Historic Attractions & Museums
History buffs are drawn to the Asheville area’s rich background and architectural wonders.
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| Biltmore Estate, America's largest home, attracts a million visitors and was just named one of the top 10 architectural wonders. |
The city earned an international reputation as a premier health resort in the 1890s. By the 1920s, Asheville was a destination for the rich and famous, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford.
Today's visitors find a city steeped in history. Step back in time and experience Gilded Age elegance at America’s largest home, George Vanderbilt’s 250-room Biltmore House. Relive the Victorian era at the circa 1840 Smith-McDowell House-Museum, Asheville's oldest home. Explore the Thomas Wolfe Memorial, the acclaimed author's boyhood home and the inspiration for his novel "Look Homeward, Angel."
Much of the architecture in downtown was constructed by the same craftspeople who built Biltmore House. Asheville boasts more Art Deco architecture than any southeastern city other than Miami Beach. Get a sampling by viewing the Attractions and Sightseeing Picture Slideshow.
List of Asheville area Historic Attractions and Museums:
There are 44 Things To Do in Asheville listed on this page.
"Unto These Hills... a retelling"
 | It's the greatest story never told, at least not as we are telling it this year. With a new script, new direction, new score, new choreography it is a story as old as time, and as fresh as the next performance. "Unto These Hills…a retelling" is a poignant drama that tells the story of the Eastern Band of Cherokee, from the arrival of the Europeans and the forced exile along the Trail of Tears in 1838–39, to the ultimate revival of tribal life and tradition that survives today. The third longest running outdoor drama in the nation features live music, ritual dance, and authentic Cherokee costumes, set onstage in a 2,800-seat mountainside amphitheater. Since its inaugural debut in 1950, over 5 million visitors have attended the memorable drama. |  828-497-2111 Mountainside Theatre |
Asheville Art Museum
| Be inspired by world-class special exhibitions and the Asheville Art Museum's outstanding collection, showcasing the very best of 20th and 21st century American art and the cultural heritage and contemporary art of Western North Carolina. This award winning Museum presents 14 exhibitions and hundreds of public programs annually and welcomes visitors of all ages. | 828-253-3227 2 South Pack Square |
Asheville Ghost Trolley
| Relax on our trolley as you weave and twist through the oldest, and most haunted, mountains to visit the chilling sites of Asheville. Spend 60-90 minutes absorbed in the darkest clouds of the “Land of the Sky. | 828-681-8585 Buyer's Agent at 37 Montford Ave |
Asheville Historic Tours
| Step back in time to glimpse the history of Asheville. Come along on a walking architecture/history tour of Montford, Asheville's first Historic District, or learn about the diverse architecture and shopkeepers who were the foundation of downtown Asheville's development. You can stroll or drive the winding paths of a Victorian "rural" garden cemetery on a visit to Riverside Cemetery. | 828-777-1014 333 Montford Avenue |
Asheville Historic Trolley Tours
| You'll tour through Montford Historic District, one of the largest historic districts in North Carolina! You'll see Asheville's impressive collection of Queen Ann style historic homes, the exquisite Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa where six U.S. presidents and countless celebrities and historical figures have visited, see the Thomas Wolfe Home and Museum, travel through Battery Park shopping and restaurant district and the Grove Arcade, Visit Pack Square cultural area, Biltmore Village, River Arts District, enjoy fabulous mountain views and so much more. Our professionally trained tour guides will relate the history and lore of Asheville… the Paris of the South. Your guide will combine humorous stories and historical information into a fun-filled tour. Asheville's Longest Running Trolley Line. Unlimited Hop-On & Hop-Off Privileges | 828-681-8585 37 Montford Avenue |
Asheville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts
| More than 50 parks offering golf, swimming, tennis, skateboarding, roller hockey, climbing wall, nature center, playgrounds, basketball, community centers, ballfields, picnic shelters, trails and much more. | 828-259-5800 70 Court Plaza |
