A Story to Tell

Storytelling has been a popular way of sharing information, history and humor in this country for hundreds of years.  That tradition remains strong in Southwest Virginia where there are so many stories to tell. And now, the Southwest Virginia Museum in Big Stone Gap Plays a part in sharing those stories with the community and visitors alike.

The Southwest Virginia Museum is housed in a mansion originally built in the 1880s by Rufus Ayers, a Virginia attorney general.  The exhibits showcase the development of Big Stone Gap beginning in the late 1870s when northern businessmen dreamed of turning the tiny village of Big Stone Gap into the Pittsburgh of the South.  Exhibits chronicle the coming of the railroad, the development of the mining industry, and the lives of many prominent local citizens.

Hours of Operation

Memorial Day - Labor Day:
Monday-Thursday 10-4, Friday 9-4,Saturday 10-5 Sunday 1-5
After Labor Day - December 31 and March 1 - Memorial Day: Closed Mondays; open all other days as posted above. 

Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, January and February.
Hours are subject to change.  Please call ahead to confirm hours of operation.   An admission fee is charged.

For more information, call or write:
Southwest Virginia Museum
Box 742
Big Stone Gap, VA 24219
276-523-1322

Please visit the new museum website at http://www.swvamuseum.org/

Information and photograph provided by Virginia's Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of State Parks, Southwest Virginia Museum