Museum of Appalachia Fall Heritage Days

On Fall Heritage Days the Museum of Appalachia offers today's youth a memorable lesson in history and traditional arts by adding the element of participation. They learn about arts, crafts and trades of the past by hands-on participation—including engaging with old-time musicians, singing and playing make-do instruments, and learning simple steps from traditional dancers. There are inspiring hands-on opportunities with skilled tradesman and heritage crafters such as blacksmiths, spinners, weavers, potters, basket weavers, broom-makers, and coopers, as well as soap-making, candle-dipping, cane grinding, sorghum making, soap carving, shingle and rail splitting, sawmilling and more.  Students learn not only how the pioneer Appalachian folk survived by making do with what they could garner from their environment, but also understand how these simple folk appreciated life and entertained themselves.  The Museum’s goal is to offer students an understanding of, and appreciation for, the hardships Pioneers endured, and an insight into not only their trades/crafts, but also music, dance and folklore that evolved out of their simple lives.