Blue Ridge Discovery Center

The Blue Ridge Discovery Center’s mission is to inspire creativity, discovery, and critical thinking through interest-driven and hands-on activities focused on the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Their partnership with the museum is in it’s third year.

We believe the BRDC’s approach to our natural world is in perfect harmony with our approach to presenting a living history of the region.  Last year, a small group led by Dr. Robert Perkins made an extraordinary commitment to us:  a year long photographic survey of all the flora and fauna on the farm.  This tireless team which included William Perkins and Cecelia Mathis, and sometimes Scott Jackson Ricketts, surveyed our 21 acres every two to three weeks last year, documenting their findings with beautiful photographs.   They even invited the public to a Moth Night event, hanging a sheet in the pavilion on a dark and stormy night and holding a black light behind the sheet.   And thus, in peak moth season, they captured stunning photos of the night fliers along with a few surprises.

This year they have gifted the museum with photos of all their findings.  We extend our deepest gratitude to them for enriching all our lives with this priceless snapshot in time of our natural world.  We hope that all our friends will support the Blue Ridge Discovery Center’s community activities and goals.

Please visit their website and delight in their many projects.

And now, we introduce you to the BRDC’s amazing gift.  Scroll down and click on each category to access all those marvelous photos.  Whether you are a student, a naturalist, a teacher, an artist, or simply have a healthy curiosity about the natural world around you, we hope you will take full advantage of this unique gift.