Salem Museum in Salem, Virginia
Preserving 300+ years of history, art, and sports in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains
The Flood of '85 Remembered
Thursday November 13, 7pm
Join members of the Salem Rescue Squad and Salem Fire-EMS as they recall the harrowing events of November 4, 1985 - the first day in an event remembered forever in Salem as the Flood of ‘85. Admission is free for this Salem Museum speaker series talk on Thursday, November 13, 2025, at 7:00 PM at the Salem Museum.
On November 4, 1985, residents of Salem faced a record-breaking flood surge that turned many streets and neighborhoods into roaring rivers of muddy debris. Scores of people clung to rooves awaiting rescue as the Roanoke River poured over its banks. Though the valiant efforts of the Rescue Squad and the Fire Department, no lives were lost within city limits that day. Now, forty years later, hear from the brave individuals who worked for these daring organizations on a transformative day in Salem history as the Flood of ’85 is remembered once again.
Among the distinguished panelists sharing their experiences are Carey Harveycutter, Mike Moore, Tom Roseberry, Randy Smith, and Eddie Hite. Discover how teamwork and courage turned chaos into coordination, listen to firsthand accounts of rescues and split-second decisions, and learn about the spirit of volunteerism that continues to define Salem’s community today.
This discussion panel will immediately follow the Museum’s Annual Meeting of the Membership. Museum members of all levels are welcome to a general reception beginning at 5:00 PM. Museum members are urged to arrive by 6:30 PM to elect Officers and Directors for the upcoming year. The panel talk will begin after the meeting.
Persiflage Holiday Book Sale
Kick off your holiday shopping with the regional writers’ group, Persiflage, holiday mass book sale and signing of its authors’ works! The sale will feature more than a dozen nationally and regionally important authors, including a number of their just-released works of note.
The Persiflage/Writers’ first anthology, “An Appalachian Christmas,” will debut at the sale and will feature stories by more than 25 of the region’s authors.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale will go to the Salem Museum.
Find the full list of authors here
Thank You to our Sponsors!
Ghost Walk 2025 was a huge success thanks to the generous support of our sponsors!
Thank you to Sherwood Memorial Park, Lotz Funeral Home, SERVPRO, City of Salem Parks and Recreation Department, Chick-fil-A, & Mac and Bob's
The First People of the Roanoke Valley
On Display in the Feature Gallery through Spring 2026
In 1671, European explorers Thomas Batts and Robert Fallam encountered Totero Town, a village believed to have been located in present-day Salem and inhabited by Eastern Siouan-speaking members of the Tutelo tribe. Centuries later, the remains of this village were uncovered during archaeological excavations conducted during the construction of the James I. Moyer Sports Complex on the same site.
Visitors will look back into the time of the Tutelo and learn about the thriving world of the early Roanoke Valley. Drawing on archaeological artifacts, maps, and interpretive displays, the exhibits reveal how the Tutelo and other Eastern Siouan peoples shaped the land long before European settlement. Examine tools used in hunting, view pottery once storing a winter’s meal, and discover the many uses of animal hides and bones!
The Eastern Siouan of the Roanoke Valley
On Display on the Ground Floor through Spring 2026
Explore stories of Indigenous resistance and persistence in a dynamic new timeline display. Over the last 400 years, the Tutelo and Monacan Alliance have met challenges and created victories for themselves as they adapted to the changing world around them. Featuring illustrations and photographs of significant moments in Tutelo and Monacan history, this display reveals how their communities endured and evolved through centuries of transformation.
Celebrating 30 Years of Carilion Clinic Field
On display in our Lobby through November
The Salem Museum celebrates the 30th Anniversary of Carilion Clinic Field with the Salem Red Sox!
Visit us to see artifacts from the 1995 inaugural season, and the past 30 years of Salem baseball history.
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.