TO EXPLORE
THE WEST VIRGINIA STATE MUSEUM
The footprint of the new West Virginia State Museum provides for layers of
learning dedicated to the themes of community, identity, and character as they
relate to the land, people, and culture of West Virginia. The unique areas are
designated as Show Path, Discovery Rooms and Connections Rooms. They are
presented as exhibitions following a chronological pattern beginning with
prehistory and concluding in the 21st century.
SHOW PATH
The Show Path is an approximate forty-five minute tour through West Virginia
history, which comes alive through dynamic re-creations of pivotal events and
places in the state’s past. Through first-person accounts, visitors will hear stories of
West Virginia history related to the following topics (the setting is noted in
parentheses):
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geology (coal forests)
prehistoric cultures (river plains)
exploration and settlement (wilderness)
frontier conflicts (fort)
frontier life (cabin and barn)
John Brown’s raid (U.S. Armory at Harpers Ferry)
the Battle of Philippi (Philippi Covered Bridge)
the struggle for statehood (Wheeling Intelligencer newspaper office)
Wheeling as an early cultural site (Wheeling docks, ca. 1870)
changes produced by the railroad (railroad tunnel construction site)
life in a coal company town (streetscape of a company town)
coal mining (mine)
Main Street, West Virginia (1920s and 30s urban streetscape)
the Great Depression (inauguration of Governor Neely, symbolizing end of
the Depression)
the civil rights movement (Scotts Brothers Drugstore, AV presentation- 4:05)
out migration (1960s abandoned coal tipple)
transportation improvements of the 20th century (New River Gorge Bridge)
fairs and festivals (AV presentation- 1:46)
preserving and protecting our cultural heritage (galleries representing the
state collections, AV presentation- 4:55)
proud to be a West Virginian (finale, AV presentation)
DISCOVERY ROOMS
Visitors will access most Discovery Rooms directly from the Show Path, allowing
them to learn more about what they have just experienced. The Discovery Rooms
feature artifacts, works of art, stories, music, and film clips.
PREHISTORY 300 MILLION BC – 1650 AD
DISCOVERY ROOM 1- AN ANCIENT LAND
This exhibit portrays West Virginia’s natural history, showing how the state’s
scenic beauty was formed hundreds of millions of years ago. Artifacts include
fossils, part of a mastodon jaw, and Elkinsia polymorpha – the world’s oldest
known seed. This room has drawers to open.
DISCOVERY ROOM 2- PREHISTORIC PEOPLE
While West Virginia history focuses primarily on the last 300 years; people
actually lived and hunted in this region for about 12,000 years. Exhibits portray
various prehistoric cultures, the mound builders, and numerous prehistoric tools
and weapons. This room has drawers to open.
FRONTIER 1754-1860
DISCOVERY ROOM 3- CONFLICT AND SETTLEMENT
This exhibit demonstrates the conflicts among Native Americans, early settlers, the
British, and the French to claim present West Virginia. It focuses on the struggles
and violence involved with early settlement, including the French and Indian War,
Battle of Point Pleasant, and Revolutionary War. It also examines early religion,
the formation of towns and counties, the salt industry, and slavery. This room
features an AV presentation. (Running Time 3:17)
DISCOVERY ROOM 4- FRONTIER LIFE
The frontier cabin setting focuses on the role of women on the frontier, the
craftsmanship of pioneers, and the mineral springs – the region’s first tourism.
DISCOVERY ROOM 5- JOHN BROWN’S RAID
Exhibits focus on John Brown’s raid at Harpers Ferry, including artifacts.
CIVIL WAR AND THE 35TH STATE 1861-1899
DISCOVERY ROOM 6- THE WAR WITHIN A STATE
This exhibit displays numerous Civil War artifacts and focuses on the region’s
Civil War legends, battles, weaponry, soldier life, and everyday citizens. This
room features an AV presentation. (Running Time 5:13)
DISCOVERY ROOM 7- THE CASE FOR STATEHOOD
This room includes an audio presentation demonstrating the various views of
statehood leaders. It also has a timeline of the statehood movement dating from the
adoption of the Virginia state constitution in 1776 to West Virginia entering the
union in 1863.
DISCOVERY ROOM 8- THE BIG CITY
This exhibit is dedicated to Wheeling – one of the largest cities in Virginia, a
contrast to the rest of western Virginia. Exhibits focus on the National Road,
Wheeling Suspension Bridge, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, West Virginia
architecture, and Wheeling craftsmanship. This room also introduces the concept
of immigration.
DISCOVERY ROOM 9- THE FAMILY FARM
This exhibit focuses on the immigrants to Helvetia – a Swiss farming community
settled in Randolph County in 1869 – and agriculture. One label also refers to 4-H
and Home Demonstration Clubs.
INDUSTRIALIZATION 1900-1945
DISCOVERY ROOM 10- THE COMPANY STORE
This exhibit demonstrates the positives and negatives of coal company stores. It
also offers a nostalgic look at the types of merchandise West Virginians would
have owned in the early 1900s.
DISCOVERY ROOM 11- CHANGING ROLES OF WOMEN
This exhibit examines women’s evolving domestic roles, efforts to earn money,
and political ventures. An underlying theme is cottage industries – business efforts
that grew from everyday activities, like making and selling jellies, jams, and dairy
products.
DISCOVERY ROOM 12- TRAINS AND RAILROADS
This exhibit portrays the importance of railroads and the people who worked on the
trains and in machine shops. Labels address the legend of John Henry and the
nation’s first national labor strike, which began at Martinsburg in 1877.
DISCOVERY ROOM 13- BOATS AND RIVERS
This exhibit shows how rivers have been used to transport industrial materials and
how West Virginians continually have tried to improve river navigation, namely
through locks and dams. One label addresses West Virginia’s history of
devastating floods.
DISCOVERY ROOM 14- INDUSTRIALIZATION
This exhibit portrays some of the most significant industries in West Virginia
history, as identified by the museum’s historian advisory group: timber,
steel/metalworking, oil, gas, chemical, glass, and pottery. The labels detail
processes and skills involved in each, while examining some of the most prominent
companies, including Meadow River Lumber, Weirton Steel, Wheeling
Corrugating, Kelley Axe, Union Carbide, Libbey-Owens- Ford flat glass factory,
Owens-Illinois bottling plants, A.P. Donaghho pottery, and Homer Laughlin
pottery. This room features an AV presentation. (Running Time 7:57)
DISCOVERY ROOM 15- THE MINING LIFE
This exhibit focuses on the hand-loading era of coal mining in the late 1800s and
early 1900s. The labels detail the process, hard work, and dangers of mining coal.
Other topics include child labor and the difficulties of women trying to break into
mining as a career. This room features an AV presentation. (Running Time 6:22)
DISCOVERY ROOM 16- THE STATE CAPITOL
This exhibit discusses West Virginia’s six capitol buildings, focusing on the 1921
fire that destroyed the capitol in downtown Charleston and the construction of the
current capitol. This room features an AV presentation. (Running Time 5:17)
DISCOVERY ROOM 17- IT’S NOT ALL WORK
This exhibit portrays social activities in coal company towns and throughout West
Virginia in the early 1900s, particularly baseball, music, and quilting. It also looks
at the varied conditions of different coal towns – from well-kept modern towns to
rundown communities with poor sanitary conditions. This room features an AV
presentation. (Running Time 4:24)
DISCOVERY ROOM 18- THE GREAT DEPRESSION
This exhibit describes the extreme poverty that devastated West Virginia during
the Great Depression and the effects of President Franklin’s New Deal programs.
