8 Must-Visit Museums In Asheville (& Historic Sites)

Explore the best car, science, and art museums in Asheville, NC. Plus, visit famous historic sites and spooky cemeteries.

Asheville isn’t only famous for its craft beer and foodie scene – although those are huge perks.

Asheville also fosters a lively art, music, and performance culture.

The art museums in Asheville celebrate contemporary, abstract, and classic American art. You cannot miss the newly renovated Asheville Art Museum. It’s gorgeous.

And did someone say Super Mario Kart and Frogger? Yes, please! Just head to the Asheville Museum of Science and Pinball Museum; big kids are welcome too!

Not to mention that Biltmore Estate – America’s largest home – has a little bit of something for everyone.

Think wine, food, special exhibitions, gardens, trails, and a creepy old house with a bowling alley.

Along with quirky and eclectic museums, you cannot skip Asheville’s historic sites and tours like the Thomas Wolfe Memorial and Riverside Cemetery. Who doesn’t want to hear Asheville’s juiciest gossip?

So, what Asheville museums should you add to any itinerary?

As locals, we are sharing the best museums in Asheville you don’t want to skip.

We’ll also briefly showcase a few museums around Western North Carolina. Let’s get started!

Be sure to head over to our complete guide of things to do in Asheville.

Best Museums In Asheville NC with Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum in Asheville with two rows of old cars on wooden showroom floor with wooden hanging chandeliers — Explore the best car, art, and science museums in Asheville, NC – from locals.

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Table of Contents

8 Must-Visit Museums In Asheville, NC

1. Asheville Art Museum

Asheville Art Museum blue ball sculpture with downtown and sunset in the background — You cannot miss the entrance to the Asheville Art Museum with this beautiful sculpture facing downtown’s breathtaking sunsets.

Visiting Asheville’s museums is one of the best indoor activities for couples. In fact, we’ve spent many dates walking through captivating art galleries.

With a gorgeous new renovation, head to one of the best art museums in Asheville.

The Asheville Art Museum showcases an expansive collection of 20th and 21st-century American art.

With three stories of pristine galleries, you’ll also find a MakerSpace and numerous community and family events.

Be sure to check out the rooftop sculpture terrace complete with a cafe serving food and bevies, local beer included. The views of Downtown Asheville are stellar up here.

Next to the Asheville Art Museum, don’t miss French Broad Chocolates – one of the best places for dessert in downtown Asheville.

Afterward, dine at one of Downtown Asheville’s stellar restaurants. We highly recommend Itto’s Ramen Bar, Shanghai Dumpling House, Posana, and Limones.

Asheville Art Museum | 2 South Pack Square, Asheville, NC 28801

2. Asheville Museum of Science

Children's Museums Asheville Museum of Science with Teratophoneus dinosaur skeleton — Say hello to Teratophoneus Curriei at the Asheville Museum of Science.

For popular children’s museums in Asheville, head to the Asheville Museum of Science. This is one of the best kid-friendly things to do in the city.

A small warning, though: This downtown Asheville museum isn’t as fun for childless adult travelers – we toured the facility in under 30 minutes.

The Asheville Museum of Science is an exploratory children’s museum featuring an enormously cool Teratophoneus dinosaur skeleton, Teratophoneus Curriei.

You’ll also find a STE(A)M lab and interactive French Broad River water display. Little geologists will appreciate the rock and gem displays.

Afterward, if you and the family are hungry, head to one of these kid-friendly restaurants like Asheville Pizza and Brewing.

Asheville Museum of Science | 43 Patton Ave, Asheville, NC 28801

3. Asheville Pinball Museum

Appalachian Pinball Museum Hendersonville NC with four lit up pinball machines — Did you know that you can play pinball and Super Mario Cart all day in Asheville?

Along with the Thomas Wolfe Memorial/House, the Asheville Pinball Museum is one of the first museums in Asheville we ever visited. What a blast.

Visitors purchase a wristband – no coins required – to play endless vintage pinball and older and contemporary gaming console games.

Donkey Kong on Super Nintendo, anyone? We had to pull the husband away from Frogger.

Similarly, visit the Appalachian Pinball Museum in Downtown Hendersonville.

Asheville Pinball Museum | 1 Battle Square Ste 1b, Asheville, NC 28801

4. Biltmore Estate

Biltmore Conservatory Model of Biltmore House surrounded by green leaves with greenhouse wall in background — With Richard Morris Hunt as the lead architect and Frederick Law Olmsted as the head landscape designer, Biltmore is a must for infamous historic sites in Asheville.

