Who We Are

The Presbyterian Heritage Center (PHC) is an independent non-profit organization supported by individuals, churches, and foundations.

We opened our facility in May 2008 in the Spence Hall, originally built in Montreat for the Historical Foundation of Presbyterian and Reformed Churches. The PHC is the successor to the Friends of the Historical Foundation whose mission was to support the ongoing Historical Foundation operation in Montreat. The Historical Foundation had been closed by the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America in 2006.

The PHC conducts a learning center, research library, changing museum exhibits and online web site, all of which are visited by tens of thousands every year. We have custody of Presbyterian and missionary artifacts, documents, periodicals, books, photographs, and film archives. We are the only Presbyterian historical facility not aligned with any single denomination. The PHC is independent. We collect and preserve records and materials of all Presbyterian & Reformed Church denominations.

Mission Statement

The Presbyterian Heritage Center at Montreat is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization operating as an innovative and interactive learning center and research facility both onsite and online. The mission is to:

1. Educate young people and adults about the heritage and history of churches sharing the Presbyterian and Reformed faith through exhibits and programs, so they may understand and appreciate what God through Jesus Christ has done with and through His People and seek to discern Godʼs will both today and in the future.

2. Discover, collect, document, preserve, exhibit, and make available records, artifacts, photographs, film, books, and other information, both onsite and online, about the history of the Presbyterian & Reformed churches, the church universal and about Montreat.

3. Increase understanding and appreciation of the history of national and worldwide missions, as well as, to promote the importance of present and future missions.