When is the Blue Ridge Farm Museum open?

You can find our hours of operation on our Hours & Admission page.

Hours & Admission

What do you all do here?

Here at the Blue Ridge Institute & Museum we work to document, interpret, and present the folk heritage of the Blue Ridge region. This includes running a recreated 1800 German-American Farmstead; Conserving documents, recordings, and photographs in the Blue Ridge Heritage Archives; Creating new and exciting museum exhibits; Coordinating events and festivals throughout the year; Researching the folk heritage of the Blue Ridge region; and Participating in our community.

Please explore our website using the menu options at the top of the page for even more information about what we here at the BRIM are all about!

How long will this exhibit be at the BRIM?

Each of our exhibits will leave at different times.

Please visit our Exhibits & Collections page for more information on each exhibit!

What's The Crooked Road?

“The Crooked Road” is Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail, a 330-mile driving route through the Appalachian Mountains of Southwest Virginia. From the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge to the Coalfield region of Virginia, the trail connects eight major heritage music venues with a thriving network of jams, festivals, and concerts in the communities along the way.

America’s music was invented here. It has been made for hundreds of years in the southern Appalachian mountain region of Southwest Virginia. The songs and tunes of the region told the stories of early pioneer life, of immigrant experiences, and of day-to-day trials and tribulations. The influences which are felt in the music come from many traditions. The ballads of the early Scots-Irish and settlers of the British Isles are evident, as are their instruments, such as the fiddle. The blues and work songs of laborers of African heritage are also evident, along with instruments such as the banjo. The mountain dulcimer and the autoharp have connections to the zithers of European ancestry, while the ukulele and the guitar were popular parlor instruments.

Please check out our Music Trails & Travel Guides page for more information!

How can I get a copy of a photograph or see if you have things about my family?

Copies of images and documents are available from the Blue Ridge Heritage Archives. We are also more than happy to help you search our archives for information about your family.

Please visit the Blue Ridge Heritage Archives page for more information on how to contact us!

How do I get to the Blue Ridge Institute & Museum?

We have an entire page dedicated to finding us!

Please visit our Directions & Maps page for more information!