audubon society. Its bird clubs provides study and conservation of wildlife. It is affiliated with the North Carolina Department of Environmental and Natural Resources. It additionally has arrangement for birthday parties and is located in Raleigh, N.C.