Children can get up close and personal with the inhabitants of WNC Nature Center. Snakes, otters, wolves, bears and mountain lions call this preserve home and at the hands-on Nature Lab kids can pet a snake or hold a turtle.
Visit the Cradle of Forestry's Forest Discovery Center where kids can crawl through an "underground tunnel" and take a simulated helicopter ride to put out a forest fire.
Or simply check out one of these great museum spaces in Asheville!
There are 19 Things To Do in Asheville listed on this page.
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 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 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 |
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 |
Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center
| The perfect place to plan your trip to this unique region of America is the Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center, located just outside Asheville, NC, at Parkway Milepost 384. This environmentally designed "green" building features two visitor information desks, museum quality exhibits, a 22-foot "I-Wall" interactive Parkway map, and a dramatic 25-minute movie about the Parkway and the unique cul | 828-298-5330 Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 384 |
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 |
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 |
Grandfather Mountain
| Grandfather Mountain is the tallest mountain in the Blue Ridge and the only private park in the world designated by the United Nations as an International Biosphere Reserve. Feel the rush when you cross the Swinging Bridge; marvel at 360-degree views from one mile above sea level; photograph bears, otters, cougars, eagles and deer in natural habitats; hike rugged back-country trails or stroll gentle nature paths; eat in our restaurant or take your order out to one of many scenic picnic areas; learn about the natural history of the region in our nature museum; interact with our knowledgeable staff and let us help you find your own perfect mountain adventure. | 828-733-4337 US 221 & Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 305 |
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
| The nation's most popular park extends 70 miles along the North Carolina/Tennessee border and contains over 500,000 acres of protected forest. The Mountain Farm Museum is a display of historic farm buildings on US 441 North. | 828-497-1904 Oconaluftee Visitor Center |
Haywood County - Maggie Valley and Waynesville
| Next to the Smokies and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Picnic with the elk, see the real Cold Mountain and explore charming small towns. Enjoy the Wheels Through Time Museum, mountain golf and outdoor fun. Call for a free guide. | 828-452-0152 1233 North 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 |
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 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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |