The Smith-McDowell House Museum is temporarily closed. We have a variety of events, both virtual and in-person, scheduled during our closure.
Please see our Event Calendar for registration.
OUR PROGRAMS
Exhibits
Visit our virtual exhibits, 1918 vs. 2020, Hillbillyland, Deep Dive in Archives, and Douglas Ellington. Check back regularly as we make more content available digitally.
Special Events
We offer a variety of events throughout the year. Join us for LitCafe, History Hour, Outdoor Experiences, our Intro to WNC History Lecture Series, and more!
Awards
We have annually presented the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary and Outstanding Achievement awards since 1955.
Youth Programs
Area educators can check out one of our many traveling trunks or bring their students to our museum for guided tours and lessons.
Collections
Our archival and object collections rotate on and off display in our period rooms and changing exhibits.
Image: George Avery, 1917
Formerly enslaved by the McDowell family, Avery became caretaker of the South Asheville Cemetery, WNC’s oldest public cemetery for African-American burials, after emancipation.
SHARING THE STORIES OF
PEOPLE & MOUNTAINS
The Western North Carolina Historical Association celebrates the enduring stories that define and shape our region. Through special exhibits and tours of the Smith-McDowell House, we strive to celebrate the stories of people from all backgrounds who have called western North Carolina home, with two key goals — to advance the understanding of our shared history and to explore how this history relates to the issues we face in the present.
