Located at the Havelock Tourist and Events Center, the Havelock Historical Exhibit is a museum-quality exposition of the community's story beginning with the Native Americans and concluding with the incorporation of the town in 1959. Nine panels of text, photographs, illustrations, maps, and artifacts inform the viewer about early settlers and local industry. Highlights of the exhibit are the story of how the city got its names, Havelock's role in the Civil War, and the creation of the  massive Marine Corps air station at Cherry Point.

The centerpiece of the exhibit is heavily-detailed diorama model of the Union-built log fort from 1862 complete with railroad cars and soldiers engaged in camp life. The permanent Havelock Historical Exhibit opened in October, 2007 and complements the existing exhibits focused on Marine Corps aviation. 

The new exhibit is expected to draw traffic to the tourist center and to entertain and educate visitors of all ages. The Havelock Tourist and Events Center is open to the public Monday through Saturday. School groups and tours are welcome. Admission is free of charge.