The Swannanoa Valley Museum opened for the 2014 season on April 12, and unveiled four brand-new exhibits:

•  African-American History and Culture: This exhibit explores slavery, segregation, and integration in the Swannanoa Valley Museum Swannanoa Valley, and the movers and shakers who fought for freedom and equality.

• Hometown Teams: Through vintage uniforms, trophies, photographs, and other sports equipment, this exhibit celebrates the Valley’s athletes – featuring items from hometown heroes Brad Daugherty, Brad Johnson, Cliff Melton, Sammy Stewart, and Roy Williams.

• Moonshine in the Mountains: Featuring a large, once-operational moonshine still, this exhibit explores the history of illegal distilling and what it meant for mountain families.

• Sister City, Olympic Host: Krasnaya Polyana, a city just outside of Sochi, Russia, was the host of all the snow events at the 2014 Winter Olympics, but did you know that Krasnaya Polyana is also Black Mountain’s Sister City? On display are many artifacts from the sister cities project, as well as the 2014 Olympics.

These new offerings join the museum’s permanent (and recently expanded!) collection of fascinating artifacts, memorabilia, and exhibits exploring the rich history of the Swannanoa Valley.

The museum is located at 223 West State Street, in Black Mountain. Hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., through October 31. For more information, click here.