Folk Art Center, Art museum and craft center on Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina.
The Folk Art Center is a museum and craft facility located along the Blue Ridge Parkway featuring three separate galleries with regional handcrafts. The galleries display both traditional Southern Appalachian artworks and contemporary pieces from local and visiting artists.
The center opened in 1980 with support from the National Park Service and Southern Highland Craft Guild to preserve regional craft traditions. This founding built upon the earlier Allanstand shop operation, which had supported local craftspeople for decades before the museum was established.
The Allanstand Craft Shop reflects a long tradition of supporting local artisans through direct sales. Visitors encounter handmade items created by regional makers and see how this sales model has helped craftspeople sustain their work.
Located at Milepost 382 on Blue Ridge Parkway, the facility offers daily craft demonstrations from March through December. Year-round access is available except on major holidays, allowing visitors to watch artisans at work.
The collection includes international craft pieces spanning centuries, with some items reaching back to around 1000 AD and demonstrating the range of human craft traditions. The facility also houses a specialized library with thousands of volumes focused on various craft techniques and practices.
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