ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The Asheville Museum of Science will mark the first anniversary of Tropical Storm Helene by offering free admission to Western North Carolina residents on Friday.

The museum, known as AMOS, opened its exhibit Our Changing World earlier this year to help residents explore the connections between climate science and community resilience. The exhibit has since become a space for families, scientists and visitors to reflect on the storm’s impact and share stories of recovery.

In the days immediately following Helene, AMOS served as a community hub, offering Wi-Fi, supplies and children’s resources to families in need. That experience inspired the creation of the exhibit as a place of both science and healing, museum leaders said.

“As WNC residents ourselves, we recognize that the anniversary of Hurricane Helene may resurface questions, feelings or memories,” AMOS executive director Amanda Bryant said in a statement. “We want to offer Our Changing World as a quiet, welcoming space where neighbors can process, grieve and reflect.”

AMOS officials said Friday’s free admission is intended as a gesture of remembrance and a celebration of community resilience.