While the Andy Griffith Museum got a temporary occupancy permit to open during Mayberry Days, the doors closed on Sept. 27 and didn’t reopen until last Saturday. And now that the certificate of occupancy has been granted, the Old-Time Museum Heritage Hall has already hosted a couple of events.

Tanya Jones, executive director of the Surry Arts Council, said she did not receive the occupancy permit until 3:30 p.m. Nov. 6. She said weather was a big factor in why the museum could not permanently open until now.

“A lot of those issues related to access to the exterior of the building. It all had to be up to ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance. The key reason that we got in the building this late is because there were about 36 work days that they could not work because of rain,” Jones said.

She said that it has been painful for her to see tourists to come to the museum just to find that it was closed.

“Yes, we decided to wait until the end of tourist season to open,” Jones said with a laugh. “We’ve made a record number of people unhappy. It’s not pleasant to tell people day after day that it’s still not open. It’s also not pleasant to our budget.”

Jones said Thursday night the jam session was held in the new music center last week. A dance was held last Saturday night as the Slate Mountain Ramblers played to a packed house. Admission was $5. There is no cost for the Thursday night jam sessions.

“The Slate Mountain Ramblers will be hosting a dance the first Saturday night of every month. Right now, we have not had an official opening of the lower level. We will have the official opening reception as soon as we receive the film from UNC-TV called ‘Folkways,’ complete the audio guides and complete the grant requirements with the Blue Ridge National Heritage area,” Jones said. She expects the reception to take place in the next three weeks.

Jones said a bluegrass jam session will be held in the Surry Arts Council building on Thursday nights as well. The Saturday and Thursday jam sessions start at 7 p.m.

Elizabeth Branson came with her husband, Elbert, to the jam session Thursday night. She said she enjoys coming out to hear the music, and the fact that it’s free to get in is even a bigger plus.

“It’s somewhere to go that doesn’t cost you. I just like to hear them play. It’s just good clean fun,” Branson said.

James Lawson, who was also in attendance at the jam session, thinks the music center will be a positive thing for the community.

“This is my kind of recreation. I know all these people on the wall here. They are all good musicians,” he said while pointing to pictures of old-time music legends like Paul Sutphin, Benton Flippen and Ralph Epperson.

The ribbon cutting for the museum was held during the 20th annual Mayberry Days in September.

The building that houses the museum and music center was funded with $600,000 that came from the Surry County commissioners, the N.C. Rural Center for economic development and the arts council.

Jones hopes the community is as pleased with the museum and music heritage center as she is.

The building was designed by Christopher Price. Jerry Coram of Coram Construction was in charge of the construction phase of the project.

Emmett Forrest, who is a personal friend of Andy Griffith’s and has been collecting memorabilia from Griffith’s career for the past 25 years, stood inside the museum recently as volunteers moved, lifted and hung his collection around the newly opened space.

Forrest will greet visitors to the center on Thursdays.

The collection also includes donations from Betty Lynn and Francey Knotts, Don Knotts’ widow. Jones said local retired attorney Fred Folger donated some items that will be used in the “Matlock” portion of the exhibit. Surry Arts Council theater volunteers worked on set pieces that will be used in the space as the jail.

The museum will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Contact Mondee Tilley at mtilley@mtairynews.com or at 719-1930.