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Photo: Ben Schumin, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The star has been lit with neon since it was built in 1949. It gives Roanoke its name of "Star City." There is an overlook accessible directly in front of the star that looks at downtown Roanoke. Follow the signs from downtown to Mill Mountain Park.
The Roanoke Star, also known as the Mill Mountain Star, is the world's largest freestanding illuminated man-made star. It was constructed at the top of Mill Mountain in Roanoke, Virginia in 1949 by the local merchants association to draw publicity and trade to the city. The star was initially intended to be lit only during Christmas seasons, but was popular enough with the citizens of Roanoke that it is illuminated every night year-round. It stands 88.5 feet (27.0 m) tall and weighs 60,000 pounds (27,000 kg), rests 846 feet (258 m) above the city of Roanoke, and is visible for 60 miles (97 km) from the air. Its 2,000 feet (610 m) of neon tubing are typically lit entirely in white, but have the ability to shine solely in red, or in red, white, and blue. The star has become a symbol of Roanoke and the source of its nickname "Star City of the South", and it along with its accompanying scenic overlook are popular tourist destinations in the area.
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Formerly called the Art Museum of Western Virginia. The new building opened in November 2008 and is worth a visit in itself. It was designed by Los Angeles' Randall Stout Architects. Randall Stout and others on the team previously worked with Frank Gehry's office in LA. The Museum's primary focus is American art, with particular attention to Appalachian and Southwestern Virginian art.
Houses many Norfolk and Western Locomotives which used to run through Roanoke, and also features aviation and automobiles. In addition, the museum features a model train layout plus a live web cam overlooking the rail yard.
A major convention and exhibit facility with a performance center.