YMI Cultural Center

The YMI Cultural Center is an Asheville landmark in the heart of downtown, convenient to City Hall, Pack Square, Pack Place and art galleries and other cultural centers. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the YMI has served Asheville's minority citizens since it was first established in 1893 as the Young Men's Institute. It houses numerous exhibits, many dealing with the history of African Americans in Western North Carolina, and sponsors such cultural events as Asheville's Goombay! Festival, an Annual Kwanzaa Celebration and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration. We invite all people to come share in the rich heritage and celebration of African and African American culture.