The North Carolina Museum of History and the Sisterhood of Miss North Carolina have collaborated to produce the commemorative exhibit "Miss North Carolina: Celebrating 75 Years of Memories," opening Friday, June 22, at the museum in Raleigh.

The Miss North Carolina Scholarship Pageant Inc. is celebrating its 75th anniversary, and the exhibit offers a rare glimpse into the history of the pageant and the 75 women who have served the state.

Featuring wardrobe items, crowns, portraits and other memorabilia spanning seven decades, the exhibit showcases items from dozens of Miss North Carolinas. Admission is free, and the exhibit will run through Nov. 25.

"The Miss North Carolina Pageant is part of the heritage and civic fabric of our state," said Ken Howard, director of the North Carolina Museum of History. "'Miss North Carolina: Celebrating 75 Years of Memories' represents the history of this organization and the educational contributions it has made to the state."

In addition to evening gowns and swimsuits, the exhibit highlights unique memorabilia such as a beret presented to Miss North Carolina 1969, Patricia Johnson, when she performed with the Miss America USO troop in Vietnam; a collectible coin minted in honor of Sharon Finch, Miss North Carolina 1964; and toe shoes worn by Lee Beaman, Miss North Carolina 1988.

"The women who have worn the Miss North Carolina crown have distinguished themselves in the arts, education, business, sciences, law and philanthropy," said David Clegg, president of the Sisterhood of Miss North Carolina and deputy chairman of the North Carolina Employment Security Commission. "This pageant has launched thriving careers and has inspired thousands of young women from across the state to acquire the confidence, poise and sense of accomplishment that provide a foundation for lifelong success."

Representatives for the Miss North Carolina Scholarship Pageant Inc. are excited to welcome 42 former Miss North Carolinas to Raleigh for the crowning of Miss North Carolina 2012 on Saturday, June 23, at 8 p.m. at Progress Energy Center Memorial Hall for the Performing Arts. The pageant will be televised statewide on Time Warner Cable.

For more information about the North Carolina Museum of History, call (919) 807-7900, or access the website www.ncmuseumofhistory.org or Facebook.

The museum is located at 5 E. Edenton St., across from the State Capitol. Parking is available in the lot across Wilmington Street.

Hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.