Winston-Salem museums are the cultural hubs of our city. Whether you’re looking to learn something new about Twin City or plotting a way to spend your Saturday afternoon, here are 11 museums to visit in our city.
History
Old Salem Museums & Gardens , 900 Old Salem Rd. | $13-$27
This historic site boasts several attractions + museums that tell the stories of people, including the Moravian, Black, and Indigenous peoples, of the American South.
Don’t miss: The Historic Town of Salem, a living history of the 18th-century Moravian settlement.
Lam Museum of Anthropology , Palmers Hall Carroll Weather Drive | Free
Learn about human societies and cultures stretching from ancient to modern times through immersive exhibits, with all-ages, hands-on activities that rotate throughout the year.
The Lam Museum can make special arrangements for groups and events, too.
Photo by Lam Museum of Anthropology, Wake Forest University
The Cowboy Museum , 807 Wright’s Farm Rd. | Free
Get lost in local Richard Evans’ collection of Western-themed posters, photos, life-size figures, and other memorabilia across four different rooms.
Körner’s Folly , 412 S. Maint St., Kernersville | $6-$12
This 22-room Victorian mansion built in 1880 was home to artists and designer Jule Gilmer Körner and originally was used to display his interior design portfolio. Visitors can check out the original furnishings, artwork, carved woodwork, hand-laid tile, and more.
Don’t miss: Special events throughout the year like the Fall Vintage Market and flower show
Single Sisters Museum , 301 S. Church St. | Open by appointment
See inside this historic building from 1786, which is the oldest educational institution for girls and women in the US and the oldest building on a college campus in North Carolina.
Kid can dig in an outdoor garden exhibit at Kaleideum.
Photo by Kaleideum
Kids
Kaleideum , 120 W. 3rd St. | $3-$15, Memberships available
This interactive arts and science museum has three levels of play to promote experiential learning. Hands-on exhibits like the Wonders of Water blend technology with arts and mathematics to give kids plenty of ways to explore the world around them.
Don’t miss: Digital dome shows and laser shows to popular music
Arts
Delta Arts Center , 2611 New Walkertown Rd. | Free
The art gallery and cultural center in East Winston-Salem works to stimulate interest and increase awareness about African American artists. It also owns the copyright to two murals by Dr. John Biggers that are on display in the atrium of the O’Kelly Library at Winston-Salem State University.
Reynolda House Museum of American Art , 2250 Reynolda Rd. | $18, Memberships available
Browse a collection of world-renowned American art featuring works by Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, and more throughout a 34,000-sqft historic home. Then, take a walk through the gardens and stop by the village of shops and restaurants.
Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art , 750 Marguerite Dr. | Free, Memberships available
An affiliate of the North Carolina Museum of Art, this modern art museum showcases regional working artists in large-scale, indoor/outdoor settings.
Triad Cultural Arts Center, Inc. , 1922 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. | Free
The center is dedicated to offering culturally immersive experiences that preserve, interpret, and exhibit the heritage of Black Americans. Many of its festivals, tours, and special events are held around the city.
The Reynolda site includes the historic house and museum, formal gardens and grounds, and the village of shops and restaurants.
Photo by Lauren Martinez Olinger, courtesy of Reynolda House & Reynolda Gardens
Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts , 924 S. Main St. | $10-$12
Started by two pioneering antiques dealers and collectors in the 1960s, this museum is dedicated to the appreciation of domestic objects made in the South. You’ll see things like pre-Civil War era pottery, rare 18th- and 19th-century maps, and Piedmont-made furniture.
What did we miss? If you know a museum that’s not on the list, let us know .