As you enjoy all that your Asheville vacation home has to offer, be sure to visit the city's museums as well. Asheville is a city located in Buncombe County, North Carolina; and people come to the area to enjoy activities such as golfing, hiking, horseback riding and bicycling. Since it offers so many fun activities, Asheville is a popular vacation spot.
Smith-McDowell House Museum
Opened in 1981 by the Western North Carolina Historical Association is the Smith-McDowell House Museum. The museum is housed in Asheville's oldest residence and it details 19th century life. One of the permanent exhibits, "Smith-McDowell: The House, the People & the Land," tells the story of the three families that lived in the house during the 1800s. Other exhibits include the story of Ashville's famous Buncombe Turnpike, local Native American tribes, Ashville's ties to slavery and the Civil War. A visit to this museum would be a nice day trip from your Asheville rental property.
Pack Place
Located in downtown Ashville is the Pack Place; it contains two museums.
The Ashville Art Museum has the works of Pierre Daura, Mark Peiser, Ruth Asawa and Helen West Heller on permanent display. These artists specialize in sculptures, paintings and photography. The museum also has temporary exhibitions, which have included the crafts and photographs of the Appalachian people and the work of children's book authors. Senior and student discounts are available and children four and under are admitted for free. The museum is open daily.
The Colburn Earth Science Museum is the other Park Place museum. This museum was started in 1960 and began as a gem and mineral museum. In 2002, the museum decided to also include exhibits that covered the other aspects of the earth sciences. The subject matter of these exhibits includes geology, meteorology and mining in North Carolina. Children under three are admitted for free. The museum is open daily.
Black Mountain College Museum and Arts Center
The Black Mountain College Museum and Arts Center was opened in 1993 and is dedicated to spreading awareness of Black Mountain College. Specifically, this museum is an exhibition space that details the history of Black Mountain College. Since BMC was only open for 24 years, all of the exhibitions are documents, publications, lectures and film footage of what life was like at Black Mountain College. The museum also regularly hosts seminars given by and interviews of people who attended the college. Admission is free; and the museum is open Wednesdays from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Thursdays through Sundays, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The North Carolina Arboretum
The North Carolina Arboretum has both indoor and outdoor exhibits dedicated to plant life. The indoor exhibits include plant-related arts and crafts, paintings and a working greenhouse. The arboretum's outdoor exhibits are spread over 434-acres of land. One of the outdoor exhibits is an art installation that is surrounded by 65 acres of cultivated garden. Another outdoor exhibit is the "Plants of Promise Garden." This garden focuses on plants and flowers that are native to the Appalachian region. The plant life is allowed to grow and spread freely throughout the garden. Admission is free; and it is open daily.
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