This main museum building features an impressive collection of Shenandoah Valley artifacts in chronological order dating mostly from the early 1700s to the 1920s. A 1536 Bible from Switzerland, the centerpiece of the collection, connects the history of the area’s early settlers to their European culture, decorative arts, and search for religious freedom. This building was constructed with the original logs from a local early 1800s bank barn.
Logs, boards and cut stone from this dilapidated circa 1800 bank barn were reused to construct the main museum building. Dismantling the Varner Barn with a crane. The two log bays were reconstructed to make the central structure of the main museum building. Furniture collection including several chests painted by local artist Johannes Spitler around 1800. A printing press and setting stone from the New Market Henkel Press are some of the highlights of a room filled with rare books, fraktur and quilts.