MESDA — Attraction in Winston-Salem

"The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts at Old Salem houses the finest collection of decorative arts objects made and used by those living and working in the early South." They are absolutely correct with that claim. During the past few years, MESDA has completely renovated almost every gallery in the museum, with the last few galleries slated for completion in October 2015. The "new" MESDA isn't even remotely warehouselike (I don't know how Google arrived at that description). Once renovations are complete, there will be two new galleries that are completely self-guided; for those who have the time or prefer, the 45 minute docent-guided tours will continue to provide a more thorough exposure to the spectacular collection of furniture, maps, textiles, weapons, and various other decorative arts produced by Southern artisans. Until the renovations are complete, the guided tours may be impacted a bit by...

I have been through MESDA several times over the years. I recently went back through because I wanted to show a friend the museum, however we were allowed in only a few small places and the vast majority of the museum wasn't open and of course it was the part I wanted to see the most, namely the rooms. The ladies at the ticket area were more interested in carrying on a conversation than explaining that which we discovered upon trying to enter a locked door. $20 for me to see three rooms. Wow! What we saw was nice I'm just...

Definitive early Southern decorative arts collection and history. A Winterthur of the South in Old Salem. Always worth the visit and never enough time to fully appreciate the knowledge and helpfulness of the attentive staff of docents, volunteers and paid staff who are eager to share the beauty of the place. Superior displays and interpretive signage makes each visit a...