Come to the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh to discover November’s variety of fun and educational programs. All this month’s events are free! A museum trip is a great way to spend a fall day, and November’s calendar is brimming with activities.

For example, meet Mildred Council, author of the new cookbook “Mama Dip: A Life of Cooking.” Sample her mouthwatering pecan pie, take home some traditional Southern recipes and hear the inspiring story behind her achievements.

Then get ready for the museum’s largest event of the year, the Native American Heritage Celebration. On Nov. 18 the museum and Bicentennial Plaza will be filled with craft demonstrations, music, dancing, hands-on activities and much, much more. Meet Native Americans from many of the state’s recognized tribes such as Lumbee, Cherokee and Haliwa-Saponi during this special event, a collaboration between the museum and the N.C. Commission of Indian Affairs.

Programs

“Thunderball,” Friday, Nov. 3, 7 p.m. Free. The original James Bond, Sean Connery, is back on the big screen. See him in “Thunderball,” this month’s featured movie in the museum’s James Bond Film Series. This 1965 movie features plenty of gimmicks and Oscar-winning special effects. “Thunderball” was remade 18 years later, starring Connery as “Never Say Never Again.” The film series complements a small lobby exhibit titled “America’s Secret Warriors: The OSS and the George Watts Hill Collection.” The exhibit highlights intriguing items used by field agents in the ultrasecret Office of Strategic Services during World War II.

Mama Dip’s Kitchen, Saturday, Nov. 4, 3 to 4 p.m. Meet Mildred Council, better known as Mama Dip, and delve into her tantalizing Southern recipes. For nearly 25 years, she has nourished thousands of hungry folks in Chapel Hill at her restaurant Mama Dip’s Kitchen. Council is widely respected for her cooking, her charisma and her longtime community service. A book signing follows the program.

History Player, Saturday, Nov. 4, 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. both days. Professional actress Joan J. is back to present her animated performances in the 1920s pharmacy in the “Health and Healing” exhibit gallery. See her portray the character Dr. Elizabeth Kirkpatrick Ross, who tells of her grandmother Lizzie’s struggles with segregation. Dr. Ross recalls how her grandmother, a domestic worker also known for her “doctoring,” obtained special ingredients from a pharmacy in the white section of town to save her dying daughter. After the performance the actress will answer questions about her character, the pharmacy and the exhibit.

Nixon, Blevins and Gage, Sunday, Nov. 12, 3 to 4 p.m. Enjoy an afternoon of Doc Watson-style finger picking with this trio of guitar masters. PineCone cosponsors the performance.

Artist at Work: Louise Bigmeat Maney, Wednesday to Sunday, Nov. 15-19, 1-3 p.m. This Cherokee potter and N.C. Folk Heritage Award winner traces her pottery lineage back to the late 1700s. Watch her at work and enjoy her stories.

Native American Heritage Celebration, Saturday, Nov. 18, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Celebrate North Carolina’s Native American heritage! Enjoy a day of activities, crafts, music and foods, and see some of the state’s most talented Native American performers.

For more information call (919) 715-0200, ext. 313.

The N.C. Museum of History’s hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Parking is available under the museum. The museum is an agency of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.