Museum's stormwater system gets high marks from sustainability advocates

The parking lots at the museum in west Raleigh, help stormwater flow into a designed system of grass and soil that slows the water and filters pollutants before the water flows into a stream on the property and eventually into the Neuse River, said Dan Gottlieb, the museum's director of planning, design and the Museum Park.

"Water is such an important resource. We can't live without it, but it's so taken for granted," said Jennifer Dean, grassroots and membership coordinator for WakeUP Wake County.

Planners have to keep water quality in mind as they map out the future, Dean said.

"It's really important that our municipalities are working together to deal with our water systems," she said.

Gottlieb said he hopes the museum's ideas can provide inspiration.

"Managing it with these kinds of values by restoring health in all these respects, I hope that some of that rubs off," he said.