The Warehouse Art Gallery, now operating as The Art Space on 211 at 3054 US Highway 211 West in Luray, VA 22835 (1.5 miles west of Luray Caverns), has showcased Shenandoah Valley artists for over 21 years since its founding around 2001-2002 under the leadership of local art champion Jim Mayes, relocating from its original 11,000-square-foot historic 1910 Luray Supply Company warehouse building on Campbell Street when it closed December 31, 2022. This free-admission art gallery (donations appreciated) operated by the all-volunteer Page Valley Arts Council (501(c)(3) nonprofit) displays works from 90+ regional artists across paintings, watercolors, ceramics, pottery, sculptures, photography, jewelry, hand-dyed silk scarves, stained glass, ironwork, and unique handcrafted furniture. Gallery hours are Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from 12 PM–5 PM, or by appointment at 540-742-3620; email lurayart@gmail.com for inquiries. Rated an impressive 4.8/5 stars on TripAdvisor (46 reviews, 100% positive) with Travelers' Choice recognition and 4.7 stars on Google, reviewers compare this hidden gem favorably to MassMOCA, praising the sheer volume and variety of pieces, reasonable prices, and friendly atmosphere with live folk and country music performances on weekends. Featured artists include painters Chris Odell-Ferguson and Scott Hillman, sculptors Lisbeth Sabol and Jim Mayes, potter Cathie Miranda ("The Pottery Lady" and PVAC President), and fiber artist Charleen Johnston of Bliss Ninja. Part of the Downtown Luray Arts & Cultural District and the Appalachian Mural Trail, this wheelchair-accessible Virginia art gallery serves as a gateway attraction near Luray Caverns and Shenandoah National Park, accepting all major credit cards and welcoming walk-ins, families, and art enthusiasts seeking authentic Appalachian folk art and contemporary Virginia craftsmanship.
Cooter's Place operates three locations with the Luray, VA museum located at 4768 U.S. Highway 211 West, Luray, VA 22835, with additional locations in Nashville and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The Luray attraction is owned and operated by Ben "Cooter" Jones himself—the actor who portrayed the beloved mechanic Cooter Davenport throughout the CBS series that captivated 40 million weekly viewers during its 1979-1985 run. The original Cooter's Place opened in Sperryville, Virginia in 1999 before relocating to its current Luray location in 2017, celebrating its 25th anniversary in July 2024. Visitors enjoy FREE museum admission to see iconic vehicles including multiple General Lees (the famous orange 1969 Dodge Chargers), Boss Hogg's white Cadillac, Daisy's Jeep "Dixie," and Cooter's tow truck, along with extensive memorabilia, costumes, and original props from the show. What sets this Virginia attraction apart is the free live entertainment: Cooter's Garage Band performs every Saturday from 1-3 PM with frequent appearances from Ben Jones himself, followed by free bluegrass concerts every Sunday from 2-4 PM. Special events feature reunion appearances from cast members like Tom Wopat (Luke Duke) and Catherine Bach (Daisy Duke), with concert tickets typically $30 for adults while seniors 65+ and children under 12 often attend free. TripAdvisor ranks Cooter's Place as #4 of 39 things to do in Luray with 4.5 out of 5 stars from 207 reviews and a Travelers' Choice award, while the pet-friendly venue welcomes leashed dogs inside. Daisy's Diner on-site serves classic American fare including Eastern NC-style BBQ, "The Boss Hog" grilled cheese with BBQ pork, and homemade banana pudding—open weekdays 9 AM-2 PM and weekends 8 AM-4 PM. Located just four miles from Luray Caverns in the scenic Shenandoah Valley, this nostalgic roadside attraction is perfect for road-trippers and families exploring Virginia's Route 211 corridor.
Trackside Theater is a 100% volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit community theater located at 32 B East Main Street in downtown Luray, Virginia, named for its location beside the railroad tracks in this charming Shenandoah Valley town. Founded in 2008 as Blue Ridge Youth Theater by Kira Newman, David Newman, Jim Newman, Barbara Baker, and Robert "Bob" Baker, the organization moved into its distinctive purple-painted theater building in 2012 and has produced approximately 50 shows since its inception. The theater presents roughly 10 productions and 40 performances annually, featuring musicals, dramas, comedies, old-time radio shows, mysteries, opera, and youth theater productions through its resident companies: Blue Ridge Youth Theater, Roundhouse Players, and Luray Opera. Ticket prices are highly affordable at $10 for adults and $5 for students, with a $2 online service fee per order, making live theater accessible to Page County families—tickets are sold through the Arts-People ticketing platform. Trackside Theater holds a 5.0 out of 5 rating on TripAdvisor (#26 of 39 things to do in Luray), with reviewers praising its inclusive, community-driven atmosphere, professional direction, and engaging programs for youth and teens, describing it as a beloved community theater and fantastic intimate venue. Current and upcoming productions include "CLUE OnStage" (August 2025), "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" (December 2024), and past highlights like "The Hobbit," "Little Women," and "Charlotte's Web"—many designed as multi-generational shows where families can perform together. The theater supports community engagement through Patreon memberships, tax-deductible donations, and production sponsorships, while volunteer and audition opportunities are available year-round for all ages with "no prep needed" auditions where actors read from scripts.