Orange, pink, and purple Biltmore flowers in October in the Walled Garden with Biltmore Conservatory in the background — With Richard Morris Hunt as the lead architect and Frederick Law Olmsted as the head landscape designer, Biltmore is a must for infamous historic sites in Asheville.

One of the most well-known Asheville museums, head to America’s largest home: Biltmore Estate.

Biltmore is fantastic for history lovers, bibliophiles, and ambitious gardeners. We enjoy the grounds so much, we renew our annual passes every year.

And, contrary to popular belief, the grounds even provide endless family-friendly activities, including the Pisgah Playground and Biltmore Farmyard.

Constructed in the 1890s, you’ll love George W. and Edith Vanderbilt’s grandiose residence and mountain escape.

Both Vanderbilts had a special interest in forestry and politics. They helped put Asheville, NC on the map.

Start with a self-guided tour of Biltmore House to learn all of its cool facts. One of our favorite rooms includes the massive library with 22,000 volumes of books.

George started the original Goodreads, journaling what he read. Keep your eyes out for the chess set that belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte as well.

Novelties of their time, Biltmore’s indoor pool and bowling alley add extra luxury and fun to the somewhat creepy-cool ambiance.

Biltmore Estate Home in Asheville North Carolina large tan mansion with sprawling green grass

Biltmore House Bowling Alley with two lanes and old pins in Asheville NC

Then, head to the gardens for some sun and Biltmore Blooms after your self-guided 1.5 to 2-hour house tour.

Devour lunch at Cedric’s Tavern or Stable Cafe before enjoying a complimentary wine tasting.

You may even wish to pay for a few extra special Biltmore tours. Think Wine and Chocolate…

Biltmore hosts plenty of special and rotating exhibitions like Downton Abbey period clothing and Van Gogh Alive.

Candlelight Christmas at Biltmore is truly magical in the winter, with fireplaces blazing and rooms filled with gorgeously decorated Christmas trees.

Not to mention that Biltmore has 22 miles of scenic walking and biking trails and gardens. You can even stay overnight on the property.

Learn how to get the most out of that Biltmore ticket here, and explore all of our Biltmore Guides.

Biltmore Estate | 1 Lodge St, Asheville, NC 28803

5. Thomas Wolfe Memorial

Thomas Wolfe Memorial Asheville Museums with brunette white woman in maroon dress sitting in front of yellow boarding house — One of our top museums in Asheville, you’ll love the stories at the Thomas Wolfe Memorial. Photo by Sarah Resta Photography.

One of our personal favorite museums in Asheville as literary tourists, the Thomas Wolfe boarding house tour is terrific.

We are serious! Sure, Wolfe’s Look Homeward, Angel is a little…dry, but the history is fantastic.

As you may know, Wolfe wrote about his Asheville neighbors in this classic and fictional yet largely autobiographical novel, Look Homeward, Angel.

Needless to say, the people of “Altamont” weren’t impressed.

Wolfe barely changed their names, and he aired everyone’s dirty laundry. A story about growing up and craving more, his mother’s boarding house brings to life his novel.

Wolfe’s original home is no longer standing, but he mostly resided at the boarding house with his mom, Julia. Julia Elizabeth Westall Wolfe was quite the entrepreneur.

Tour the home and hear the hilarious, salacious, and sometimes devastating stories about growing up in the south in the 1900s.

The Thomas Wolfe Memorial also plays a short film and has a quaint museum with Wolfe portraits and household items.

Read more about Asheville’s best writers, poets, and authors – Wolfe isn’t the only one!

Find famous North Carolina writers like Carl Sandburg – and even consider taking a tour of his home in Flat Rock, NC.

Thomas Wolfe Memorial | 52 N Market St, Asheville, NC 28801

6. Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center

One of the only free art museums in Asheville, the Black Mountain College Museum is small and donation-based. Explore two stories of frequently rotating exhibitions.

Since the museum is small, budget under an hour for your visit. If you love unique and creative art, definitely drop in here.

A forerunner in progressive and interdisciplinary education, Black Mountain College (1933-1957) impacted the way we approach, speak, and create modern art today.

Black Mountain College wanted to ensure that the arts were central to the learning process. This museum honors the former college’s legacy.

Afterward, take an Asheville day trip to explore Black Mountain itself.

Black Mountain College Museum & Arts Center | 120 College St, Asheville, NC 28801

7. Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum

Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum in Asheville blue Eldorado Cadillac on wooden showroom floor with white male wearing hat and blue shirt with cargo pants standing in front of it — Car lovers cannot miss the Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum across from The Omni Grove Park Inn.

Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum Asheville, NC black older car with two big headlights at top of wheels — Car lovers cannot miss the Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum across from The Omni Grove Park Inn.

Another one of the small and free museums in Asheville, you’ll sometimes see the Antique Car Museum’s gorgeous cars sitting in front of The Omni Grove Park Inn.

Head back in time with these antique and vintage automobiles.

The museum boasts of a rare 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham and Asheville’s 1922 American LaFrance fire truck.

Next to the car museum, also find the free Biltmore Industries Homespun Museum to learn a little more about Biltmore’s history.

Grovewood Village sits next to the Grove Park Inn – which is also a must-see historical gem on Sunset Mountain in the city’s North Asheville neighborhood.

The Grove Park Inn opened on July 12, 1913, with the intent to cure (wealthy) visitors of their ailments with the fresh mountain air…and quinine.

Asheville Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum old red fire truck on wooden showroom floor

Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum in Asheville with two rows of old cars on wooden showroom floor with wooden hanging chandeliers

F. Scott Fitzgerald stayed here while Zelda resided at Highland Hospital for her mental health.

After his completion of the Grove Park Inn, E.W. also began construction on the historic Grove Arcade.

Completed in 1929 and later used by the military during WW2, today Grove Arcade is a shopping center filled with restaurants, a Champagne used bookstore, and artisan shops.

If you enjoy transportation museums, you might enjoy the low-key The Right Track Toy Train Museum in Lake Lure or the Wheels Through Time Motorcycle Museum in Maggie Valley.

Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum | 111 Grovewood Rd, Asheville, NC 28804

8. Riverside Cemetery

Thomas Wolfe Gravestone at Riverside Cemetery in Asheville NC with vase filled with pens and green grass — Although not an official Asheville museum, Riverside Cemetery has a self-walking tour filled with Asheville history.

Although not technically one of the “official” Asheville museums, Riverside Cemetery is a historic landmark and Civil War site in Asheville’s Montford neighborhood.

Walk the 3.5 miles of paved roads in this beautiful Victorian cemetery, especially if you toured the downtown Thomas Wolfe Memorial.

Opened in 1885, Riverside Cemetery encompasses 87 acres of picturesque grounds filled with flowers overlooking the French Broad River.

Grab a walking guide at the gates to learn more about Asheville’s history — both good and bad.

Riverside Cemetery Asheville with entrance stone and paved roads

William Sydney Porter O. Henry Gravestone at Riverside Cemetery with pennies on top

An active cemetery – please be respectful – visit the graves of Thomas Wolfe and his family as well as O. Henry.

Look for W.O. Wolfe’s famous ‘angels,’ too. The cemetery is said to be one of Asheville’s top haunted places.

The Historic Montford neighborhood is also known for its magical Shakespeare in the Park evenings.

Riverside Cemetery | 53 Birch St, Asheville, NC 28801

A few more museums near Asheville that you might enjoy:

Oconaluftee Visitor Center With The Farm Museum (Cherokee)
The Carl Sanburg Home (Flat Rock)
Western North Carolina Air Museum (Hendersonville)
Museum of the Cherokee Indian (Cherokee)
Dale’s Wheels Through Time Museum (Maggie Valley)

Where To Stay In Asheville

Explore the best places to stay in Asheville. A few of our top suggestions:

Aloft – Downtown Asheville – Centrally located and recently renovated, enjoy a rooftop pool, a gorgeous bar, and trendy rooms.
The Omni Grove Park Inn – Treat yourself to a luxury resort in North Asheville, complete with breathtaking sunsets, terrace bars and dining, and loads of Asheville history.
Hampton Inn And Suites Asheville Biltmore Area – A budget-friendly but renovated hotel on busier Brevard Road that’s perfect if you wish to stay between Biltmore Estate, Downtown Asheville, and the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Asheville Cottages – Gorgeous 1 to 3-bedroom cottages with a private deck, housing a grill and hot tub. Find luxurious heated-floor bathrooms with rain showers, a well-stocked kitchen, and the cleanest rooms in town.
Foundry Hotel – An oasis in Downtown Asheville, Foundry Hotel is a nod to AVL’s industrial history. Find famous restaurant Benne on Eagle while sleeping ensconced in charm and elegance.
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Asheville Westgate, NC – Located off of the highway as you enter AVL, find a sleek and clean hotel at a great price.
Black Walnut B&B Inn – Designed by Biltmore’s supervising architect, Richard Sharp-Smith, this 1899 inn is close to Downtown AVL and serves afternoon tea. Two rooms are pet-friendly.