Current Exhibits
ORDER IN THE COURT
One of the few remaining historical courtrooms in the southeast open to the public comes to life! Figures inhabiting our 19th century courtroom, staged to depict a case held in the 1920's, help you learn the various roles played while court is in order.
The Story of Davidson County
December 2022 (Permanent Exhibit)
The Story of Davidson County traces 200 years of county history and so much more - located in the historic courtroom.
A HISTORY OF EDUCATION
IN DAVIDSON COUNTY
This exhibit traces the development of the education system from Colonial America to present, noting major changes over time. This exhibit also recognizes how race, class, and gender have historically determined access to education. School Spotlights showcase select public and private places of learning, each one serving a unique student body at different periods of time in Davidson County’s past. Featured artifacts contribute to our historical understanding of local schools and classroom culture.
DAVIDSON COUNTY, FULL STEAM AHEAD!
Thanks to the generous support of the Institute of Museum and Library Services Inspire! Grants for Small Museums, we're thrilled to present Davidson County, Full Steam Ahead! This exhibit offers a fascinating journey back in time, exploring the history of the railroad and its profound impact on industry in Davidson County.
Hands-On Fun for Kids (and Adults):
Our youngest (to oldest) visitors will love the imaginative and immersive exhibit environment and interactive activities. Step into the past as you visit the train depot, harvest farm produce, and report to duty on the Davidson Co. Assembly Line.
Engaging History:
This exhibit is rich in history, including well-known historical facts and original research about the county’s railroad, agricultural, and manufacturing history.
Our People, Our Work Exhibit Hall
Just a few steps away, the Our People, Our Work exhibit hall offers digital interactives featuring historical photos, narrated audio clips, and videos. These resources highlight the personal stories of Davidson County’s diverse workforce, focusing on the contributions of women, children, and African Americans who worked throughout the 20th century.
Do you have a story about working in Davidson County? We'd love to hear from you. Contact us today to contribute to this important project.
Davidson County, Full Steam Ahead! was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services Inspire! Grants for Small Museums [IGSM-251501-OMS-22]. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. IMLS envisions a nation where individuals and communities have access to museums and libraries to learn from and be inspired by the trusted information, ideas, and stories they contain about our diverse natural and cultural heritage. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
H. LEE WATERS PHOTOGRAPHY GALLERY: Movies, The Cinema and Uptown Culture -
The H. Lee Waters Photography Gallery: Movies, the Cinema, and Uptown Culture, features photographs of historic uptown Lexington - the city’s cultural epicenter where people worked, congregated and even saw themselves on the silver screen.
Beginning in the 1930s through the 1940s, Lexington’s studio photographer, H. Lee Waters, traveled throughout North Carolina and neighboring states making movies of “Everyday People.” It was this strategy that helped his business survive the Great Depression and, incidentally, documented the people that lived during an era that changed American history.
BREAKING THE HINDENBURG LINE The First World War began in 1914 and lasted until 1918. The Great War had been raging in Europe for three long, bloody years before the Americans became involved on April 2, 1917. Davidson County National Guardsmen played a pivotal role breaking down the German defensive stronghold known as the Hindenburg Line, bringing an end to the war.
Future Exhibits
THREE CASES, THREE OUTCOMES
This exhibit will focus on three infamous trials that took place in the old courthouse, each story with its own unique twist. Through original court documents and newspaper accounts, visitors will learn firsthand details of the crimes, trials, and outcomes.
Past Exhibits
THE COUNTY SEAT COMES OF AGE
(Renovated to become our permanent exhibit, Davidson County, Full Steam Ahead! exhibit)
Lexington is named the county seat in 1824 and incorporated by the General Assembly in 1828. By it's 101st birthday the city is straddling rail lines sparking local ambitions and will soon become a booming manufacturing center and hub of socioeconomic development. Learn about the county's emergence during 20th century Industrial Revolution.
THE MYSTERY UNDER MAIN STREET
Join the Davidson County Historical Museum and our friends at Davidson Living Magazine, on our quest to find rumored tunnels under uptown Lexington. Our findings may surprise you. Watch the video version of this exhibit.
Elvis Visits Lexington, Pop-Up Exhibit.
April 2022 - Summer 2022
Pop-Up Exhibit, Elvis Visits Lexington is open now! This small display features details about Elvis's stay in Lexington and more. Did you know Elvis wasn't the only world famous musician of his time to perform here? Visit the pop-up exhibit to find out more.
The Games We Played
April-September 2021
Cabinet Of Curiosities
2018-2020
The Story of BBQ in North Carolina
September 24th - October 26th, 2019
Off The Pages: Bringing Literature to Life through Historic Textiles 2017-2018
Treasures from the Collection 2015-2017
H. Lee Waters Photography Gallery 2015-2017
Serving Country and Community: VFW Post 3074
2013-2016
Shadows of the Past: The Native American Peoples of the Yadkin Valley
2011-2012
Books and printed materials are still available at the Museum for these exhibits:
The Best We Ever Saw: Early Courthouses of Davidson County
A Delicious Country: Settling The Backcountry of the Yadkin Valley
Marking our Civil War Trail in Davidson County
WWII Exhibits:
Band of Family: Davidson County's Home Front
Our Own Band of Brothers