Museum of Appalachia

The Museum of Appalachia is a non-profit, 501(c)3 corporation. We are grateful for your support in continuing our mission of preserving our Appalachian heritage and culture. 

The Museum of Appalachia, a living history museum of pioneer, frontier, and early artifacts of mountain life in the Southern Appalachians.

We are proud to announce that we have been named an Affiliate of the prestigious Smithsonian Institution, who describes us as "an American treasure" that "stands alone as a tribute to the American spirit. The Museum of Appalachia is about family, country, hard work, and respect for tradition."

With more than 30 historic log buildings gathered onto 63 acres and hundreds of exhibits celebrating the creativity and color of our Appalachian forebears, the Museum annually hosts over 100,000 visitors who view thousands of relics in authentic settings. It was, in fact, founder John Rice Irwin's intention to develop the Museum as an authentic representation of early life in Appalachia, seeking to make the dwellings appear as if the family has just strolled down to the spring to fetch the day's supply of water.