Tours & Tickets
Museum Only
Visit the self guided galleries at the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA) and Old Salem located in the Frank L. Horton Museum center. We have three self-guided galleries:
- The Carolyn and Mike McNamara Southern Masterworks Gallery
- The William C. and Susan S. Mariner Southern Ceramics Gallery
- The Dianne H. Furr Moravian Decorative Arts Gallery
$15 per adult, $15 per student/child (undergraduate students must show a college ID), plus tax; free entry for children 0-3 years old. Free for Friends of Salem and Friends of MESDA Members.
Two-Stop Ticket
Visit our self guided galleries AND an additional historic venue, or two historic venues of your choice.
$22 per adult, $10 per student/child (undergraduate students must show a college ID), plus tax; free entry for children 0-3 years old. Free for Friends of Salem and Friends of MESDA Members.
All-in-One
The All-In-One ticket for visiting Old Salem and MESDA can be purchased in advance here, or on-site at the Visitor Center, the Frank L. Horton Museum Center, and Winkler Book & Gift. Tickets give visitors access to all open buildings, including the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA) Self-Guided Galleries.
All-In-One Tickets are $30 per adult, $16 per student (undergraduate students must show a college ID), plus tax; Children 0-3 years old are free. Free for Friends of Salem and Friends of MESDA Members.
Celebrate the Semiquincentennial at MESDA!
In celebration of the 250th Anniversary of our country MESDA will be having special tours and “Spot Talks” during the year, included for ticketholders and members. These range from viewing needlework that expresses the patriotism of young women to learning about a cabinetmaker whose patriotic nature was written within the interior of his furniture.
April 10th and 24th at 2:00 pm: Early Life in Southern Homes: A Woman’s World
Discover what our MESDA study room interiors can tell us about southern colonial women’s daily lives and roles within the family.
May 8th, 22nd, and 29th at 3:00 pm: The Not So Patriotic Virginia Cabinetmaker
Learn about John Shearer and the ways he expressed his allegiance to the King.
June 5th, 19th, and 26th at 2:00 pm: Stars, Stripes, & Stitches
Explore how southern women used their needlework to express national identity in this 15 to 20 minute tour.
July 4th at 10:00 am and 1:30 pm and July 10th and 17th at 2:00 pm: Red, White, & Blue: American Spirit
Examine objects in MESDA’s collection that reflect the patriotic sentiment of their maker or commissioner.
October 9th at 11:00 am and 3:00 pm: Indigenous People’s Day
Reflect on the myriad ways that indigenous peoples influenced the decorative arts of the South.
October 23rd at 2:00 pm: The Women’s Movement in the 18th Century
Learn how southern women exercised political power in the early American South.
Two-Hour Connoisseur Tours
These tours, led by a knowledgeable guide, encompass all media and all three Southern regions, and can be tailored to suit your interests. We offer these tours Wednesday through Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Tours sell out fast, so booking early online is advisable.
Adults and Students • $75
Frank L. Horton, Frederic William Marshall, and Flora Ann Bynum Society Members • FREE
If available, tickets can also be purchased on the day of your visit.
Specialty Tours and Research Visits
We are happy to arrange special tours, collection studies, and research visits. To learn more about these options please visit our Research and Collections Appointments page or call the museum at 336-721-7360.
How to Purchase Tickets
Tickets can be purchased at The Frank L. Horton Museum Center located in the Old Salem Historic District at 924 South Main Street, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27101. Advance tickets for Two-Hour Connoisseur Tours can be purchased online. Arrangements for research and collection studies appointments can also be made online. In addition to cash, Old Salem Museums & Gardens accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover credit cards.