Salem Museum in Salem, Virginia
Preserving 300+ years of history, art, and sports in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains
Salem Red Sox Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce Showcase Night
Friday, May 2 at 6:35pm
Join our staff at the ballpark as we help celebrate the region's business and organizations with the Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce. Game time is 6:35pm.
Arts Day 2025
Saturday, May 3 from 10am to 4pm
Visitors of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to come and learn more about various types of arts, and find a new skill or hobby to explore on their own. Arts Day will involve a number of artists and craftspeople at the Museum demonstrating to the public how they use various media and materials to make a variety of crafts and works of art. The day will also include musicians, storytellers, dancers, and more.
Blue Ridge Potters Guild 2025 Juried Student Art Show
Opens Thursday, April 24
Closing Reception Saturday, May 3 5-7pm
The Blue Ridge Potters Guild proudly returns to the Salem Museum to showcase outstanding work by young potters across the region, including works by dozens of area middle and high school students!
Glenvar Art Show on Display
On display in our Main Gallery through May 15
The annual Glenvar Student Art show returns to Salem Museum this April! New this year are entries from elementary school students, joining the many fabulous and unique creations of Glenvar High and Glenvar Middle School students. See examples of both 2D and 3D art, including drawings, paintings, collages, photography, ceramics, and digital creations!
Homeschool Days Return
The Salem Museum is pleased to announce the return of Homeschool Days for the 2024-25 school year. Homeschool Days will take place monthly for students ages five and up, giving students an opportunity to explore local history this semester.
Students will learn interesting stories from our past, and get to hold pieces of history in their hand. Each program will include an hour of hands-on history instruction and group discussions, followed by a scavenger hunt to encourage exploration of the Salem Museum’s exhibits. The schedule is designed to give participants an opportunity to get to know other students.
Programs will be held on the third Wednesday of each month at 11:00am and 2:00pm, with a new topic each month.
RSVP in advance is required. The fee is $4 per student per session. All parents/ teachers/ chaperones are free. Registration for Museum members is free. Please call 540-389-6760 or email [email protected] to register.
Through Their Eyes: The Moments That Made Salem
Over a year in the making, this Gallery highlights sixteen major events, dating back to 1671, that have shaped Salem and the Roanoke Valley into the community it is today. History gets personal as seen ‘through the eyes’ of men and women who lived here at the time. Visitors will experience the emotional, life-changing impact of each of these events—including the coming of the railroad, the end of the Civil War, desegregation, the Flood of ’85, and so many more. The Gallery features personal narratives, pictures, maps, artifacts, and hands-on elements.
HOURS OF OPERATION
Open Tuesdays — Saturdays, 10 am to 4 pm.
Closed on July 4; Thanksgiving; Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the day after Christmas; New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and the day after New Years.
If the City of Salem Schools are closed for inclement weather, the Museum does not open.
LOCATION & DIRECTIONS
Located next to Longwood Park in Downtown Salem
801 East Main Street
Salem, Virginia 24153
From I-81, take exit 140 and head toward Salem on Thompson Memorial Blvd. At Main Street (US 460), turn left. Go .3 mile; the Salem Museum is located at the top of the hill on the left. Our entrance is across from the Berglund Ford service entrance. Look for the “OAKEY FIELD” sign. There is plenty of free, on-site parking.
ADMISSION IS FREE.
DONATIONS ARE
APPRECIATED!
Admission is FREE for all self-guided visitors.
Guided tours are $10 per adult age 15+, and $5 for children. For school groups and educational groups, students are $3 and chaperones are free. Group visits are available when booked at least two weeks in advance.
The Salem Museum & Historical Society is an independent nonprofit organization preserving and celebrating the history of Salem, Virginia, founded in 1802, as well as the surrounding areas.
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Sun - Mon: Closed
Tue - Sat: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
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Sun - Mon: Closed
Tue - Sat: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
© 2025 Salem Museum. All Rights Reserved.