Salem Museum in Salem, Virginia
Preserving 300+ years of history, art, and sports in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains
Folk Tales Unpacked: Beyond Happily Ever After
Salem Museum Speaker Series Thursday May 14, 7pm
ZOOM LINK HERE
The popular oral storytelling group Let Me Tell Ya! returns to the Salem Museum!
The program will feature three storytellers, each presenting a traditional folk or fairy tale enhanced with historical context, personal narrative and an examination of how these stories have been softened, reframed or romanticized over time. The evening will include live performances and reflections on well-known childhood tales.
Let Me Tell Ya! is a community of storytellers who share a passion for oral tradition. The group hosts monthly online Guild meetings where participants share new work and receive feedback. Its monthly open mic “Story Swap” features family-friendly stories tied to a theme and limited to five to seven minutes. More information is available at StorytellingConnections.com
Thank you to our sponsors!
We recently held our Revolutionary War Weekend to help commemorate VA250. This included hosting the VA250 Mobile Museum, the Fincastle Company Living Historians, and the 24th Virginia Infantry Flag Display. We were able to serve local students and visitors from many places through this great event.
None of it would have been possible without our sponsors! We greatly appreciate their help in making this event possible.
This experience was sponsored by City of Salem VA250, Kemba Federal Credit Union, Sherwood Memorial Park, Mac and Bob's, The Lofts at Downtown Salem, the Laub Family, the Hart Family, and the Robertson Endowment for Exhibit and Events.
Remains of the Bath County Poor Farm
Tuesday May 12, 7pm
The Bath County Poor Farm operated from the late 1840s until 1906. Today, it is a relatively small, but well-loved recreation area on the Jackson River, with little obvious signs of the previous occupation. Overseer of the Poor records indicate at least 30 instances of paying for coffin construction, burial clothes, and/or grave digging; but the knowledge of where those graves have been lost to time. This presentation documents recent efforts to understand the layout of the Bath County Poor Farm, the location of its cemetery, and the impact on the local community.
Martha Mihich is the Forest Service Assistant Heritage Program Manager for the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest in Virginia. She holds a BA from Indiana University in Anthropology (2012) and an MA from Eastern Carolina University in Maritime Archaeology (2018). She is qualified in many aspects of archaeological diving. Her current duties include directing multiple 1000 acre timber surveys, coordinating the USFS heritage program with SHPO, consultation with SHPO on a Memorandum of Understanding, consultation with the Eastern Band of the Cheerokee on reburials. Martha has archaeological experience in Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois, and the greater Great Lakes region as well as Virginia.
New Summer Exhibit Coming Soon!
On Display in the Feature Gallery beginning in June
Visit us this summer to see the official City of Salem VA250 exhibit about Andrew Lewis, William Fleming, and our local ties to the American Revolution!
Headwaters Chapter of the Archeological Society of Virginia Monthly Meetings
Second Tuesday of each month, 7pm
The Bath County Poor Farm operated from the late 1840s until 1906. Today, it is a relatively small, but well-loved recreation area on the Jackson River, with little obvious signs of the previous occupation. Overseer of the Poor records indicate at least 30 instances of paying for coffin construction, burial clothes, and/or grave digging; but the knowledge of where those graves have been lost to time. This presentation documents recent efforts to understand the layout of the Bath County Poor Farm, the location of its cemetery, and the impact on the local community.
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
© 2026 Salem Museum. All Rights Reserved.