Billy Graham has preached to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history — nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories. He has reached hundreds of millions more through television, video, film, and webcasts.

Although Graham's work took him around the world, he loved returning to North Carolina, which has been his home most of his life. On Friday, Nov. 6 — the day before Graham's 97th birthday — the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh opened an exhibit that explores his extraordinary life and a ministry that spanned seven decades.

His story is featured in North Carolina's Favorite Son: Billy Graham and His Remarkable Journey of Faith. The free exhibit, on view through July 10, 2016, is privately funded, developed, and produced by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. The exhibit title draws from the 2013 resolution passed by the N.C. General Assembly honoring the life of Graham's wife, Ruth Bell Graham, and naming Billy Graham "North Carolina's Favorite Son."

The worldwide significance of Graham has been recognized by honors such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. In 2015, the North Carolinian made an unparalleled 59th appearance in the top 10 of the Gallup organization's list of