Museum of Appalachia

10/16/2026

Snow days look a little different when you’re responsible for 70+ hungry animals!

While cold weather may slow the foot traffic at the Museum, the daily rounds for our animals still have to happen. Feed buckets need filling, water needs checking, and bellies need feeding, no matter what the weather looks like outside.

Our Fall Animal Food Drive is underway, and we’d be so grateful for your help keeping our animal residents well fed. The drive runs through October 31, and every donation makes a difference.

Pick up feed at Clinton Tractor Supply or Anderson Farmers Co-Op, drop off donations at the Museum Visitor Center, or give online at museumofappalachia.org/donate (please note “Fall Animal Food Drive”).

Can’t donate right now? Sharing this post helps, too!

10/16/2026

It’s official: our two newest permanent exhibits are OPEN!

We had a great crowd at this morning’s ribbon cutting for the Cline Wagon and Clinch River Pearling exhibits! Thanks so much to everyone who came out to celebrate with us. It was a great morning!

And the celebration isn’t over! Admission is HALF OFF for the rest of today (Friday, October 16). Can’t make it today? Both exhibits will be open all weekend, and they’re permanent additions to the Museum!

And one more exciting bit of news: USA TODAY featured the exhibit openings in yesterday’s newspaper! We’re thrilled to see these pieces of East Tennessee history getting national attention!

10/15/2026

A HUGE thank you to the volunteers from Pilot for giving our Pioneer Village a top-to-bottom cleaning in preparation for Fall Heritage Days!

They swept floors and porches, washed windows, dusted, and tackled all sorts of other cleaning projects throughout the Village.

What a difference they made! We're so thankful to this group for spending the day with us and to Pilot's Miles of Good program for making it possible!

Want to volunteer at the Museum? Apply at https://museumofappalachia.org/volunteer

The Pilot Company Pilot Flying J

10/15/2026

We’re just days away from Pancakes with the Pigs, and Louie n’ Rice are more excited than two pigs in a wallow (because that’s exactly where you’ll find them)! 🐷🥞

We have just a few spots left for our 10:30–11:30 AM timeslot, so grab your tickets before they’re gone!

🎟️ https://www.simpletix.com/e/pancakes-with-the-pigs-tickets-295711

We can’t wait to see y’all this Sunday, October 18, for a morning full of pancakes, piggies, and plenty of fun! 🐽

10/14/2026

Thanks to WBIR Channel 10 for letting us talk about all that we've got going on this month, including the opening of two new exhibits (this Friday), our Morbid Curiosities tour, and Fall Heritage Days

We ran out of time, but we've also got a Fall Animal Drive happening all month + a Pancakes with the Pigs event this Sunday. Tickets and more information are available at museumofappalachia.org

https://youtube.com/shorts/ZbLug7cNRdA?si=SM2mH__sHgGXN03D

The Cline Wagon was taken from Claiborne County to Michigan by Ken ...

10/13/2026

Two new exhibits open this Friday, October 16, at the Museum of Appalachia, and we're celebrating with half-price admission!

Here's a sneak peak at what you'll discover:

The Cline Wagon: More than a century ago, brothers Alex and Wade Cline built farm wagons in a small Claiborne County workshop. One of their last wagons traveled to Michigan with a family member seeking work, following the same path as thousands of Appalachians along the "Hillbilly Highway." After more than 50 years away—and a close call that nearly took it out of the family—the wagon finally made its way home in 2017.

Clinch River Pearling: At the turn of the 20th century, Clinton was at the center of an unlikely international trade. Pearls discovered in the Clinch River attracted buyers from New York, with prized finds reaching as far as the 1900 Paris Exposition! Our new exhibit explores the people and discoveries behind this fascinating industry and features an extremely rare Clinch River pearl.

Both exhibits are housed in a newly completed wing of our Hall of Fame building, and we hope you'll join us for the opening!

Half-price tickets will be available at the Visitor Center on Friday, or you can purchase online in advance at museumofappalachia.org/tours using promo code PEARL.

10/12/2026

A huge thank-you to LMU-Richard A. Gillespie College of Veterinary Medicine for spending the day caring for our resident goats and sheep!

Dr. Paul Riedel and his fourth-year veterinary students spent the day trimming hooves and deworming our animals. We’re so grateful for their time, expertise, and genuine care for our critters. Having partners who share our commitment to animal welfare makes such a difference, and we’re thankful to have them in our corner!

Speaking of caring for our animals, our Second Annual Fall Animal Food Drive is underway! We’re approaching the halfway point of October and have received 8 physical donations so far. We’d love to see that number continue to grow as our community comes together to support our 70+ animals. Every bag of feed and every monetary donation helps us provide the care they deserve.

You can donate feed at Clinton Tractor Supply or Anderson Farmers Co-Op, or drop off donations in the collection troughs outside the Museum’s Visitor Center entrance and exit. Monetary donations can also be made at museumofappalachia.org/donate. Just be sure to note “Fall Animal Food Drive”.

Thank you to everyone who has already contributed and to all the wonderful people who help us care for our animals year-round. We appreciate you! 💛

10/10/2026

Today, we remember a very special member of our Museum family, Daisy. After twelve years of calling the Museum home, she was laid to rest here yesterday.

Daisy was born on June 16, 2014, and was rejected by her mother shortly after birth. She was lovingly bottle-fed and raised by her adopted “goat mom,” Jan Marshall. As a youngster, Daisy was even house and crate trained before eventually joining the herd and settling into life in the pasture.

Daisy enjoyed the simple things in life: a sunny spot to nap, a good head scratch, and, of course, a tasty treat. She was well known for her round little belly and her ability to make herself right at home wherever she went.

At 12 years old, Daisy lived a long, happy life surrounded by people who loved her very much. She passed peacefully with Jan by her side, a fitting goodbye for a goat who had been so loved from the very beginning.

If you have a favorite memory or photo of Daisy, we’d love for you to share it in the comments as we remember a very special part of our Museum family. 💛

10/08/2026

As we draw closer to Fall Heritage Days, we wanted to take some time to highlight and honor a few of the dedicated demonstrators who will be joining us this year!

1. Karen Micheletta designs, creates, and sells unique items made from damaged antique quilts. Karen has been a longtime supporter of the Museum and rarely misses an opportunity to join us for our annual events!

2. Karen Foust & Tina Job can be found at our events demonstrating the traditional art of spinning wool into yarn! They have shared this process with thousands of students over the years, so we consider them our very own spinning experts!

3. Jeremiah Tuggle teaches us the art of making sassafras tea, a family recipe that has been passed down for generations. Jeremiah learned from his father, Howard Tuggle, who was a familiar face at our Tennessee Fall Homecomings' for decades. We’re grateful to have their knowledge and traditions represented at Fall Heritage Days!

These are just a few of the wonderful demonstrators who will be sharing their skills and traditions with our visitors this year. We’re looking forward to welcoming them back, and so thankful that they choose to spend their time demonstrating for our guests each year.

Tickets for Fall Heritage Days are on sale now on our website and will also be available at admission on the day of the event. We hope to see you soon! 🍂