Welcome to the Banner House Museum!

Experience 19th century life in Banner Elk and the High Country in the home of Samuel Henry Banner, one of Banner Elk’s early settlers and his his wife, Jane Hyder Banner, and their seven children.  The circa 1870 house has been furnished with period heirlooms donated and loaned by area residents to tell the story of Banner Elk life from the 1870’s to the 1900’s. Additionally, an Exhibition Room highlights local history.

HURRICANE HELENE UPDATE

We are grateful to share that museum fared better than most in this area, with limited effect on our collections and structure.  We are currently closed according to our regular seasonal calendar.   If you need help with salvaging your storm-damaged heirlooms, please utilize this fact sheet.

The GBEHF Board has determined that all funds raised above our operating expenses in 2024 will be shared with storm damaged historic structures in Avery County.  Should you like to contribute extra money to this effort, please mail donations to GBEHF as usual (PO Box 2261, Banner Elk 28604).  We are unable to accept designated funding for specific structures.  Application procedures and funds available for distribution will be determined in January 2025. 

2024 Schedule

Guided Tours of the Samuel Banner House Museum: Wednesday through Saturday 11-3 ($5 per adult). 

We are staffed by volunteers who are committed to sharing the history of the area.  Each volunteer will determine their preferred level of Covid-19 safety precautions and we ask our visitors to respect their needs.  Apart from that, we are happy to accommodate any outdoor-only visits  or mask preferences that may be requested by our visitors to ensure their safety and comfort as well.

Guided Walking Tours ($10 per adult) are available by appointment (See Calendar Page for more details). 

*Free cell phone app Walking Tours are available at your leisure.  See Calendar for more information.