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Cultural & Educational

Cultural and Educational Things to Do in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina

The Museum of the Cherokee Indian

As the home of the Cherokee people, early Scotch Irish settlers and countless generations of self-reliant Appalachian folk, the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina offer many opportunities to encounter the ways of the past.

Enjoy a performance of traditional Appalachian music while seated inside a renovated 1920s schoolhouse. Visit a century-old general store. Experience a local theater performance. Or learn a new hobby at a folk school, where you can try your hand at a time-tested craft such as weaving, carving or blacksmithing. Discover more about local craft traditions as you explore the Blue Ridge Craft Trails.

A visit to Cherokee is not to be missed. The Museum of the Cherokee Indian guides visitors through 11,000-years of Cherokee history. Step into the Oconaluftee Indian Village to find yourself standing in a recreated 1700s village. Watch skilled artisans at work making traditional wares, and experience re-enactments and traditional dances.

Watch the story of the Cherokee unfold beneath the stars at Unto These Hills, a powerful outdoor retelling of the Trail of Tears. The nearby town of Murphy was the site of Fort Butler, which played an important role in this chamber of American history. Visit the Cherokee County Historical Museum there to see artifacts and replicas from this time period.

Other museums in the N.C. Smokies focus on the culture and contributions of Scottish settlers, on the popular pastime of fly fishing, on the geological history of the mountains and on the enduring love of the American housecat.

NC Smoky Mountain Cultural & Educational

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The Scottish Tartans Museum contains the official registry of all publicly known Tartans. A non...

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The Franklin Gem and Mineral Museum is located downtown in the historic 1850's jail. There...

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The Wheels Through Time Museum is home to the world’s premier collection of rare American...

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Whether you're visiting in the mountains or live here year 'round, put Western Carolina University...

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23rd Taste of Scotland & Celtic Festival - FATHER's DAY WEEKEND - Historic Franklin -...

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The Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center is a non-profit corporation formed by a group of...

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The Oconaluftee Indian Village is a re-created village of the 1700's. Visitors experience the everyday...

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The Museum of the Cherokee Indian takes visitors all the way back to the beginnings...

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Nation's oldest folk school founded in 1925. Crafts, music, dance, other Appalachian traditions are taught...

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Discover Foxfire! Come hike through history at our Appalachian village, made up of over 20...

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We are now open in our new location at 117 Island Street, next door to...

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Built in 1943 on the site of a Civilian Conservation Corps camp, the Cowee School...

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The museum is housed in a historic Carnegie Library building in downtown Murphy.The Museum's exhibits...

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Our American Museum of the House Cat is a Mecca of antiquities and oddities that...