Individual, Youth and Group Tours
OPEN Monday - Saturday: 10:00 - 4:00
CLOSED - Sundays and all major holidays
Closed during some inclement weather events. Please call first to check opening/closing.
GENERAL ADMISSION - $7.00
Seniors, Students, and Military - $6.00
Children 5 and under admitted free
Individual Tours
Visitors enjoy a self-guided tour through our main museum which was originally the Wilkes County Courthouse built in 1902. There are two levels and the building is updated to fulfill ADA Requirements.
The Old Wilkes Jail and Captain Robert Cleveland Home are located behind the museum and are guided tours. The tour to both sites can last up to 60 minutes. The tour schedule is Monday-Saturday, 11am, 1pm, and 2:30pm. Unfortunately, both historic sites are not ADA compliant.
We strongly recommend visitors allot 2-3 hours to enjoy our facilities and history!
Youth Tours
Welcome Students and Teachers!
Please contact the museum to schedule guided tours for your students.
Teachers can choose between a guided tour, which includes the Wilkes Heritage Museum, Old Wilkes Jail and the Cleveland Log Home, a special program or both activities. We have provided several curriculum-based programs as well as seasonal programs. These curriculum-based programs are designed around the designated courses of study for specific grade levels. They are intended to complement classroom learning with hands-on activities to better engage students. The student admission price is $6 and includes a guided tour of all museum facilities. There is no charge for teachers or bus drivers. A fee to cover the cost of materials for special programs is set at $2 per student.
Curriculum-based Programs
- "The Daily Grind"—geared towards: 5th grade
- Students will have the opportunity to grind corn and make a cornhusk doll.
- "And Then There was Light": 8th grade
- Each student will have the opportunity to make a beeswax candle.
- "Carrying the Tradition": 1st & 2nd grade
- Each student will craft his or her own ceramic pot to take home.
- "Scavenger Hunt": 5th-8th grades
- "How Does Your Garden Grow?": 3rd grade
- This program is available on a seasonal basis.
- Students will plant seeds to take home.
- "A Blue Ridge Holiday": 3rd-8th grades
- This program is available on a seasonal basis.
- Students can make a pomander ball to take home.
- "Backcountry Medicine": 3rd & 4th grades
- Each student will plant his or her own medicinal herb to take home.
- This program is available on a seasonal basis.
Group Tours
Museum Address/Phone
Wilkes Heritage Museum
100 East Main Street
P.O. Box 935
Wilkesboro, NC 28697
Phone Number
Comments/Letters From Our Visitors
On April 14th, I was able to attend the "Wilkes Heritage Museum". I came to see your "Civil War" display, and got much more than I bargained for.
Your facility is outstanding, inside and out! What a great history you hold for your area. The staff was very friendly and informative. Although I came to see the "Civil War" display it took over two hours to get to that room.
A group of us come to Wilkes County late every September for a "Horseshoe Tournament" & trip to the "Hometown Opry". You will be on our list this year.
Thanks for your hard work at the "Wilkes Heritage Museum".