A self-guided tour of the Museum can be an exciting and educational experience. The foundation of the tour is laid when you read the inscription on the large granite panel near the reception desk, and then look up at the 100-foot mural. The mural is an accurate painting of the surrounding mountains, reproduced from timed, still photographs.

• The tour begins with a stop at the natural history exhibit, and then on to an exhibit about the world's largest open-face granite quarry.
• Travel through time along the mighty Yadkin River and learn about life in a log cabin, the region's early settlers and communities, and early commerce.
• Next, visit a turn-of-the-century general store and a 70-foot scale model railroad that takes you from Sanford, North Carolina to Kibler Valley in Virginia.
• The lower level of the Museum is home to three American La France fire engines - dated 1916, 1926, and 1946.  The recreated living quarters of the firefighters are also on exhibit.
• Turn-of-the-century household items in a Victorian parlor, clothing, and toys are part of exhibits located on the second floor of the Museum. Also featured is a large exhibit on the Siamese twins, Eng and Chang Bunker plus Andy Griffith and his heritage. The War Memorial Exhibit is continually expanding. On loan exhibits are also located in this area.
• A visit to the observation room, located in the clock tower, provides a memorable view of the mountains. Come and enjoy!

Visiting groups who would like a guided tour of the Museum can make arrangements by calling the Program and Education Office at 336-786-4478 ext. 228. Please call two weeks in advance of your visit so proper arrangements can be made. There is a small admission fee to tour the museum:

Adults - $4
Seniors - $3
Students - $2
Groups of 10 or more - $3

School Tours or Programs
This school year, the Museum will offer both guided tours of the Museum and specific programs for smaller groups. One school chaperon is required for each group of ten students. We request that you arrive at the Museum five to ten minutes before your scheduled time. There are two bus parking spaces on Virginia Street beside the Museum. Parking is also available in the lot behind the Museum by entering on Virginia Street.

Complete Tour
A tour of all galleries in the Museum takes a minimum of ninety minutes; two hours is suggested. Special programs should be scheduled at a different time from the tour, if possible, to allow adaquate time for both the tour and the program. Museum docents serve as tour guides to interpret the exhibits and to answer questions. This tour is adapted to the age of our visiting students. Students will be divided into smaller groups of ten students for the tour.

School Programs for the 2008 - 2009 School Year
"Meet Me At the Wigwan: A Native American Experience"
View a typical Southeastern Native American dwelling as you learn about the culture of the Sauras, the Native Americans who inhabited this region. View the types of items inside and outside of their bark house and discuss the importance of these items for everyday use. Participate in games the Saura children played. Listen to stories and legends the Eastern Woodland Native Americans would tell their children and sing Native American songs. Create a Native American craft and learn to speak in sign language. Taste traditional Native American foods, such as popcorn, sweet potatoes, and grape or apple juice. (Two hours and thirty minutes) A charge of $1.00 per student applies to this program.

"Hog and Hominy"
Learn about the importance of corn and hogs in the lives of early settlers. Discover the different ways corn was used and its economic importance to this region. In the early days of colonization, the production of liquor was the only cash crop in the Piedmont and Mountain regions of North Carolina. Use corn husks (shucks) to stuff a mattress for a "rope bed". Grind corn with a wooden mortar and pestle. Sample early corn recipes. (Two hours)

"Compare and Contrast A Backcountry Christmas With a Moravian Christmas"
Learn how Christmas was celebrated in the late 18th and early 19th centuries in a cabin on the Carolina frontier and the customs and folklore that were brought to America from the British Isles. Make a simple tree decoration from natural materials available in that time period to take home. Learn about the Christmas customs observed by the Moravians, such as the Advent Wreath, the Putz, and the Lovefeast. Each student will trim a candle to take home. (Two hours and thirty minutes) A charge of $1.00 applies to this program and it is only available from Thanksgiving until December 19.

"A Victorian Christmas"
Learn how Christmas was celebrated in the late 19th century. Understand the impact of the railroad on a family living in the Mount Airy area. Learn about the role of children in the family during the Victorian era. Create a Victorian ornament to take home. (Two hours) A charge of $1.00 per student applies to this program and it is only available from Thanksgiving until December 19.

"The Age of Innocence: The Victorian Influence"
Visit a typical Victorian "parlor" where children and young adults would socialize and have fun. Learn about music parties in the parlor, hear a pump organ and see a victrola. View several Victorian period toys and play games that children would have played with their new "store-bought" toy. Talk about the popularity of toy manufacturing during the Victorian era. Learn why the Victorian period was referred to as "The Age of Innocence" for children. (One hour and thirty minutes)

"Laying Up For The Winter"
Visit a pioneer family as they prepare for winter in their backcountry cabin. Learn about drying apples and other fruits, as well as "leather britches". Learn about quilting, and shucking and grinding corn. Taste and smell other foods important to early settlers, such as hominy and kraut. (One hour and thirty minutes)

