Everything You Need to Know about the Tennessee State Museum (Nashville)
When it comes to things to do in Nashville, the Tennessee State Museum deserves a spot at the top of the list. The free museum chronicles the history of Tennessee, and while it might be a cliche to say there’s something for everyone, that really is the case at the Tennessee State Museum.
Here’s what makes it one of my top favorite places to go in Nashville and why I recommend it to both visitors and locals!
History
The Tennessee State Assembly created a state museum in 1937 to hold artifacts from WWI and other objects related to state history.
The museum moved to the James K. Polk Center in 1981. The current museum building located in the Bicentennial Capitol Mall opened in 2018. It’s easy to access both the Capitol Mall and the Nashville Farmers’ Market from the Tennessee State Museum.
The Tennessee State Museum is free for visitors, which is impressive given just how much is on display.
Museum Exhibitions
The museum has seven permanent exhibitions on display with artifacts dating back to the First Peoples of Tennessee. There really is something for every interest at the museum. A few of my favorite things on display are the campaign promises for David Crockett, one of Dolly Parton’s stage costumes, and astronaut Butch Wilmore’s flight uniform.
- The natural history section explores the landscapes, plants, and animals of Tennessee and even has fossils on display.
- The Tennessee Time Tunnel walks guests through important events in the state’s history.
- The First Peoples section showcases how the first inhabitants of the area lived.
- The Forging a Nation section contains artifacts related to leaders instrumental to the early years of the United States including Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, David Crockett, and Sam Houston.
- The Civil War section guides visitors through the state’s position and tensions during the war and highlights individuals who played both major and minor roles.
- The Change and Challenge section deals with the history following Reconstruction up to World War II. There are also everyday artifacts on display like dresses and bicycles from the 1920s.
- The Tennessee Transforms section covers the 1950s to the present day. This includes everything from the Civil Rights Movement to Tennessee’s development as a music industry hotspot.
Honestly, there is so much to see at the museum that I like to pick just a couple sections to focus on during each visit. You can definitely see everything in one go, but it’s hard to take in all the details.
Tuesday through Saturday, the museum offers a highlights tour that starts at 2 pm. If you want a little more direction with your visit, the tour is helpful!
Children’s Area
One of my favorite spots in the museum is the Children’s Gallery. While kids will enjoy the museum, their limited attention spans might not make it through all the exhibitions.
The Children’s Gallery is an interactive space that showcases different parts of the state. The gallery is designed for ages 3-8, but my 2-year-old loves playing with the train table (for Chattanooga) and dancing to music (for Memphis). Most kids could probably spend 30 minutes to an hour in the area.
There’s also a story time on Tuesdays and Saturdays (But my daughter isn’t quite ready to sit through it yet. The play areas are too exciting right now.)
Unfortunately, Nashville doesn’t have a children’s museum, but this space reminds me of a very miniature version of one.
Special Exhibitions and Events
Besides the permanent exhibitions, the Tennessee State Museum also hosts temporary exhibitions. This means that there’s always something new to see.
The museum also hosts a number of events throughout the year including the Southern Festival of Books (obviously one of my favorites).
Plan Your Visit
The Tennessee State Museum is such a cool, free resource for residents and anyone visiting. Even if you aren’t able to visit in person, there’s an online gallery that you can see on the museum website.
One tip that I have for visiting is to plan an entire morning or afternoon in the area. You can spend some time outdoors at the Bicentennial Mall and grab a bite to eat at the Market House before or after your visit to the Tennessee State Museum since they’re all right next to each other.
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