The Luray Caverns, the biggest and most visited cavern system in the eastern United States, was first discovered incidentally in 1878 by Andrew Campbell when he and Benton Stebbins, a local photographer, stumbled upon a sinkhole on Campbell’s property.
Today, Luray Caverns is considered a natural wonder and attracts around half a million visitors a year who flock to see its major attractions; Dream Lake, Titania’s Veil, Giant’s Hall, Sracen’s Tent, and of course, The Great Stalacpipe Organ.
While the Luray Caverns stand as a testament to the awe-inspiring beauty and geological significance found within the natural world, the world’s largest instrument that it houses, The Great Stalacpipe Organ, wasn’t created until 1956!
What is Luray Cavern’s Great Stalacpipe Organ and how is it the largest instrument in the world?
First, it’s important to note that during the early 1900s part of the guided tours that took place in Luray Caverns included the guide tapping some of the various stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and flowstones throughout the caverns with a rubber mallet to display how the different sizes, shapes, and mineral compositions impacted the sound they made.
The common practice during these tours became so prominent and notable that while visiting the cavern in 1954 and hearing the ‘music’, American mathematician and electronic scientist Leland Sprinkle was struck by the idea of creating an instrument that could harmonize the sounds of the cavern behind the keys of one single instrument.
Shortly after getting this vision, Sprinkle received permission from the owners of Luray Cavern to convert part of the cavern into a natural organ, which was comprised of an electronic system that precisely controlled a series of rubber-tipped mallets suspended from the ceilings to strike specific stalactites in sequence to produce musical notes.
Given that the instrument is made up of 37 separate percussion notes, despite its name, the only thing that this instrument has in common with traditional organs is its unique keyboard layout, which replicates that of a standard pipe organ, meaning it requires a trained organist to be played.
After the completion of the Great Stalacpipe Organ in 1956, just two years after the idea was conceived, the instrument harnessed the power of around 3.5 acres worth of stalactites within the cavern, making it by far the largest musical instrument to be played by one person in the world!
What else is there to see at Luray Caverns?
Aside from hosting the world’s largest instrument, the real beauty of Luray Caverns comes from its stunning natural geological formations!
As one might say, you may come for the Stalacpipe Organ but you’ll end up sticking around for the other attractions the cavern has to offer.
- Dream Lake: A shallow pool of water that creates stunning mirror-like reflections of the cavern’s ceiling formations.
- Titania’s Veil: A shimmering drapery formation that resembles a cascading waterfall.
- Giant’s Hall: One of the cavern’s largest chambers, featuring towering columns and intricate formations.
- Saracen’s Tent: A breathtaking drapery formation resembling an elaborate tent.
How do you get to Luray Caverns from D.C.?
Luray Caverns is only 90 miles west of D.C. and is around a 1.5 to 2-hour drive from D.C., so you can visit whenever you have a spare day to make the trek!
The good news is that you can visit Luray Caverns 365 days a year and it is open between the following hours depending on the time of the year:
From November 1 to March 31
Weekdays 9 am – 4 pm
Weekends 9 am – 5 pm
From April 1 to June 14
Daily 9 am – 6 pm
From June 15 to Labor Day
Daily 9 am – 7 pm
From Labor Day to October 31
Daily 9 am – 6 pm
How much does it cost to visit Luray Caverns?
General admission tickets at Luray Caverns are $34 for adults, $32 for seniors, & $17 for children ages 6 – 12 (Free for kids under 6) and include:
- A self-guided tour of the caverns
- Access to the Car & Carriage Museum
- A visit to the Shenandoah Heritage Village
- A pass to Toy Town Junction