Know All About Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Winston-Salem, the Twin City, is rich in history, art and culture. The city blends the past and present perfectly. Once popular for its bustling tobacco industry, the city is now a sea of museums, art galleries and theaters. With a wide range of attractions, there is plenty to do within the city limits. 

The town of Salem was founded in 1766 by the Moravian Church, and was an active trading hub. The town of Winston was built in 1849 and was named after Joseph Winston, a local Revolutionary War hero. Winston became the county seat of Forsyth County in 1851 and since then the process of merging the two cities Salem and Winston was underway. In 1874, a significant business event took place. Richard Joshua Reynolds set up the world’s biggest tobacco firms in Winston. The city gained financial and industrial importance. In 1889, Winston and Salem merged their post offices and formed the hyphenated city of Winston-Salem. In 1913, the two towns, Winston and Salem merged and led to the formation of Winston-Salem.  In the 20th century, many businesses were established in Winston-Salem, including Piedmont Airlines, Krispy Kreme Doughnut, Inc. and many more. Today, the city has a diverse business base, including finance, healthcare research and manufacturing. It is referred as the “City of Arts and Innovation”. The city is committed towards innovation, exploration and an entrepreneurial spirit in business as well as culture. 

Winston-Salem has plenty of historical and cultural attractions. The city has museums, galleries, theatres, and much more. Some of the famous spots to visit are the Bethabara- a location where Moravian immigrants first settled in the state, the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts, old Salem, the SciWork, and many more. Whether you crave for history, nature, art and culture, wine, nightlife, shopping, food, and sports, the city offers it all. 

Children's Museums of Winston-Salem: The Children’s Museum of Winston-Salem  features several hands-on interactive exhibits and activities for children. It is a perfect spot to play and learn by experiencing the arts, literature and storytelling. 

SciWorks: SciWorks features science exhibit space, a planetarium and an outdoor environmental park. Learn about aquatic life, check out the animal habitats, stroll along the garden and see planetarium show. There are interactive hands-on exhibits and special programs for all ages!

Reynolda House Museum of American Art: Check out the American art from 1755 to the present at Reynolda House Museum of American Art.  It is a historic home that also houses vintage furnishings and clothing, and Reynolda’s family memorabilia.  

Downtown Arts District:  The Downtown Arts District offers plenty of things to do. The district features an eclectic collection of museums, art galleries, studios, restaurants and shops. 

Old Salem Museums and Gardens: Explore the history at Old Salem Museum and Gardens. It is a historical site representing life in Salem from its beginnings to the present day. There are plenty of historic buildings of the 18th century, museums, galleries, and lovely gardens. 

Southeastern Center for Contemporary Arts: Explore contemporary art at Southeastern Center for Contemporary Arts. It features an eclectic collection of artwork by national and regional contemporary artists. 

Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts: The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts features eighteenth and nineteenth century furnishings, sculptures, paintings and other artifacts from the southeast. 

New Winston Museum: Explore the history of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County from 1850 to the present day at New Winston Museum. 

Historic Bethabara District: Historic Bethabara District is a site where Moravians first settled in North Carolina. It includes 1788 church, museum, a restored Indian/French War fort and also offers birdwatching, hiking and several varieties of plants.

Wake Forest University Museum of Anthropology: Learn about the global cultures at Wake Forest University Museum of Anthropology. The museum houses permanent collection from the Asia, Africa, Oceania and America. It has several artifacts and pieces of history. 

West End Historic District: The West End Historic District features historic homes, nightlife spots and antique shops.

Winston-Salem has a dual heritage, hence called as the “Twin City”. The city has contributed a lot to fine arts, culture and theatre. The city offers a diverse array of cultural opportunities from museums and public art galleries to live musical performances and theatres.

The people of Winston-Salem are warm and friendly. The city offers a low living cost as compared to other major cities of North Carolina. 

UTC-GMT Offset: Winston-Salem, North Carolina is GMT/UTC - 5h during Standard Time (EST); Winston-Salem, North Carolina is GMT/UTC - 4h during Daylight Saving Time (EDT)

Daylight Saving Time Usage: Winston-Salem, NC does utilize Daylight Saving Time.

Winston-Salem Area Codes: 336 and 743

The best time to visit Winston-Salem is spring with pleasant weather. Another perfect time is fall with warm days and cool evenings. Indulge in hiking, biking and other outdoor activities during these seasons.  Some of the festivals and events in Winston-Salem-

RiverRun International Film Festival(April)

Salute! The North Carolina Wine Celebration  (June)

Winston-Salem Open (August)

Winston-Salem Air Show (September)

Festival of Lights (December & January)