The Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center is the primary museum of local history in Buncombe County. As of September 2020, the Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center is open Thursday - Saturday from 10 - 5. The museum offers socoally-distanced events and online workshops year around. It is located 20 minutes from Asheville. Permanent exhibits chronicle the history of the area - known as the "front porch of western North Carolina" - from native culture and colonization up to the present day. Temporary changing exhibits highlight topics of regional and national interest and have included Guastavino tile domes, Black Mountain College, textile manufacturing, Appalachian music, arts and crafts traditions, and moonshine.
The Museum also offers many events each month that interpret the history of the area. Monthly history cafes and book club discussions explore regional culture and events. In addition, monthly hikes explore high, hidden, and historic places, and historic tours take people to places of interest throughout the region.