The Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center is the primary museum of local history in Buncombe County. As of September 2020, the Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center is open Thursday - Saturday from 10 - 5. The museum offers socoally-distanced events and online workshops year around. It is located 20 minutes from Asheville. Permanent exhibits chronicle the history of the area - known as the "front porch of western North Carolina" - from native culture and colonization up to the present day. Temporary changing exhibits highlight topics of regional and national interest and have included Guastavino tile domes, Black Mountain College, textile manufacturing, Appalachian music, arts and crafts traditions, and moonshine.
The Museum also offers many events each month that interpret the history of the area. Monthly history cafes and book club discussions explore regional culture and events. In addition, monthly hikes explore high, hidden, and historic places, and historic tours take people to places of interest throughout the region.
Led by the deeply skilled and experienced naturalist Nora Murdock, we will explore the rarely-visited private Hemphill Estate in Black Mountain for a … more
Immerse yourself in the captivating world of regional literature with the Swannanoa Valley Museum's Regional Author Book Club. Engage in a … more
Join the Swannanoa Valley Museum for a 4-mile loop hike in the historic Fortune Fields property, formerly owned by Arthur Joe and Mary Hemphill. Now … more
This spring, head outside and learn to identify both common and rare Appalachian wildflowers! Led by Joe and Mary Standaert, local historians and … more
Take a guided tour of the Piney Grove Church cemetery, which dates all the way back to the end of the Revolutionary War. In the early 1780s, the … more
Join Appalachian Barn Alliance lead researcher, Taylor Barnhill, as he presents on how the southern Appalachian Mountains embody a historically recent … more
Join the Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center Haunted History walking tours in downtown Black Mountain’s historic district. Traveling some of … more
Embark on a musical journey with the Swannanoa Valley Museum as we delve into the captivating history of the valley through enchanting songs and … more
Join the Swannanoa Valley Museum for a screening of The Mystery of George Masa, followed by a discussion with Angelyn Whitmeyer, founder of the George … more
Immerse yourself in the captivating world of regional literature with the Swannanoa Valley Museum's Regional Author Book Club. Engage in a … more
Learn the history of Black Mountain and the Swannanoa Valley on this walking tour! Museum staff will lead attendees through historic State Street, … more
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