Asheville Urban Trail
| The Asheville Urban Trail has often been called Asheville's "museum without walls." Started by a small group of citizens interested in helping revitalize downtown, the Urban Trail consists of thirty stations of bronze sculpture around downtown. Each station has a plaque illuminating some of the very interesting history of downtown's development and the various notable people who once lived here. Mostly local artists helped to create the whimsical bronze sculptures and other art works that are found at each station. The tour is a 1.7 mile walk that begins and ends at Pack Place and takes about two hours to complete in its entirety. Groups can arrange to schedule a tour guide by contacting Christy Ammerman at the Asheville Area Arts Council 10 days to 2 weeks in advance of their desired tour date. Guide-led group tours are $5/adult and $2/child. Additionally, walking guides and maps are available for self-guided tours free of charge at Pack Place and the Asheville Area Arts Council. | 828-258-0710 Downtown Asheville |
Biltmore
| Explore the wonders of Biltmore in Asheville for a day or a week. Discover America's largest home, magnificent gardens, award-winning winery, great shopping and delicious dining and a four-diamond escape at our inn. | 828-225-1333 One Approach Road |
Black Mountain Center for the Arts
| This community arts facility, housed in the beautifully renovated Old City Hall, has exhibits in the Gallery along with programs in music, visual and performing arts. The Main Floor has monthly Concerts every 4th Friday featuring acoustic musicians from the area. The Gallery exhibits provide a wide array of subject and media, from contemporary and traditional paintings to sculpture, photography, and ceramics. Special events range from theater, storytelling and film, to festivals, concerts, and sing-alongs. Classes and workshops offer everything from belly dance to painting to dry stack stonewall to photography. Behind the main building, a newly renovated Pottery Studio offers a full range of classes for adults and youth, community memberships, and "paint-on" pottery. The Black Mountain Center for the Arts also presents an annual Art in Bloom, a 3-day flowers and art show. There is something for everyone all year round - so You Can Be a Part of the Arts! | 828-669-0930 225 West State Street |
Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center
| An exhibition space and resource center dedicated to exploring the history and legacy of the world's most acclaimed experimental educational community, Black Mountain College. | 828-350-8484 56 Broadway Street |
Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
| This National Park Service site honors the accomplishments of American poet Carl Sandburg. Take a guided tour of the historic home; visit the farm and trails. Free for farm and trails. Fee for house tour; cash and check only. | 828-693-4178 81 Carl Sandburg Lane |
Colburn Earth Science Museum
| An interactive earth science museum for all ages with a special focus on the unique geology of WNC. Exhibits include the history of local mining and meteorology and the permanent collection in the Hall of Gems and Minerals. | 828-254-7162 2 South Pack Square |
Downtown Asheville
| Steeped in history, Asheville's downtown boasts more art deco architecture than any southeastern city other than Miami Beach. Over 150 unique shops, galleries, and cafes offer lots of opportunity to browse or buy. | 828-251-9973 Downtown Asheville |
Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum at the Grovewood Gallery
| Established in 1965, the museum is home to 19 rare and vintage automobiles as well as some original horse-drawn carriages and Asheville's 1922 Fire Engine. Museum is free of charge. | 828-253-7651 111 Grovewood Road |
Folk Art Center
| Home of the Southern Highland Craft Guild representing craft artists from Southern Appalachia. Houses three fine art galleries and offers daily craft demonstrations. | 828-298-7928 Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 382 |
Ghost Town In The Sky
| Step back into the Wild West at Ghost Town in the Sky. Surrounded with breathtaking views in a beautiful mountain setting, Ghost Town is a timeless, family theme park located in the heart of Western North Carolina. | 828-926-1140 US 19, Soco Road |
Go Blue Ridge Card
| Go Blue Ridge Card is a multi-attraction pass that INCLUDES admission to over 25 of Western North Carolina's most popular attractions and adventures. Pay just ONE LOW PRICE and use the pass to gain admission to top attractions, such as: Biltmore; Whitewater Rafting; Smoky Mountain Jet Boats; Grandfather Mountain; Chimney Rock Park; Linville Caverns; Tweetsie Railroad; Gray Line Trolley Tours of Asheville; Wine Tasting; and over 20 more! Comes with a FREE full-color guidebook, PLUS VIP savings on shopping & dining. Purchase a 2, 3, or 5-day duration pass depending on how long you are visiting and do as much as you like on each day. (You may take up to 2 weeks to use the days on the pass. Your days DO NOT need to be used consecutively.) Available at: www.GoBlueRidgeCard.com; Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, 37 Montford Ave.; and the Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center, Milepost 384 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. | 800-887-9103 Card available at various locations across Western North Carolina. |
Gray Line Trolley Tours of Asheville
| Hop aboard one of Gray Line's nostalgic RED trolleys for a fully narrated journey, highlighting the history, homes and hot-spots of this "City of Surprises." The Gray Line Trolley Tour includes all major points of interest including the diverse Montford Historic District, legendary Grove Park, Art Deco-rich downtown Asheville, the artsy and edgy River Arts District and the quaint and historic Biltmore Village. Remain onboard for a comprehensive 1.5 to 1.75 hour tour, or hop-off at any of Gray Line's 7 trolley stops along the route to shop dine and explore, then re-board the next trolley to continue your tour. The tour also includes FREE admission into the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Historic Site. Join the tour at the Asheville Visitor Center or any tour stop and enjoy old-fashioned fun for everyone! | 828-251-8687 Departs from the Asheville Visitor Center, and various area locations |
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
| Travel through fertile valleys and down into moutain gorges. Offering 4 to 4.5 hour round-trip and Dinner Train excursions in beautiful Western North Carolina. Depots in Bryson City and Dillsboro (Dillsboro will close after August 9). | 828-586-8811 226 Everett Street |
HandMade Trip Planner
| At the edge of the Penland School of Crafts, a rocket scientist turned professional potter experiments with new dinnerware glazes in his studio. On looms that have shuttled for decades, women of the Crossnore community make woven goods prized by presidents and favorite uncles. Life imitates art as two sisters transform a 19th century farm into a haven of hospitality with gardens of gourmet vegetables and organic flowers to complement an upscale restaurant and espresso bar. You'll discover the shops, gardens and studios of these extraordinary people in the HandMade Trip Planner. We'll help you explore destinations along the back roads and byways nestled among the Blue Ridge Mountains - where you can see only as far as the next bend, as something of timeless grace unfolds. Make the most of Western North Carolina, and you can be certain that your journeys will be filled with lifetime memories. Design your trip online today! | 828-252-0121 HandMade in America |
HandMade Trip Planner
| At the edge of the Penland School of Crafts, a rocket scientist turned professional potter experiments with new dinnerware glazes in his studio. On looms that have shuttled for decades, women of the Crossnore community make woven goods prized by presidents and favorite uncles. Life imitates art as two sisters transform a 19th century farm into a haven of hospitality with gardens of gourmet vegetables and organic flowers to complement an upscale restaurant and espresso bar. You'll discover the shops, gardens and studios of these extraordinary people in the HandMade Trip Planner. We'll help you explore destinations along the back roads and byways nestled among the Blue Ridge Mountains - where you can see only as far as the next bend, as something of timeless grace unfolds. Make the most of Western North Carolina, and you can be certain that your journeys will be filled with lifetime memories. Design your trip online today! | 828-252-0121 HandMade in America |
Historic Hendersonville & Village of Flat Rock
| Enjoy our Southern hospitality. You'll discover scenic natural beauty, historic sites and districts, Carl Sandburg Home NHS, Flat Rock Playhouse, Dupont State Forest's waterfalls and trails plus family fun and entertainment! | 828-693-9708 201 South Main Street |
