- Community & Alumni Engagement
- Mountain Heritage Center
- Exhibits and Collections
Exhibits & Artifacts
The Mountain Heritage Center's galleries are open. If you need assistance or more information about our hours, parking, and Covid-19 requirements, please send an email or call 828.227.7129.
Our exhibits interpret mountain life and the natural world, past and present. Temporary exhibits have been produced around themes such as Blacksmithing, World War I, and Southern Appalachian handicrafts. Traveling exhibits look at North Carolina's State Dog, Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual Inc., Decoration Day traditions, and more.
Gallery Exhibits
The Mountain Heritage Center galleries are at located at Hunter Library 161 (beside Java City) and Hunter Library Second Floor. 176 Central Drive, Cullowhee, NC.
A Stranger No More: George Masa and His Art
opening January 17 through August 15, 2025
George Masa image of Linville Gorge. Image courtesy Hart Masa Collection, Special Collections, Hunter Library, WCU
Born Shoji Endo in 1885, George Masa immigrated from Japan to the US at the age of twenty-four. He settled in Asheville in 1915 and soon opened his own photography studio. Masa’s love for the mountains and hiking led him to photograph many iconic scenes and views. These in turn drew tourists to the area and inspired writers to advocate for the natural beauty of western North Carolina.
"A Stranger No More: George Masa and His Art” introduces the life and photography of George Masa to a new generation who benefit from his visual rhetoric. The exhibit focuses attention on an under-recognized yet impactful voice in early conservation efforts of the Smoky Mountains. As the Carolina Mountain Club described Masa in 1960, he was “the stranger who stirred us to such depths of love for our wilderness,”
The MHC recently acquired Masa’s camera and tripod and Hunter Library's Special Collections received a large donation of original Masa images. These artifacts serve as the exhibition’s fulcrum, complemented with photographic prints, some never before seen.
Discovering Appalachia
On permanent display in MHC second floor gallery at Hunter Library
Western North Carolina and Southern Appalachia is a cultural crossroads that has been visited and inhabited by people from many different cultural backgrounds. Discover talented and hard working people who have shaped this region. Learn about their varied backgrounds and the portions of their culture that they share with others.
Other MHC Exhibits:
- Jackson County Public Library: A variety of student-curated exhibits on music, healthcare, railroads, and tourism that highlight historic and contemporary issues.
- WCU's Health and Human Services Building: Ꭰ Ꮉ Ꭼ Ꮒ Ꮣ (Water is Life) & Early Healthcare in Western NC
- I-26 Visitor Center north of Asheville