Community Calendar

The Salem Museum is excited to unveil its latest featured exhibits, “The First People of the Roanoke Valley” and “The Eastern Siouan of the Roanoke Valley.” Opening in the Main Gallery Saturday, November 22 and up through late March 2026.

In 1671, European explorers Thomas Batts and Robert Fallam encountered Totero Town, a village believed to have been located in present-day Salem and inhabited by Eastern Siouan-speaking members of the Tutelo tribe. Centuries later, the remains of this village were uncovered during archaeological excavations conducted during the construction of the James I. Moyer Sports Complex on the same site. Today, more than thirty years after those discoveries, the recovered artifacts and materials are on display at the Salem Museum, offering a rare glimpse into Salem’s earliest known community.

In “The First People of the Roanoke Valley,” visitors will look back into the time of the Tutelo and learn about the thriving world of the early Roanoke Valley. Drawing on archaeological artifacts, maps, and interpretive displays, this exhibit reveals how the Tutelo and other Eastern Siouan peoples shaped the land long before European settlement. Examine tools used in hunting, view pottery once storing a winter’s meal, and discover the many uses of animal hides and bones!

In “The Eastern Siouan of the Roanoke Valley,” explore stories of Indigenous resistance and persistence in a dynamic new timeline display. Over the last 400 years, the Tutelo and Monacan Alliance have met challenges and created victories for themselves as they adapted to the changing world around them. Featuring illustrations and photographs of significant moments in Tutelo and Monacan history, this display reveals how their communities endured and evolved through centuries of transformation.

Made possible in part by a grant from Virginia Humanities. The Salem Museum gratefully acknowledges the support of the Monacan Indian Nation, Victoria Ferguson, Dr. Kay McCarron, Dr. Michael Barber, David Watkeys, the Department of Historic Resources, the Virginia Museum of Natural History, and the Robertson Endowment for Exhibits and Events for their assistance with these exhibits.

Come and see “The First People of the Roanoke Valley” and “The Eastern Siouan of the Roanoke Valley” at the Salem Museum, open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM!

Artist Edward Steffanni explores the connections between the queer body, spirituality, and nature through ceramics, printmaking, and performance. God-Shaped Hole draws parallels between the obscuring of sexual orientation and hunting in nature as the artist considers concealability and the surveillance of the queer experience. Steffanni earned his B.A. at Mount Vernon Nazarene University and his M.F.A. in printmaking at the Rhode Island School of Design.

In conjunction with Edward Steffanni: God-Shaped Hole, “Untitled” (L.A.), 1991 by Felix Gonzales-Torres will be on loan from the Art Bridges Foundation and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AK.
Artist Talk & Reception: February 12, 6 PM, Hollins University Visual Arts Center Room 119
Hands-on Workshop: February 13, 1 PM, Location TBD

Exhibition opening date is subject to change due to delays from local weather. Image courtesy of Print Center New York. Photo by Argenis Apolinario.

The Salem Museum is excited to unveil its latest featured exhibits, “The First People of the Roanoke Valley” and “The Eastern Siouan of the Roanoke Valley.” Opening in the Main Gallery Saturday, November 22 and up through late March 2026.

In 1671, European explorers Thomas Batts and Robert Fallam encountered Totero Town, a village believed to have been located in present-day Salem and inhabited by Eastern Siouan-speaking members of the Tutelo tribe. Centuries later, the remains of this village were uncovered during archaeological excavations conducted during the construction of the James I. Moyer Sports Complex on the same site. Today, more than thirty years after those discoveries, the recovered artifacts and materials are on display at the Salem Museum, offering a rare glimpse into Salem’s earliest known community.

In “The First People of the Roanoke Valley,” visitors will look back into the time of the Tutelo and learn about the thriving world of the early Roanoke Valley. Drawing on archaeological artifacts, maps, and interpretive displays, this exhibit reveals how the Tutelo and other Eastern Siouan peoples shaped the land long before European settlement. Examine tools used in hunting, view pottery once storing a winter’s meal, and discover the many uses of animal hides and bones!

