Heart of Appalachia Region

Carter Family Memorial Music Center - Since 1974, the Carter Music Center has presented programs of old time and bluegrass music every weekend. Formally established in 1979, the Center's objective is to promote old time music and pay tribute to the Original Carter Family (A.P., Sara, and Maybelle Carter).

Appalachian Arts Center - A 4,000 square foot gallery divided into seven small gallery spaces devoted exclusively to the exhibition and sale of work created by local craftspeople, artists, student apprentices, authors and musicians.

Wolf Creek Indian Village & Museum - Imagine life 500 years ago. The Wolf Creek Indian Village will introduce you to the life lead by the Eastern Woodland Indians who inhabited the land 500 years ago. This recreated village is based on an actual archaeological evacuation known as the Brown-Johnston site

John Fox, Jr. Museum - Step back in time and visit the home that was a part of this famous author's writing career. Knowledgeable tour guides give insightful narratives and are eager to share their love of the house and the area with all visitors.

Lonesome Pine School & Heritage Center - Conceived as a place to preserve the history of local schools. In the mid 1980's Garnett Gilliam began collecting photographs and other historical artifacts related to Big Stone Gap area and sharing them with others.

Ralph Stanley Museum - Combining the career of Dr. Ralph Stanley with the history of traditional mountain music, this state-of-the-art, interactive museum will allow you to see and hear this particular style of American music in its original setting: the mountains of southwestern Virginia

Pocahontas Exhibition Coal Mine and Museum - It's the oldest attraction of its kind, opening in 1938. The Exhibition Coal Mine site is part of the renowned Pocahontas Coal Fields. The original coal mine opened in 1882. 44,000,000 tons of coal where mined before it closed in 1955

June Tolliver Playhouse - Good, clean, quality family entertainment, original and traditional live music and dancing, very impressive special effects, the longest running outdoor drama in Virginia, amazing 72 foot panoramic painting of the "Valley" as a scenic backdrop, beauty of the mountains that surround the playhouse, fresh mountain air, and more!

Appalachian Children's Theatre - Showcasing local talent and bringing live theatre to the region are just a few of the goals of Applachian Children's Theatre. Programs and performances for kids.

Historic Crab Orchard Museum - A pioneer settlement of furnished original log and stone dwellings introduces visitors to the cultural heritage of the middle Appalachians. The Museum Center galleries show antique maps, mastodon remains, Cherokee objects, pioneer implements, the Civil War and coal mining, and the evolution of a contemporary mountain economy.

June Tolliver House & Folk Art Center - Listed on the National and State Historic Landmark Registers. Pleased to offer guests free tours, lively conversation and friendly company.

Museum of the Middle Appalachians - Five permanent exhibits greet you at the museum From the Ice Age to the mid 1900's. Two Civil War battles were fought in Saltville over the Salt.

Harry Meador Coal Museum - Why a Coal Museum? Because coal is to Big Stone Gap and the entire Appalachian region what automobiles are to Detroit, corn is to Kansas and oil is to Texas.

Breaks Interstate Park - The park, located on the Virginia/Kentucky border, is one of only two Interstate Parks in the nation. 4600 acres. A 5-mile gorge, plunging to 1650 feet, in this "Grand Canyon of the South."