Historic wood cabins from across the Smoky Mountains are gathered in an open-air museum with live blacksmith and animal demonstrations.
Visit Mountain Farm Museum to get insight into life here in the late 1800s. The open-air exhibit includes a barn, a smokehouse and a springhouse that are frozen in time. Chat with the on-site rangers about the significance of each wooden structure and the history of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Equipped with a self-guided tour brochure, wander along the paths that lead to the various buildings. Step inside the log farmhouse or the barn and imagine life as it was more than a century ago.
Other fascinating relics of a bygone era include the apple house and the hog pen. Speak with the smithy in the working blacksmith shop, where you can watch live demonstrations.
You can also learn about old-world practices and techniques through demonstrations related to farming and keeping livestock. Admire the exceptional chestnut wood of the Davis House.
Head inside the bookstore for its array of maps and guides relating to the park. Purchase all types of items to take home as souvenirs. The adjacent Oconaluftee Visitor Center has additional exhibits about the region and more products you can buy.
Most of the structures were built in other locations in the Smoky Mountains in the late 19th century. They were grouped together here in the 1950s for the museum. Follow the picturesque Oconaluftee River Trail to appreciate the natural beauty of the area.
The Mountain Farm Museum is in the southeastern part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is just outside the Eastern Cherokee Reservation. From the town of Cherokee, travel north for 3 miles (5 kilometers) to get here in less than 10 minutes by car.
While you’re in the area, visit nearby sights such as the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, Sequoyah National Golf Club and the historic Mingus Mill, where workers demonstrate grinding corn into cornmeal.
