Heritage Museums and Gardens

Collections - Heritage provides major exhibitions each year based on it's 18,000 object collections which includes american automobiles, american art,and historical objects. In addition, Heritage offers annual special exhibitions which examine aspects of our regional culture. Outside, Heritage presents installations by contemporary artists that relate to the indoor exhibitions. In addition to planning for the future exhibits, the collections staff care for and manage our permanant collections.

School and programs - Heritage provides broad educational offerings for formal and informal settings. Over 60,000 children are served in formal and informal settings. For school children, this incluses hidden hollow, the outdoor discovery area, in addition to school trips, with pre and post- visit curriculum materials provided free online, and teacher training programs throughout the year, serving almost 7,000 children on field trips. Family informal learning programs include special theme learning days, family fun fridays, and special tours for children and families of our exhibits. For adults, a series including behind the scenes tours for auto enthusiasts, hydrangea university and other horticulture related workshops, seminars, lectures, guided tours, and curator-led talks. An intership program provides paid opportunities for 6 horticulture graduate and undergraduate students annually who work with our horticulture professionals. In addition, pre-service teachers do practicums and fulfill other curriculum requirements interning in the 100 acre school.

Horticulture - about 60 acres of Heritage's 100 acre property are intensely planted. These include our internationally significant collections of specimem trees,rhododendrons, hostas, daylilies and hydrangeas. A maze garden houses our three-season vine collection, a labyrinth, flume fountain, and mcgraw family garden of the senses are other specialized features. Heritage works frequently with partner organizations researching and testing of new horticulture methods. We catalogue our plants and share information with the field online.