2009 -- A Fun-Filled Year for the Entire Family

The 2009 season at the Southwest Virginia Museum kicks off on March 1st as the museum re-opens to the public.  Our programs this year feature a number of returning favorites., such as our holiday wreath-making workshop, the "Mystery in the Mountains" whodunit evening, and the popular "Lunch on the Lawn" summer music series.  We will also introduce several new workshops for children and adults that celebrate the history and culture of Southwest Virginia.  These include a children's toy-making class and "The Art of Bonsai," a hands-on tutorial in an ancient tradition.

2009 will also see an exciting new partnership between the Southwest Virginia Museum and the Lonesome Pine Regional Library System.  The museum is proud to join with the library in support of the Big Read, an initiative of the National Endowment of the Arts, designed to restore reading to the center of American culture.  To help support this wonderful program, the museum has put together a traveling exhibit which highlights famous writers from Southwest Virginia.  This exhibit will be displayed at Lonesome Pine Regional Library branches throughout the year.  To find out when the exhibit will be at your local branch, please see the "Exhibits" section of this calendar.  In addition to this exhibit, the museum is pleased to welcome the library as co-sponsor of our "Authors in the Gap" series.  These programs bring Appalachian writers to the museum to talk about their work.  You can prepare for the authors' appearances by checking out their works from your local library.

Also, don't forget to join us for one or more of our festivals this year.  The 12th Annual "A Stitch in Time" Quilt Show kicks off on April 1; the "Gathering in the Gap" Music Festival takes place on Saturday, May 23; the Appalachian Folk Life Festival moves to September 19; and the 14th Annual "Festival of Trees" opens on November 15.  There is something for everyone at the Southwest Virginia Museum!  We look forward to seeing you in 2009!