Historic Johnson Farm
| This 1880s brick farmhouse is listed on National Register. Former summer boarding house and farm. Museum, guided tours, miniature horses and antique farm equipment displays. | 828-891-6585 3346 Haywood Road |
LaZoom Comedy Tour
| Hop aboard the big purple bio-diesel fueled fun bus and learn the history of Asheville like you've never heard it before! Enjoy a 90-minute slap stick comedy tour exploring Asheville. Fun for the whole family. Get on the bus! | 828-225-6932 90 Biltmore Avenue, starting location |
Montford Historic District
| Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Montford area, just north of downtown Asheville, boasts a variety of architectural styles as well as historic tidbits. Today, the area contains homes and businesses, including 11 bed and breakfasts. | 828-255-4946 Montford Historic District |
Moving Sidewalk Tours
| Enjoy the glide of Asheville's only downtown Segway Tour. Starting at the Asheville Visitor Center, you will receive training followed by a 2 to 2.5 hour tour of downtown including the Grove Arcade, the Urban Trail and parts of the Montford Historic District. | 828-776-8687 Asheville Visitor Center |
Museum of the Cherokee Indian
| The Museum of the Cherokee Indian tells the story of Cherokee history and features the esteemed "Emissaries of Peace," exhibit chronicling a peaceful 1762 encounter between the British and the Cherokee. Funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, "Emissaries of Peace" received a presidential designation as a "We the People" exhibit. "Emissaries" was viewed by over 3.9 million visitors' while at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in the summer of 2007. It is the only traveling exhibition produced by members of an American Indian tribe. The Museum has designed an award-winning, interactive space that celebrates the tribe's longevity through interactive displays, images, artifacts and other materials that offer a thought provoking glimpse at a culture more than 10,000 years old. | 828-497-3481 P.O. Box 1599 |
North Carolina Arboretum
| 434-acre public garden in south Asheville with 65-acres of cultivated gardens including the Bonsai Exhibition Garden, 10 miles of forested trails, Garden tours, Segway® Tours, Art Walk, Nature Activities for kids, rotating science, art and cultural history exhibits, a Cafe and gift shops. | 828-665-2492 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way |
North Carolina Homespun Museum
| Museum presents a historical overview of Biltmore Industries, from its origin as a craft education program in 1901, through its transformation into an industry that gained worldwide recognition for its hand-loomed fabrics. | 828-253-7651 111 Grovewood Road |
North Carolina Literary Trails
| See Western North Carolina through its writers’ eyes! Buy the book, or use the online travel guide, for day or half day tours that take you to the communities, historic sites, and hangouts of notable writers. | 919-807-6500 Various locations across Western North Carolina |
Oconaluftee Indian Village
| Since 1952, visitors have been traveling back in time to experience the Cherokee way of life, circa 1750, at the Oconaluftee Indian Village - a live working Indian village. While on tour, visitors will see residents in native dress involved in numerous activities - many still practiced today - such as canoe hulling, preparing cornbread, arrowhead knapping, mask making, pottery, storytelling, basket weaving, beading, and other native skills. While at the Village Square, don't miss the outdoor mini-drama "A Time of War," a conflict between white militant settlers and the Cherokee. The Village also offers "Hands-on Cherokee" pottery, basket weaving, and beading classes, where Cherokee craftsman teach techniques thousands of years old. Call to register for classes. Limit 20 people. | 828-497-2111 Drama Road |
Pack Place Education, Arts & Science Center
| This vibrant centerpiece of downtown Asheville houses the Asheville Art Museum, Colburn Earth Science Museum, Diana Wortham Theatre and The Health Adventure. A few steps away is the YMI Cultural Center. | 828-257-4500 2 South Pack Square |
Riverside Cemetery
| Visit one of Asheville's oldest historic cemeteries and the final resting place for many of Asheville's early prominent citizens, including the famous authors Thomas Wolfe and O. Henry. | 828-350-2066 53 Birch Street |
Smith-McDowell House Museum
