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| Reynolda House Museum of American Art © Katrena |
My crew visited the Reynolda House Museum of American Art located at 100 Reynolda Village in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on July 13, 2023. We visited the gardens many times over the years but had never ventured over to the museum, which is the estate of R.J. and Katherine Reynolds. We parked at the conservatory and walked through the gardens on the way to the museum. The gardens are always filled with beautiful flowers and plants and are free and open to the public.
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| Reynolda Museum in Winston-Salem © Katrena |
The Reynolda museum offers quite a few opportunities for some people, such as people under age 18, college students, active or retired military personnel, etc, to visit the museum for free. We visited the Forsyth County Public Library, where they have two tickets that can be checked out in order to visit the museum for free. After the visit, we visited the library again to return the two tickets. I thought that was a great idea and hope other museums offer something similar in the future!
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| Guest Bedroom in Reynolda Museum © Katrena |
If you plan to visit the museum, I recommend reviewing their rules carefully. They have very specific guidelines regarding how large your pocketbook can be if you wish to tour the museum, among other rules. This museum was a private home with lots of nice pieces of furniture that you will walk by in hallways and rooms, and the employees will watch you very carefully to ensure that nobody comes close to touching any item on the tour. If you have young children who like to touch items, you'd need to carefully consider this before visiting.
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| Gallery at Reynolda Museum Near Wake Forest University © Katrena |
We began our tour on the first level at an orientation gallery where visitors can watch a movie. Two walls are covered with photos, items, and information about the family and their home. I found the information to be interesting and learned quite a bit about the family throughout various stages of their lives. From there, we walked back through the lobby and viewed quite a few larger and smaller rooms.
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| Jewelry and Accessories at Reynolda House Museum © Katrena |
Some of the rooms were roped off with rooms staged like they may have been in years past. Many everyday items throughout the home were in great condition. In addition to the furniture, you'll see quite a few portraits throughout the museum with descriptions that were interesting and educational.
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| 1918 Pipe Organ at Reynolda Museum © Katrena |
Along the hall, you'll see a small room filled with 1918 pipes for an Acolian pipe organ that extend through several floors to the attic. Visitors in the afternoon can hear the pipe organ play, but we visited in the morning. I used to play the organ for a couple of churches, so I would love to go back just to hear the music on this rare instrument!
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| Reception Hall at Reynolda House Museum of American Art © Katrena |
The largest room of the home, the reception hall, houses the organ where the family would gather. Looking at the double staircase flanking the large fireplace and chimney, I could not help but think of some scenes from Gone with the Wind. Take some time to look at the art on the walls and admire the impressive collection of furniture.
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| Art Museum at Reynolda © Katrena |
Several rooms connect to the reception hall, and within those rooms, you may see an eclectic mix of artwork. I imagine that the Reynolds family enjoyed collecting art of famous artists of the time. My daughter studied art in her ninth grade visual arts class and she recognized several artist names and styles that were featured. I was surprised to see how much information was included with many of the art pieces. Their web site's K-12 page also offers a nice variety of art project ideas along with directions and supply lists, a scavenger hunt, and more.
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| Fine Attention to Detail at Reynolda Museum © Katrena |
The second floor features a balcony around the edge of the reception hall with several bedrooms along the sides. The attention to detail particularly caught my eye as I looked at the wrought iron in the balcony. Throughout the rooms, several details were included in the descriptions, such as why a scale was in the bathroom and why Katherine Reynolds ensured a Bible was placed in the guest bedroom.
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| The Black Experience at Reynolda Museum © Katrena |
When we visited, one exhibition featured in the house was Still I Rise: The Black Experience at Reynolda. This area offered a video, photos, and numerous quotes from people of color who worked at Reynolda. Several of the displays offered interesting details from the perspective of dedicated people who served the family, some for multiple generations. You can also find quotes and photos about those who served in various areas in the house, such as where meals were prepared.
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| Vintage Toys at Reynolda Museum © Katrena |
The third level, or attic, featured a nice display of toys, dolls, and miniatures. My youngest daughter volunteers at the NC Museum of Dolls, Toys, and Miniatures, so this was by far her favorite area. We all thought it was pretty impressive that these vintage items were in such nice shape. The children playing with them must have been extra careful with the toys and dolls.
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| Fashion Displays at Reynolda Museum © Katrena |
The attic also features impressive clothing and accessories, primarily women's fashions. We thought they ought to continue making nice tuxedos like the one in the photo above! These are displayed on manikins with staging that almost looked like I would imagine a storefront window in New York might look. You can also see the top of the organ pipes on this level.
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| Reynolda Museum Basement © Katrena |
You can find steps for the basement near the library. According to their web site, they also have an elevator for people who are mobility impaired. The younger generation took the lead on designing the basement filled with opportunities for fun activities such as ping pong, bowling, billiards, a bar, squash, and an indoor pool.
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| Reynolda Museum Indoor Pool © Katrena |
The last area we visited on the tour featured an indoor swimming pool with two large cages for birds. The roof opens at the apex. Beyond the pool is a small hallway with a few informative signs before going into an area where it looks like they have art classes.
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| Reynolda Museum Library © Katrena |
You can easily make Reynolda an activity for several hours by touring the gardens, museum, walking the trails, and visiting the shops in Reynolda Village. Touring the museum was a great indoor activity in the heat of July, and my daughters enjoyed looking at the nice variety of items throughout the home.
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| Reynolda Art Museum in NC © Katrena |
For more information about the museum, gardens, or village, visit the official Reynolda web site.
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