This past Thursday, August 12, 2010, Haywood County residents and business leaders gathered at the Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley for the museum's official Ribbon Cutting celebrating its re-grand opening in Maggie Valley for 2010.  Hosted by the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce, the cutting of the ribbon took place just after 11:00, and attracted hundreds of visitors from around the area.

Wheels Through Time Museum recently resumed regular 5 day per week operations on May 1, 2010, and is off to one of its busiest years yet.  So far this season, the museum has hosted over 30,000 visitors and continues to attract vast amounts of both domestic and international visitors alike.  Known for its dedication to preserving the heritage of American Transportation and its goal to educate its visitors about the history of our country's two-wheeled achievements, the museum has entertained over 500,000 visitors since opening its doors in 2002, drawing visitors from all 50 states and 60 countries in 2009 alone.

"Wheels Through Time is a huge asset to our community and area," said Cece Hipps, Executive Director of the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce.  "We are proud to have this great museum in Haywood County, and on behalf of the entire Haywood [County] Chamber of Commerce, I'd like to thank you all for everything you do to bring new visitors to our area."

Just after the ribbon cutting, the museum opened its doors for its first official Open House as a Haywood County Chamber of Commerce member.  The Open House lasted from 11:00 a.m. - 4p.m., with free museum admission, refreshments and hors d'oeuvres  for all in attendance.  Various members of the Chamber of Commerce's Board of Directors were in attendance to celebrate the occasion, as well as countless Chamber members and residents of the area, including Haywood County Economic Development Commission Chair, Mark Clasby, and Smokey Mountain News editor, Beck Johnson.

In total, just under 300 visitors made their way to Wheels Through Time for the Open House, which coincided with the museum's promotion extending free admission to all Haywood County residents held each Thursday. 

"We're proud to be here in the beautiful mountains of Maggie Valley, and look forward to continuing to bring new and returning faces back to Haywood County this 2010 and beyond," said associate director, Matt Walksler.

Heralded as the "Smithsonian of Motorcycles", the museum is regarded as one of the world's premier destinations for motorcycle and transportation history, displaying over 300 all-American machines dating back over 100 years.  For more information, visit the Wheels Through Time website, located at www.WheelsThroughTime.com or call (828) 926-6266.