Virtual Museum Tour
Explore all 26 video tours of the West Virginia State Museum exhibits and collections.
Welcome to the West Virginia State Museum
An introduction to the museum and its collections, featuring highlights from our most popular exhibits.
Showing all 26 videos
3:36
Welcome Tour
An introduction to the museum and its collections.
Introduction
1:07
Discovery Room 1: An Ancient Land
Explore how the state's scenic beauty was formed.
Prehistory
1:04
Discovery Room 2: Prehistoric People
Explore the prehistoric cultures of our region.
Prehistory
1:09
Discovery Room 3: Conflict and Settlement
Learn more about the conflicts among Native Americans, early settlers, the British, and the French as they each tried to claim the territory that is West Virginia.
Frontier
1:08
Discovery Room 4: Frontier Life
Step inside an authentic log cabin and learn more about life on the frontier.
Frontier
1:02
Discovery Room 5: John Brown's Raid
Explore an extensive collection related to John Brown and his historic raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry in 1859.
Frontier
0:59
Discovery Room 6: The War Within a State
Discover artifacts and first-person accounts of the Civil War.
Civil War and the 35th State
1:13
Discovery Room 7: The Case for Statehood
Watch as portraits come to life to illuminate the argument for statehood in this Discovery Room that replicates West Virginia Independence Hall.
Civil War and the 35th State
1:02
Discovery Room 8: The Big City
This exhibit is dedicated to Wheeling and spotlights its role as an industrial center and gateway to the West.
Civil War and the 35th State
0:55
Discovery Room 9: The Family Farm
Explore this tribute to agriculture, family farm life, and the history of Helvetia, a farming community established in Randolph County in 1869 by Swiss immigrants.
Civil War and the 35th State
1:01
Discovery Room 10: The Company Store
Examine a coal company store from how it looked to what was sold in this nostalgic look at merchandise that locals would have purchased in the early 1900s.
Industrialization
1:05
Discovery Room 11: Changing Roles of Women
Explore women's evolving domestic roles, opportunties to earn money, and political ventures during the industrial revolution.
Industrialization
0:50
Discovery Room 12: Trains and Railroads
Take a closer look at the importance of railroads and railroad workers in this Discovery Room.
Industrialization
0:55
Discovery Room 13: Boats and Rivers
Learn how rivers have been used to transport industrial materials and how West Virginians have tried to improve river navigation.
Industrialization
0:49
Discovery Room 14: Industrialization
Learn about some of the most significant industries in West Virginia's history.
Industrialization
0:52
Discovery Room 15: The Mining Life
Look back at the hand-loading era of coal mining in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Industrialization
0:54
Discovery Room 16: The State Capitol
Learn about the fascinating history surrounding West Virginia's seat of government.
Industrialization
0:56
Discovery Room 17: It's Not All Work
Get a look at the widely varied conditions of different coal towns throughout West Virginia in the early 1900s.
Industrialization
1:09
Discovery Room 18: The Great Depression
Extreme poverty devestated West Virginia during the Great Depression. Explore how President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal programs had an important positive effect on recovery in the Mountain State.
Industrialization
0:53
Discovery Room 19: The Mine Wars
A vintage news film and artifacts highlight a series of volatile and pivotal events in West Virginia's history.
Industrialization
0:48
Discovery Room 20: West Virginians at War
A tribute to the West Virginian men and women who served our country in times of war.
Military
0:44
Discovery Room 21: Late 20th Century
Learn about the dramatic political and cultural changes in West Virginia between the 1950s and 1970s as well as the resiliency of its people through tragedy and challenge.
Change and Tradition
0:42
Discovery Room 22: Celebrating West Virginia
Reflect on state celebrations from the West Virginia Centennial to the art revival of the 1960s and 1970s and get a glimpse of prominent state and national celebrities.
Change and Tradition
0:38
Discovery Room 23: From Here to There
An exhibit dedicated to the important economic changes and population shifts brought about by the interstate and corridor systems.
Change and Tradition
0:46
Discovery Room 24: Painting and Sculpture
Enjoy the opportunity to discover a history of West Virginia art and sculpture from historical portraits to award-winning contemporary works.
Change and Tradition
0:51
Discovery Room 25: A Legacy of Craftsmanship
Discover fine crafts and artisan work of West Virginia.
Change and Tradition
0:46
Discovery Room 26: Traditions of Music
Examine the intertwined connection between West Virginia's history and music.
Change and Tradition