In “The Eastern Siouan of the Roanoke Valley,” explore stories of Indigenous resistance and persistence in a dynamic new timeline display. Over the last 400 years, the Tutelo and Monacan Alliance have met challenges and created victories for themselves as they adapted to the changing world around them. Featuring illustrations and photographs of significant moments in Tutelo and Monacan history, this display reveals how their communities endured and evolved through centuries of transformation.

Made possible in part by a grant from Virginia Humanities. The Salem Museum gratefully acknowledges the support of the Monacan Indian Nation, Victoria Ferguson, Dr. Kay McCarron, Dr. Michael Barber, David Watkeys, the Department of Historic Resources, the Virginia Museum of Natural History, and the Robertson Endowment for Exhibits and Events for their assistance with these exhibits.

Come and see “The First People of the Roanoke Valley” and “The Eastern Siouan of the Roanoke Valley” at the Salem Museum, open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM!

Now showing six new exhibits. The featured artists are Ryan Lytle, Jane Skafte, Ginny Loving, Sarah Emily Balough, and Catherine Purdy, along with the juried All Media Show and the Community Bridge Project with Justyn Canada. Also see 80+ working artist studios.

Visit us Tuesdays through Sundays 11am- 5pm. Admission is free and open to the public. Convenient and free parking is available. Ryan Lytle’s exhibit will continue through April 18th. All other exhibits will continue through March 21st, 2026.

Artist Edward Steffanni explores the connections between the queer body, spirituality, and nature through ceramics, printmaking, and performance. God-Shaped Hole draws parallels between the obscuring of sexual orientation and hunting in nature as the artist considers concealability and the surveillance of the queer experience. Steffanni earned his B.A. at Mount Vernon Nazarene University and his M.F.A. in printmaking at the Rhode Island School of Design.

In conjunction with Edward Steffanni: God-Shaped Hole, “Untitled” (L.A.), 1991 by Felix Gonzales-Torres will be on loan from the Art Bridges Foundation and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AK.
Artist Talk & Reception: February 12, 6 PM, Hollins University Visual Arts Center Room 119
Hands-on Workshop: February 13, 1 PM, Location TBD

Exhibition opening date is subject to change due to delays from local weather. Image courtesy of Print Center New York. Photo by Argenis Apolinario.

Join us on February 27, 2026 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for an exciting opening reception of our new exhibits at Art Works. Meet the talented artists, and enjoy live music, refreshments, and libations sponsored by RVA Thriving Artists. The featured artists are Ryan Lytle, Jane Skafte, Ginny Loving, Sarah Emily Balough, and Catherine Purdy, along with the juried All Media Show and the Community Bridge Project with Justyn Canada.

This event is free and open to the public. Convenient and free parking is available. Ryan Lytle’s exhibit will continue through April 18th. All other exhibits will continue through March 21st, 2026.

Join us on March 27, 2026 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for an exciting opening reception of our new exhibits at Art Works. Meet the talented artists, and enjoy live music, refreshments, and libations sponsored by RVA Thriving Artists. The featured artists are Ryan Lytle, Tammie Comer, Ann Chenoweth, Joseph Weller, and Raana Abtahi, along with the March All Media Show, a juried exhibition showcasing exceptional work by regional artists, as well as a collaborative Bridge Project exhibit with Richmond Public Schools, the Children’s Museum of Richmond and Richard Harding.

This event is free and open to the public. Convenient and free parking is available. Ann Chenowith’s exhibit will continue through April 12th. The Bridge Project Exhibit will continue through May 30th. All other exhibits will continue through April 18th, 2026.

The Salem Museum is excited to unveil its latest featured exhibits, “The First People of the Roanoke Valley” and “The Eastern Siouan of the Roanoke Valley.” Opening in the Main Gallery Saturday, November 22 and up through late March 2026.

In 1671, European explorers Thomas Batts and Robert Fallam encountered Totero Town, a village believed to have been located in present-day Salem and inhabited by Eastern Siouan-speaking members of the Tutelo tribe. Centuries later, the remains of this village were uncovered during archaeological excavations conducted during the construction of the James I. Moyer Sports Complex on the same site. Today, more than thirty years after those discoveries, the recovered artifacts and materials are on display at the Salem Museum, offering a rare glimpse into Salem’s earliest known community.