"The Fabrics Of Their Lives"
Learn how difficult it was for early settlers to create a piece of clothing and the lengthy process from the raw material, to the fabric, to the finished clothing. Try on clothing similar to that which early settlers wore.Touch and card wool, learn about the growing of flax and how it became linen, and view a barn loom to understand weaving. Discuss the roots, herbs, plants, and berries used to make different types of dyes for clothing. (One hour and thirty minutes)

"Journey to Carolina"
Join a pioneer family as they travel down the Great Philadelphia Wagon Road to the Hollows in Surry County. Select the items to take on your journey to survive in your new wilderness home as you help pack the wagon for the trip. Visit the family's new log cabin home. Talk about the chores the children would have been responsible for and sample food the family would have prepared. (One hour and thirty minutes)

"A Country Family Goes To Town"
Join a rural family as they make plans to travel to town to visit the blacksmith shop and general store. Decide what things you hope to bring home. Barter eggs and butter with the storekeeper. Sample a stick of candy and choose fabric for a new dress or shirt. Play checkers and catch up on the news in the community. (One hour)

Native American History Cart
A docent will discuss items used by the Native Americans in this region. Students will be able to touch the items on the cart, such as arrowheads and nutting stones etc. as they are passed around. One male and one female student will model the typical Eastern Woodland Native American clothing. (Forty-five minutes)

Log Cabin History Cart
A docent will discuss items used by the early pioneers in this region. Students will be able to touch the items on the cart, such as a butter mold, a flat iron, a shoe last, a coffee grinder, etc. as they are passed around. One male and one female student will model the typical pioneer clothing worn during the eighteenth century. (Forty-five minutes)

Planning Your Visit
If you would like to bring your class for one of the educational programs outlined in the booklet, please call the Museum Education and Program Office at least two weeks in advance of the date you wish to visit.

Many of the programs take advance preparation for food and supplies. In addition, we have to schedule time with volunteers who participate in the various programs. Planning ahead is most important if your visit is to be productive.

Admission to the Museum is $2 for students, $1 for daycare and preschool groups, and $4 for adults and $3 for seniors. Surry County, Mt. Airy City, Elkin City and Millenium Charter Schools are admitted free to the Musuem on school sponsored field trips.

Teacher's Guide Booklets on planning a visit to the Museum are also available. The booklet provides information on preparing your students for a visit and also how to set up your visit.

Please call the Heather Coe, the Director of Education and Programs, at (336) 786-4478 ext. 228 for additional information or to schedule a tour or program.

Preparing Your Students for a Visit
The Museum strives to maintain a professional setting for all visitors. We would like for you to talk briefly with your students about what is expected of them while they are in the Museum. We call this "Museum Manners."

Please ask your students not to touch any of the artifacts unless they are given that opportunity by a docent. There should be no running or pushing. Everyone will be given an opportunity to see and hear. Students are asked to stay with the group to which they were originally assigned, and to avoid excessive and loud talking. Chewing gum is not permitted in the Museum. Time is provided for restroom and water breaks. Students almost always display good manners and good behavior. It is very helpful for docents if students wear a nametag.

We also ask that teachers and adult school personnel stay with their group of students and take responsibility for maintaining discipline. Adults are requested to turn off cell phones while in the Museum.

The Mission Statement and a brief history of the Museum are also included in this booklet. By sharing this information with your students in advance of their visit, they will have a better understanding of what we are seeking to accomplish when they tour Museum.

A Visit to the Museum Shop
Following a tour of the Museum, students look forward to spending some time in the Museum Shop. It gives them the opportunity to purchase and take home a memento of their experiences. Every effort has been made to ensure that there are quality items, sanctioned through the Museum Store Association, available and affordable to students. If you plan to visit the Museum Gift Shop, please allocate additional time when scheduling your tour. For the teacher's convenience, we have developed gift bags that can be ordered prior to your scheduled tour or program. The gift bags contain a variety of items and are priced at $2. An order form will be provided ahead of time.

Girl Scout Patch Program
Through the great leadership skills of Junior Girl Scout, Natalie Johnson, the Museum has developed something very special for the Tarheel Triad Girl Scout's Council Patch Program. The Museum has joined Old Salem, Bethabara and Horne Creek Living History Farm in offering such a program.

Girl Scouts participating in the program learn about the history of the surrounding region through exhibits and also by taking a walking tour of historic sites within a one and a half mile radius of the Museum.

A special packet of information about the Girl Scout Program has been prepared and can be picked up at the Museum. Please click here for the requirements of the program. Or, you may request a packet by calling the Education and Program Office at 336-786-4478, ext. #228.

Policies:
The Museum has a No Smoking policy throughout the entire facility. This includes the stair-tower and the observatory.
No video cameras or flash cameras may be used in the Museum. The use of still cameras is acceptable.
All cell phones should be turned off or silent before entering exhibit areas.
Food and drink are not to be consumed in exhibit areas.
Chewing gum is not permitted in the Museum.

Feel free to contact us anytime:

The Mount Airy Museum of Regional History
301 North Main Street
Mount Airy, North Carolina 27030

Telephone: 336-786-4478
Fax: 336-786-1666

The Museum hours are: Tuesday through Friday: 10 AM - 4 PM and Saturdays: 10 AM - 4 PM (April - October), 10 AM - 2 PM (November - March)