The Annual Juried Quilts and Wall Hangings Exhibition is featured in the Great Hall each year from Memorial Day to Labor Day

Operating Hours

Open Monday through Saturday

9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Closed
Sundays and major holidays

Admission is free.

Contact

Main: (304) 558-0220
TDD: (304) 558-3562

The Culture Center
Capitol Complex
1900 Kanawha Boulevard East
Charleston, WV 25305-0300

Artists’ Register

Museum Events

Importance of Arts to Our Cultural History

When we talk about the value of arts and culture to society, we always start with its intrinsic value: how arts and culture can illuminate our inner lives and enrich our emotional world. This activity encompasses a broad range of disciplines that ranges from performing arts production and presentation, to visual arts exhibition, to arts education and arts in healthcare, to preservation and interpretation of our collective heritage. This is what we cherish.

However, we also understand that arts and culture have a wider, more measurable impact on our economy, health and wellbeing, society, and education. It is important we also recognize this impact to help people think of our arts and culture for what they are: a strategic national resource.

Essentially, life without the collective resources of our arts communities would be static and sterile—no creative arguments about the past, no diverse and stimulating present and no dreams of the future.

For more information about our current, upcoming or past exhibitions, contact Sidney Duncan, Exhibits Coordinator for the department at (304) 558-0220 or Sidney.L.Duncan@wv.gov.

Current Exhibitions

West Virginia Celebrates America250

Celebrate the United States Semiquincentennial with a walk through 250 years of American history! This exhibit, on display in the Theater Gallery of the Culture Center, traces the nation’s development from its birth to the modern day and shines a spotlight on West Virginia’s vital contributions to our country’s collective success. We invite you to get up close and personal with our history and discover how Mountaineers helped to shape the nation.

Founders Exhibit

Explore the newest interactive experience in the Great Hall of the Culture Center as you learn about major events and reveal the fascinating stories of our Founding Fathers and some of the most integral ladies of the Revolution as you spin each display box. Don’t forget to bring your smartphone or device! Scan each panel’s QR code to dive into even more interactive fun. This exhibit is proudly presented in partnership with the White House and Freedom 250 initative.

2026 Veterans Art Show

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation, the West Virginia Department of Tourism and West Virginia State Museum are proud to present the 2026 Veterans Art Show. West Virginia veterans were invited to submit works of art honoring both our national and local heritage through the lens of their unique and creative perspectives forged by their experiences at home and abroad. As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, we invite you to explore these works of art and join us in honoring the immense talent and dedication of West Virginia’s veteran community.

The exhibit will be on display in Museum Gallery of the West Virginia Culture Center through August 22, 2026.

2026 Annual Quilts and Wall Hangings Juried Exhibition

The West Virginia Department of Tourism is proud to present the 45th annual Quilts and Wall Hangings Juried Exhibition. The show officially opened on Friday, May 22 with an awards ceremony at the annual Vandalia Gathering at the Culture Center, State Capitol Complex. The free summer-long exhibition will be displayed in the Great Hall of the Culture Center.

America250 Semiquincentennial Quilt

The West Virginia Salute to America250 Quilt is a visual language art piece that was carefully designed to narrate the history of West Virginia. Created by quilters from across West Virginia, the design commemorates the state’s role in the nation’s 250th anniversary and the project showcases the exquisite talent and craftsmanship of West Virginia’s quilting community. The quilt was officially unveiled during the West Virginia Day celebrations at the Culture Center on June 20, 2026 and is on display in the Great Hall of the Culture Center.

In Tandem

Explore the intersection of love, life, and art. In Tandem highlights three West Virginia-based creative and romantic partnerships. Though each possesses a distinct style, this collection reveals the quiet dialogues, mutual inspiration, and shared evolution that come from a lifetime of creating together. Visit the exhibit on display now in the Lower Level Lobby of the Culture Center.

Blenko’s West Virginia Birthday Glass

Celebrate West Virginia Day at the Culture Center and marvel at the more than forty years of Blenko Glass Company’s West Virginia pieces. Ranging widely in both shape and color, each year’s limited edition design celebrates the history, culture, and natural beauty of the Mountain State. This exhibit is on display in the Balcony Gallery of the Culture Center.

2026 Governor’s Art Exhibition

Governor Patrick Morrisey and the West Virginia Department of Tourism announced an open invitation for local students to participate in the annual Governor’s Art Exhibition. Designed to showcase student creativity and the arts, this year’s exhibition was a call for one-of-a-kind designs celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation and the many contributions of West Virginia. The contest was open to all West Virginia students in grades Kindergarten through 12th, including public, private, and homeschool students. All designs are on display for public viewing in the State Capitol. 

Upcoming Exhibits

24th West Virginia Juried Exhibition

The West Virginia Department of Tourism, in partnership with the West Virginia Commission on the Arts, is pleased to announce a call for entires for the 24th West Virginia Juried Exhibition. The show will be on display at the Culture Center, State Capitol Complex in Charleston. Since 1979, this biennial exhibition has celebrated the exceptional talents and creativity of Mountain State artists.

Submissions for the exhibit are open July 1 through August 14, 2026. Entrants must be over the age of 18 and be a resident of, or maintain a permanent address in West Virginia. Students and military personnel with West Virginia resident status and a home address in West Virginia are eligible to enter. Entries may include painting, sculpture, printmaking, drawing, digital artwork, photography, mixed media and crafts. Video or film entries are not eligible for this exhibit. Entrants may submit up to two artworks for the exhibition. All entries must have been created in the last two years. A non-refundable entry fee of $20 per entry, made payable to the West Virginia Department of Tourism, must be submitted with each completed entry form. Entry fees may be paid online at the link here.

The prospectus and complete entry information are available here.

For questions and more information, contact Sidney Duncan, Exhibits Coordinator, at (304) 558-0220 or Sidney.L.Duncan@wv.gov.

Past Exhibits

Click here to view current and past West Virginia Department of Tourism exhibits and exhibitions. The West Virginia Department of Tourism youth programs exhibits can be viewed here.