Performing Arts Luray (PAL), officially named The Rebecca J. Graves Regional Center for the Performing Arts, is a community theater at 1 East Main Street in historic downtown Luray, VA 22835 that's been bringing professional-quality entertainment to Page County's Shenandoah Valley audiences since 2005 (now celebrating 20 years as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit). The intimate 220-seat theater-in-the-round venue (130 for dinner theater) sits inside a converted BB&T bank building acquired in 2006, and it's got excellent acoustics, comfortable well-padded seating with good sightlines from every seat, a Yamaha 6-foot baby grand piano, professional sound/lighting systems, ADA accessibility with elevator access, and free parking. Contact PAL at (540) 743-3311 or contact@performingartsluray.org to buy tickets online via Arts People, at the Luray-Page County Visitors' Center (540-743-3915), or Luray Copy Service (540-743-3433). Rated 5.0/5 stars on Yelp, reviewers call it a hidden treasure where the 1776 musical performance felt like being in Constitution Hall. Not bad for a small-town venue, right? PAL puts on 18-24 events annually: musicals, plays, comedy shows, classical and jazz concerts, tribute bands like Abbey Road (Beatles), nationally recognized artists including 2024 Guggenheim Fellow Rodney Jones, illusionists, ventriloquists, and the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington DC. The theater was named in August 2020 to honor Rebecca Beall Jackson Graves, a gifted pianist, organist, and Luray Caverns Corporation Senior Vice President, through a $25k+ donation from the Graves family and Luray Caverns Corporation. This all-volunteer operation offers venue rentals for weddings and corporate events, a newly renovated 50-person banquet room, membership opportunities, and welcomes volunteers to support Virginia's vibrant regional performing arts scene near Shenandoah National Park, Luray Caverns, and the Page Valley Artisan Trail (Site #40).
The **Page Theater** in Luray, Virginia—affectionately known as "The Big Pink Theater in the Center of Town"—has enchanted moviegoers in the Shenandoah Valley since **May 29, 1939**, when it opened showing "Calling Doctor Kildare" in its stunning Art Moderne/Streamline Moderne building. Now operating with **7 screens** and offering first-run Hollywood films at just **$9 for adults and $7 for children** (about half typical theater prices), this historic movie theater delivers exceptional value with concessions ranging from $1-$8. TripAdvisor reviewers rate it **4.7 out of 5 stars** with praise like "THE BEST THEATER IN AMERICA" and "absolutely the fanciest movie theater I've ever been in," earning a **Travelers' Choice Award**. The late Jerry Spencer, who lovingly operated the theater from 1988 until his passing in 2019, created extraordinary **themed screening rooms** including an Egyptian room with statues and a medieval room with swords, axes, and full suits of armor flanking the screen. Now owned by the **Hoke family** who reopened it in November 2019, the theater maintains Spencer's legacy while accepting modern payment methods including credit cards and Apple Pay. Located on Main Street in downtown Luray near the famous **Luray Caverns**, this 85+ year-old vintage cinema offers a nostalgic movie-going experience with intimate atmosphere, immaculate cleanliness, and friendly staff—making it a must-visit attraction for Page County visitors and families seeking rainy day activities in the Shenandoah Valley.
