Events and Activities
The Battle of Cricket Hill: Andrew Lewis and the Battle of Gwynn's Island
Thursday February 12, 7pm via Zoom
Zoom Link Click HERE
"The Candidates" Staged Reading
Saturday February 21, 2pm
Volunteers willing to read roles in the play are needed! Please contact us if interested!
The Salem Museum is excited to host a staged reading of Colonel Robert Munford's “The Candidates; or, The Humours of a Virginia Election - A Comedy in Three Acts."
Written and set in the early 1770s on the eve of the American Revolution, this farcical tale about a Virginia House of Burgesses election satirizes the corrupt campaigning culture of the day. With stinging critiques of electioneering and witty dialogue to boot, Munford's three act comedy will be put on in the Roanoke Valley for the first time ever through a staged reading at the Salem Museum.
Volunteer Steve Aaron will lead this production, and is actively seeking participants to read for numerous characters. If interested in reading a part or volunteering on the project, please contact the Salem Museum via phone at 540-389-6760 or via email at info@SalemMuseum.org.
The Totero Town Symposium
Saturday February 28, 11am-4pm
Discover the ways the environment impacted local Indigenous life in the first ever Totero Town Symposium, organized by the Headwaters Chapter of the Archaeological Society of Virginia!
Hear from four distinguished lecturers about topics such as the local deer skin trade, the 1671 Batts and Fallam expedition through Salem, the practical applications of fish weirs, and more.
The program will begin with complimentary coffee at 10:30 AM, provided by Bean Bliss Coffee Bar, and an invitation for visitors to explore the Museum’s two Totero Town exhibits.
The lecture schedule is as follows:
- 11:00 AM: Dr. Michael Barber, Longwood Institute of Archaeology, “Six Events that Changed the Trajectory of Native American Cultures in Virginia: A Punctuated Equilibria Approach”
- 12:00 PM: Dr. Elizabeth Moore, Virginia Department of Historic Resources, “Totera Town, Ethnozoology and the Deerskin Trade: Adaption and Agency in a Time of Change”
- 2:00 PM: Dean Ferguson, President of the Headwaters Chapter of the Archeological Society of Virginia, “Reconstructing the Monacan Village at Natural Bridge: The Archaeological Record’s Interface with Public Outreach”
- 3:00 PM: Drs. Hayden Bassett and Madeleine Gunter-Bassett, Virginia Museum of Natural History, “Riverine Settlement and Aquatic Resource Use in Late Woodland Virginia”
From 12:00 to 3:00 PM, guests can also enjoy lunch and refreshments from Dale’s Diner Express food truck, available on site.
This free event is proudly sponsored by Blue Ridge Beverage, Sherwood Memorial Park, Mac and Bob’s, The Lofts at Downtown Salem, Dale’s Diner Express, Bean Bliss Coffee Bar, and the Robertson Endowment for Exhibits and Events.
A Night in the American Revolution
Saturday March 28, 6-8pm
Held at The Historic Wilson Warehouse, 421 Lowe Street, Buchanan VA
Join us for a special VA250 Dinner Theater Experience
The historic Wilson Warehouse will be transformed into a Revolutionary War era tavern where you can enjoy food and drink of the era while nine historic interpreters and actors play various Revolutionary War figures around you. Learn about the Founding Fathers and everyday colonists who helped win the Revolutionary War. Includes a three-course Revolutionary-era style dinner. Join us for this unique fund-raising event to support preservation of the Wilson
Warehouse. Feel free to dress in period attire.
Order your tickets today – Seating is limited to the first 45 people. $75 per person
Order by phone with payment (due by March 15th) (540) 817-5772
Order and pay online with Eventbrite HERE
Brought to you by the Buchanan Town Improvement Society and the Salem Museum & Historical Society.
Mark Your Calendar
Monthly Speaker Series
Second Thursday of each month, 7pm. January and February on Zoom. February= The Battle of Gwynn's Island with Michael Rhodes
Headwaters Chapter of the Archeological Society of Virginia Monthly Meetings
Second Tuesday of each month, 7pm. Free and open to the public. Enjoy monthly speakers on topics of local archeology.
Totero Town Symposium
February 28, 11am-4pm. Join us for a day of speakers about Totero Town and the archeology of the site at what is today Salem's Moyer Sports Complex. Details to follow.
Workshops with artist Matilda Wentzel
Returns in Spring 2026. Second and Fourth Tuesdays Monthly. Join us for arts workshops. RSVP Required. More information HERE
Charles Gwaltney Book Signing and Reflection
March 28, 11am. Join us to hear Charles Gwlatney reflect on his life and memories, including those of his brother Russ Gwaltney, who won the 1952 National Marbles Championship. Copies of Gwatlney's book will be available for purchase and signing, with part of the proceeds going to the Salem Museum.
Glenvar Student Art Show Opening Reception
April 14. Join us to see the fantastic talent of the Glenvar Schools art students!
Revolutionary War Hands-On Week
April 15-18. Experience the VA250 Mobile Museum weekdays from 4-5pm and all day on Saturday April 18 from 10am-4pm with special events.
Arts Day 2026
Date TBA. Join us for a day to celebrate local arts and artists. Come learn about various arts mediums and local opportunities to get involved with!
Phillip Gibbs Book Signing
May 2, 2pm. Gibbs returns to the Salem Museum to discuss his newest book on the Roanoke Valley area. Copies will be available for purchase and signing, with part of the proceeds going to the Salem Museum.
Peggy Shifflett Book Talk
POSTPONED. Local author Peggy Shifflett will discuss her new book and have a book signing.
Gwynn's Island Weekend
June 27-28. Commemorate the Battle of Gwynn's Island, when Gen. Andrew Lewis expelled Lord Dunmore from Virginia, with a weekend of living history and exhibitions.
Jazz in July
July 18, 3:30pm. Exclusively for Bronze Star Members and up. Enjoy refreshments and beverages on our rooftop patio as you experience the music of Longwood Park's annual summer jazz concert.
Pickin' in the Park
August 15. Exclusively for Bronze Star Members and up. Enjoy refreshments and beverages on our rooftop patio as you experience the music of Longwood Park's annual summer bluegrass concert.
Ghost Walk 2026
October 1-3. The annual Ghost Walk returns to East Hill Cemetery. Join us for a fun, family friend walk through the Cemetery to meet ghosts from Salem's past.
Gingerbread Festival 2026
December 5, 10am-2pm. The Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce Festival returns to Longwood Park with the annual Gingerbread House Competition on display inside the Museum.
Wreaths Across America
December 12, 12pm. Join the Fort Lewis Chapter NSDAR to honor local veterans. A ceremony will take place, then community members are invited to help lay wreaths on graves in East Hill and East Hill North cemeteries.
-
Sun - Mon: Closed
Tue - Sat: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
-
Sun - Mon: Closed
Tue - Sat: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
© 2026 Salem Museum. All Rights Reserved.