| Relive the Victorian era at Asheville's oldest house (circa 1840). Explore opulent period rooms, history exhibits and grounds designed by the renowned Olmsted Brothers. | 828-253-9231 283 Victoria Road |
Southern Appalachian Radio Museum
| Presenting a collection of radios from World War I to the 1960s - early amateur and home radios such as Atwater-Kent and Philco, many from the 1920s and 1930s plus an operating radio station. | 828-299-1276 A-B Tech Community College, Elm Building Room 315 |
Southern Highland Craft Guild
| The Southern Highland Craft Guild works to instill and maintain excellence in the design and workmanship of crafts taught, produced and marketed in the southern Appalachian region. Headquarters are located at the Folk Art Center which also houses three galleries, Allanstand Craft Shop and a bookstore. | 828-298-7928 Folk Art Center |
Stuart Nye Hand Wrought Jewelry
| Stuart Nye has made quality jewelry by hand using nature's designs in sterling silver, copper and brass since 1933. Watch the craftsmen at work and see samples of the jewelry, which is for sale next door at Craft Guilds. | 828-298-7989 940 Tunnel Road |
Swannanoa Valley Museum
| The primary museum of general history in Buncombe County, with exhibits that reflect the pioneer history of Western North Carolina, interpreted in photos and artifacts from the Swannanoa Valley, east of Asheville. | 828-669-9566 223 West State Street |
The Health Adventure
| Founded in 1968, The Health Adventure's mission is to serve as a health & science museum for children & today's families, dedicated to improving health awareness, promoting wellness lifestyles & increasing science & environmental literacy through programs & exhibits. The Health Adventure currently serves 130,000 people annually, mostly children, from 27 counties across NC and additional visitors from neighboring states through combined museum visits, school field trips & outreach classes. The Health Adventure explores the wonders of the human body & the world around us, encouraging curiosity, creativity & capacity for human discovery. Health, biological & physical science, technology & the scientific process are emphasized in our interactive exhibits & curricula. Our goal is to ensure students and families leave The Health Adventure & our programs more knowledgeable about health & science so they develop lifelong patterns of good health & independent learning and discovery. | 828-254-6373 2 South Pack Square |
The Qualla Arts & Crafts Mutual, Inc.
| The Qualla Arts & Crafts Mutual, Inc. is the nation's oldest and leading arts and crafts cooperative; created in 1946 to secure fair prices and provide a year-round market for talented Eastern Band Cherokee Indian Artists. Approximately 300 Qualla Mutual artists create baskets, pottery, wood and stone carved sculpture, beadwork, fine art paintings, and more for display and purchase at the co-op. It's the largest collection of its kind in the nation. Many of the artists work with age-old materials and techniques; others experiment with new methods and abstract forms. Entry to the Qualla Mutual is a juried process and restricted to enrolled members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, which grew from Cherokees who avoided removal west in the 1830s. Qualla Mutual members have won competitions at the Santa Fe Indian Market and demonstrated their skills at the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival. The purity and simplicity of the Cherokee work attracts many collectors. | 828-497-3103 The Qualla Arts & Crafts Mutual, Inc. |
Thomas Wolfe Memorial State Historic Site
| Novelist Thomas Wolfe's boyhood home and setting for his 1929 novel "Look Homeward, Angel". Visitor Center offers audio-visual presentation, exhibits and gift shop. Tours of the historic Old Kentucky Home are offered hourly. | 828-253-8304 52 North Market Street |
Wheels Through Time Museum
| See the world's largest collection of rare American motorcycles, cars from each of the 10 decades of America's automobile history and related memorabilia. | 828-926-6266 62 Vintage Lane |
WNC Nature Center
| The WNC Nature Center is 40 acres of animals in their native habitats. It provides an opportunity to learn, to touch and to know our rich natural heritage through educational and interactive exhibits. | 828-298-5600 75 Gashes Creek Road |
Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace State Historic Site
| This 1830s reconstructed mountain farmstead is where North Carolina's Civil War Governor, Zebulon B. Vance, was born. | 828-645-6706 911 Reems Creek Road |