Off Broadway Players (officially "The Schultz Theatre Off Broadway Players") is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community theater founded in October 2010 by Michael Gwin and Ranier Vidale as The Schultz Theatre in New Market, Virginia, named after Michael's grandfather—the organization relocated to Broadway, VA in November 2016 with funding assistance from the Town of Broadway and adopted its current name in 2020. Performances take place at the J. Frank Hillyard Middle School Auditorium (226 Hawks Hill Drive, Broadway, VA 22815), featuring central air conditioning, comfortable seating, excellent sight lines, and a recently added accessibility ramp at the front entrance. Ticket prices are $17 for adults, $15 for seniors (65+) and students (with ID), and $13 per person for groups of 20 or more—general admission seating with no reserved seats, tickets available at the door with box office opening one hour before performances (Fridays/Saturdays at 7:00 PM, Sunday matinees at 3:00 PM). Named by Virginia Living Magazine readers as one of the "Outstanding Performing Arts Troupes in the Commonwealth of Virginia" (2012) and recipient of the New Market Outstanding Business Award (2014), OBP has averaged over 20 main stage performances per year and showcases community talents ranging from pre-teens to retirees while also emphasizing education in the performing arts through quality instruction and youth programs. The 2025 season includes "The Kitchen Witches" (May), "The Wizard of Oz" (July–August), and "It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" (November), while the 2026 season features "Tuesdays with Morrie" (on tour to Court Square Theater and Sipe Center in March), "Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood," "Once Upon A Mattress," and "The Ransom of Red Chief." Past productions include acclaimed performances of "To Kill A Mockingbird," "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," "Steel Magnolias," "South Pacific," and "Little Shop of Horrors"—the all-volunteer organization depends entirely on donations and volunteers to operate. Sponsorship opportunities include $500 for plays, $1,500 for musicals, and playbill advertising ($275 for full-page color ads), with concessions available before shows and at intermission—led by President Jeff Obenschain and Artistic Director Michael Strawderman, mail correspondence to P.O. Box 1027, Broadway, Virginia 22815.
Explore More Discovery Museum (I Explore More Maker City)21 mi
The **Explore More Discovery Museum** in Harrisonburg, Virginia stands as the Shenandoah Valley's premier children's museum and hands-on learning center, offering **$9.50 general admission**—the lowest of all seven children's museums in Virginia. **Founded in 2002** as a mobile traveling exhibit program by kindergarten teacher Lisa Shull, the museum moved into its permanent 33,000-square-foot location at 150 S Main Street in November 2010 following a $415,464 renovation of the historic A&N Department Store building. This interactive discovery museum features over **16 community-inspired galleries** including a real airplane children can sit in, a full-size ambulance, a Merck Science Lab, WHSV TV-3 broadcast studio, and the innovative **Maker City makerspace** for ages 8+ with woodworking, 3D printing, and laser cutting. TripAdvisor reviewers rate it **4.8 out of 5 stars** with 127 reviews, ranking it #3 of 112 Harrisonburg attractions, with one visitor declaring it "easily better—and cheaper—than the National Children's Museum in DC." Family memberships start at **$95/year**, with the Explorer Membership at $125/year including reciprocal admission to over 200 museums nationwide. The museum offers **birthday party packages** ($275-$375), SOL-guided field trips, First Friday FREE admission monthly (5-7 PM), and serves nearly 80,000 annual visitors with 300+ programs, making it an essential family-friendly attraction and kids activity destination in Rockingham County.
Court Square Theater is permanently closing on December 31, 2025, after the Arts Council of the Valley Board of Directors voted on December 17, 2025, to cease operations due to long-term funding losses totaling $371,450 from local government sources since FY2020 and declining attendance (from 18,836 in FY23 to a projected 14,590 in the current fiscal year). Located at 41-F Court Square in historic downtown Harrisonburg, Court Square Theater opened in 2001 under the Arts Council of the Valley after the building—originally the Rockingham Motor Company car dealership from the 1920s–1970s—was renovated in 1998 as part of Harrisonburg's downtown revitalization effort, retaining historic touches like the original RMC crest and a vintage ticket booth. The intimate 250–260 seat venue offered independent and foreign films, live theatrical productions, bluegrass and acoustic concerts, comedy shows, dance performances, and documentary screenings, with film tickets priced at $10 general admission ($8 for members) and live event tickets varying by performer (examples: $30–$35 for bluegrass concerts, $10 for improv shows). Court Square Theater earned a 4.4 out of 5 rating on TripAdvisor with 30 reviews and a Travelers' Choice Award, ranking #13 of 55 things to do in Harrisonburg—reviewers described it as "one of our sweetest treasures" with excellent acoustics, a cozy and comfortable atmosphere, friendly staff, and praised its role in making Harrisonburg a top retirement destination. Funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the venue featured full concessions including popcorn, candy, wine, local beers, and cocktails, wheelchair-accessible seating, and operated Monday–Sunday from 2:00 PM with box office opening 1 hour before live events and 30 minutes before films. Notable final productions include "The Snow Palace" contemporary ballet (December 20–21, 2025) and a Christmas Eve double feature of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Frosty the Snowman" (December 24, 2025 at 11 AM)—the parent organization Arts Council of the Valley is headquartered at 311 South Main Street and can be reached at (540) 801-8779.
