The Appalachian Museum was created in 1969 (officially open to the public in 1971) to care for the college's growing collections of artifacts from the Appalachian area.  It was dedicated to the task of preserving the distinctive crafts and telling the story of the traditional lifestyle of the people of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The museum was closed in May of 1998 with most of its activities and collections being integrated into the educational programs of the College.