In “The First People of the Roanoke Valley,” visitors will look back into the time of the Tutelo and learn about the thriving world of the early Roanoke Valley. Drawing on archaeological artifacts, maps, and interpretive displays, this exhibit reveals how the Tutelo and other Eastern Siouan peoples shaped the land long before European settlement. Examine tools used in hunting, view pottery once storing a winter’s meal, and discover the many uses of animal hides and bones!

In “The Eastern Siouan of the Roanoke Valley,” explore stories of Indigenous resistance and persistence in a dynamic new timeline display. Over the last 400 years, the Tutelo and Monacan Alliance have met challenges and created victories for themselves as they adapted to the changing world around them. Featuring illustrations and photographs of significant moments in Tutelo and Monacan history, this display reveals how their communities endured and evolved through centuries of transformation.

Made possible in part by a grant from Virginia Humanities. The Salem Museum gratefully acknowledges the support of the Monacan Indian Nation, Victoria Ferguson, Dr. Kay McCarron, Dr. Michael Barber, David Watkeys, the Department of Historic Resources, the Virginia Museum of Natural History, and the Robertson Endowment for Exhibits and Events for their assistance with these exhibits.

Come and see “The First People of the Roanoke Valley” and “The Eastern Siouan of the Roanoke Valley” at the Salem Museum, open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM!

The Salem Museum will host the first-ever Totero Town Symposium, a free, daylong event exploring the Native American history of the Roanoke Valley. Organized by the Headwaters Chapter of the Archeological Society of Virginia, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and the Virginia Museum of Natural History, the symposium will take place from 10:30 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturday, February 28, 2026.

In 1671, European explorers Thomas Batts and Robert Fallam recorded an encounter with Totero Town, a village believed to have been located in present-day Salem. The settlement was home to Eastern Siouan-speaking members of the Tutelo tribe. Centuries later, the remains of this village were rediscovered during archeological excavations at the site now occupied by the James I. Moyer Sports Complex.

More than thirty years after the original excavations, the Totero Town Symposium will reunite archeologists from that groundbreaking dig with leading Native American scholars and researchers. Together, they will share their latest insights, discoveries, and artifacts in this one-of-a-kind event

The program will begin with complimentary coffee at 10:30 AM, provided by Bean Bliss Coffee Bar, and an invitation for visitors to explore the Museum’s two Totero Town exhibits, made possible in part by support from Virginia Humanities.

The lecture schedule is as follows:
• 11:00 AM: Dr. Michael Barber, Longwood Institute of Archaeology, “Six Events that Changed the Trajectory of Native American Cultures in Virginia: A Punctuated Equilibria Approach”
• 12:00 PM: Dr. Elizabeth Moore, Virginia Department of Historic Resources, “Totera Town, Ethnozoology and the Deerskin Trade: Adaption and Agency in a Time of Change”
• 2:00 PM: Dean Ferguson, President of the Headwaters Chapter of the Archeological Society of Virginia, “Reconstructing the Monacan Village at Natural Bridge: The Archaeological Record’s Interface with Public Outreach”
• 3:00 PM: Drs. Hayden Bassett and Madeleine Gunter-Bassett, Virginia Museum of Natural History, “Riverine Settlement and Aquatic Resource Use in Late Woodland Virginia”

From 12:00 to 3:00 PM, guests can also enjoy lunch and refreshments from Dale’s Diner Express food truck, available on site.

This free event is proudly sponsored by Blue Ridge Beverage, Sherwood Memorial Park, Mac and Bob’s, The Lofts at Downtown Salem, Dale’s Diner Express, Bean Bliss Coffee Bar, and the Robertson Endowment for Exhibits and Events.

Now showing six new exhibits. The featured artists are Ryan Lytle, Jane Skafte, Ginny Loving, Sarah Emily Balough, and Catherine Purdy, along with the juried All Media Show and the Community Bridge Project with Justyn Canada. Also see 80+ working artist studios.

Visit us Tuesdays through Sundays 11am- 5pm. Admission is free and open to the public. Convenient and free parking is available. Ryan Lytle’s exhibit will continue through April 18th. All other exhibits will continue through March 21st, 2026.