**Theatre Shenandoah** in Edinburg, Virginia brings professional-quality Broadway musicals and classic plays to the heart of Shenandoah County from a beautifully restored **1903 opera house** that later served as Edinburg Town Hall. **Established around 2010** as a 501(c)(3) non-profit community theater under Artistic Director Lori Staley, this performing arts venue produces acclaimed shows including *The Sound of Music*, *Fiddler on the Roof*, *1776: The Musical*, *Little Shop of Horrors*, and *A Christmas Carol*. Ticket prices are **$22 for adults and $18 for seniors/students**, with premium front-row seating at $25, available online through Showtix4you.com, at Edinburg Mill, or at the box office one hour before performances. TripAdvisor reviewers give it a **perfect 5 out of 5 stars**, with one visitor comparing their *1776* experience to "being in Constitution Hall in Philadelphia only way more entertaining." The theater also offers a **Frozen Jr. Theatre Summer Camp** ($325) for ages 10-18, providing intensive three-week training in acting, singing, dancing, and technical theatre culminating in a full production. Located within the **Edinburg Historic District**—a national historic district containing 292 contributing buildings dating from 1787—this intimate community theater creates warm, charming experiences where "performers and audience connect in a truly special way." For families seeking live entertainment, musicals, and performing arts in the Shenandoah Valley, Theatre Shenandoah delivers Broadway-caliber productions in a historic Virginia setting.
The Virginia Quilt Museum, the Official Quilt Museum of the Commonwealth of Virginia and a Distinctive Destination of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, relocated in June 2024 to the historic Silver Lake Mill at 2328 Silver Lake Road in Dayton, VA 22821 after 29 years at the antebellum Warren-Sipe House in Harrisonburg, and has preserved Virginia's quilting heritage since its 1995 founding (now 30 years). Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors ("Lifelong Learners"), $5 for students, free for children 12 and under, free for military through the Blue Star Program, and $1 off for National Trust members; the museum is open Tuesday–Saturday 10 AM–4 PM, February 1–December 15 (winter closure mid-December through late January). Reach the museum at (540) 433-3818 or info@vaquiltmuseum.org for group tours, quilt evaluations, and workshop registrations. Rated 4.4/5 stars on TripAdvisor (144 reviews), ranked #1 of 13 things to do in Dayton, and holding a Travelers' Choice Award, visitors praise the beautiful traditional and contemporary quilt displays, friendly knowledgeable staff, impressive antique sewing machine collection, and well-stocked gift shop at reasonable prices. The museum's permanent collection of 291 quilts dating from 1806 to present rotates through exhibitions at least three times yearly, including recent shows like "Beyond the Blue: Contemporary Cyanotype Quilts," "Handsomely Hand Done: Hand Quilted Treasures," and an upcoming 260-quilt exhibition commemorating America's 250th anniversary in 2026. The new ADA-compliant Silver Lake Mill location—built in 1822 by German Baptist Brethren, listed on the National Register's Silver Lake Historic District and Virginia's Civil War Trails—offers 9,000 square feet across two floors, elevator access, covered porch with scenic lake views, rocking chairs, free parking, and rustic industrial charm. Educational programs include beginning quilting classes, mini-quilt workshops, lectures, popular "Stash Blast" fabric sales ($9/pound), group tours with behind-the-scenes collection access, and outreach presentations to quilting guilds throughout the Shenandoah Valley quilting community.
Two 18th-century buildings, completely free admission, and a drug store soda fountain stool that Jackie Onassis supposedly once sat on. Right? The Woodstock Museum of Shenandoah County isn't connected to that famous New York music festival (they get asked about that constantly), but what it does offer is a surprisingly rich look at Virginia history without charging you a penny. Founded in 1969 as a non-profit, the museum moved in 2004 to the historic Marshall House, a dressed limestone building from around 1772 that once hosted Thomas Marshall during his circuit court travels. Yes, that Thomas Marshall, father of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall. The Baughman Family Collection alone features over 400 pieces of 18th and early 19th-century artifacts, and the displays range from Civil War relics and Pennsylvania German frakturs to antique quilts, coverlets, regional pottery, and a complete moonshine still that someone actually recovered from the local hills. TripAdvisor reviewers give it a perfect 5.0 out of 5 stars, with most praising the volunteer docents who bring stories to life rather than just reciting facts at you. Right next door, the Wickham House (an 18th-century log home covered in clapboards) shows period furniture in authentic room settings reflecting how residents actually lived during the Civil War era from 1861-65. The museum opens May through October on Fridays and Saturdays from 1-4 PM, run entirely by volunteers who clearly love this place. You'll find it just steps from the 1795 Shenandoah County Courthouse, which is supposedly the oldest active courthouse west of the Blue Ridge Mountains and reportedly designed by Thomas Jefferson himself. For heritage tourism enthusiasts and history buffs researching colonial Virginia, German immigrant settlement, or Civil War Shenandoah Valley history, email woodstockmuseumva@yahoo.com to set up an appointment outside regular hours.
