Educational Programs

PLEASE NOTE: The Museum exhibits are now closed. However, the Museum is happy to arrange specialized programs by professional presenters who are recognized experts in their respective areas.  Please contact Teri Reddick for details.

The Appalachian Cultural Museum, an established center for regional cultural preservation since 1989, offers over twenty exhibit areas that present an intriguing overview of the people and places of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Museum offers displays that feature the formation of the Appalachian Mountains, Native American artifacts, settlement of the area, as well as an exhibit on Daniel Boone. Another exhibit relates the family history of Judith Barber, a Wilkes County woman born into slavery in 1822. Exhibits on the natural environment, mountain music, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Jack tales, Grandfather Mountain, mountain families, handicrafts, moonshining, the Civil War, and early industry are of interest to students and teachers alike. There is even a turn-of-the-century general store, stocked with period items, as well as a post office complete with mail. A series of exhibits on tourism, including skiing, the Land of Oz theme park, and Winston-Cup NASCAR racing cars, brings the museum into the present.

Teachers may choose to plan a visit that focuses entirely on the museum exhibit areas. Trained docents who guide the students in the learning process lead exhibit tours. In addition to the guided tour, we suggest teachers include a specialized program to enhance the tour experience. Professional presenters who are recognized experts in their respective areas conduct these programs. The museum tours vary in length depending on the age and size of the visiting group, from forty-five minutes to one and one-half hours. The special programs are one hour each.

You must make reservations when you are planning to bring a group to the Museum. Click here for program scheduling information. If you need additional information, and to get "on the calendar" for a group visit to the Museum, contact Teri Reddick, our Director of Education. The cost for a museum visit with a guided tour is $2.00 per student. There is no additional charge for teachers or bus drivers. In addition, one free pass per ten students will be given for attending chaperones and/or parents accompanying the class. If you would like a presentation in addition to the guided tour, the special program fee is added to the $2.00 per student fee. Refer to the individual program descriptions for the cost of each. The fees help support the educational programming the museum offers.

Indexes:
 History  |  Stories & Music  |  Appalachian Life
All Ages  |  Elementary School