Topics include the work of Mary Behner, a Presbyterian missionary along Scotts
Run near Morgantown; the town of Arthurdale, the first federal resettlement
community in the nation; the benefits of rural electrification, which improved
women’s lives, in particular; and the work of the WPA (Works Progress
Administration and Works Projects Administration) and the Civilian Conservation
Corps, which constructed many of West Virginia’s current state parks. Another
exhibit discusses the nation’s deadliest industrial disasters – the construction of
Hawks Nest Tunnel. This room features an AV presentation. (Running Time 4:19)
DISCOVERY ROOM 19- THE MINE WARS
The exhibit examines the West Virginia mine wars – a series of volatile yet pivotal
events in the state’s history. Labels describe the principal players on both sides of
the conflict and inability of authorities to bring the problems to a peaceful
conclusion. One label addresses the formation of the West Virginia State Police –
one positive outgrowth of the labor unrest. This room has drawers to open and
features an AV presentation in the adjoining 1920s theater, typically lavish and
popular for the presentation of vaudeville shows and moving pictures. (AV
Running Time 3:58)
DISCOVERY ROOM 20- WEST VIRGINIANS AT WAR
This exhibit, an extension of the Show Path, displays artifacts related to the
Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War,
Persian Gulf War, and the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Artifacts from
each war help illustrate stories of bravery and heroism as well as the support of
West Virginians on the home front. The room has drawers to open and features
several AV presentations. (Running time varies from 2:54 - 6:24)
CHANGE AND TRADITION 1954- 21st Century
DISCOVERY ROOM 21- LATE 20th CENTURY
This room demonstrates the dramatic political and cultural changes West Virginia
experienced between the 1950s and 1970s. One exhibit is dedicated to the
numerous disasters that occurred during this period, namely the Silver Bridge
collapse, Farmington mine disaster, Marshall University football team plane crash,
Buffalo Creek flood, Willow Island scaffold collapse, and deadly floods. Other
sections address the Miner for Democracy – a revolt by rank-and-file miners
within the United Mine Workers of America – the 1960 presidential election, and
antipoverty programs of the 1960s. The room features two AV presentations.
(Running times 4:11 & 5:12)
DISCOVERY ROOM 22- CELEBRATING WEST VIRGINIA
This area reflects on state celebrations such as, the West Virginia Centennial, the
art revival of the 1960s and 1970s, and prominent state and national celebrities,
including Ernie Saunders, Mary Lou Retton, Jon McBride, and Jerry West
DISCOVERY ROOM 23- FROM HERE TO THERE
This exhibit focuses on the changing nature of transportation during the 20th
century, namely road building and air travel. In particular, the exhibit describes the
important economic changes and population shifts brought about by the interstate
and corridor systems. An AV presentation examines the West Virginia Turnpike
construction. (Running Time 3:53)
DISCOVERY ROOM 24- PAINTING AND SCULPTURE
This exhibit features a history of West Virginia art and sculpture – from historical
portraits, to folk art, to award-winning contemporary works.
DISCOVERY ROOM 25- A LEGACY OF CRAFTSMANSHIP
This exhibit shows that products once created for practical purposes now are
collected as works of art; musical instruments; woodcrafts, including baskets and
hand-carved bowls; glass; pottery; and quilts.
DISCOVERY ROOM 26- TRADITIONS OF MUSIC
This exhibit underscores that West Virginia’s history and music are intertwined.
While focusing on traditional music, the room also addresses classical and jazz
music. The centerpoint is an AV presentation showing musical performances.
(AV- Continuously Running)
MORE TO EXPLORE
CHANGING EXHIBITS GALLERY
Before you begin your journey through the Show Path, the lobby area features a
changing exhibit gallery that showcases popular artifacts from the state museum
collection including our infamous dressed fleas. At the end of the Show Path, there
is a second opportunity to visit a changing exhibits area, the Commissioner’s
Gallery.
COMING SOON
CONNECTIONS ROOMS
In the two connections Rooms, visitors can learn even more about the topics and
events of West Virginia. Computer stations in each Connections Room allow
visitors to explore photographs, documents, journal articles, and additional
information about the state’s fifty-five counties. Each Connections Room also
offers a behind-the-scenes look at how artifacts are cared for in a museum.
EDUCATION CENTERS
These two large rooms are located beyond the museum footprint. One
accommodates a variety of multi-media presentations and lectures with
comfortable tiered seating. The other room contains flexible space for digital
oriented workshops, interpretative programs, and hands-on activities.