The Tennessee State Museum is free and open to the public. We are thrilled to welcome visitors to experience Tennessee history, art, and culture from the state’s natural history beginnings through the present day. We look forward to seeing you!
The Children's Gallery is open to the public Tuesday-Saturday, from 10:00 a.m.- to 4:30 p.m. On Sundays, enjoy the Children's Gallery from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. Please note that we may limit the number of individuals in the gallery at any one time to best accommodate and serve our visitors. We invite visitors looking to engage their children with kid-specific programming to visit the new TSM Kids section of our website at TNMuseum.org/kids.
THE MILITARY BRANCH OF THE TENNESSEE STATE MUSEUM IS CURRENTLY CLOSED FOR MUCH NEEDED RENOVATIONS TO THE WAR MEMORIAL BUILDING. WE INVITE YOU TO VISIT OUR MAIN MUSEUM AT 1000 ROSA L. PARKS BLVD. FOR DISPLAYS ABOUT TENNESSEE'S MILITARY HISTORY.
All recurring events are free of charge and first-come, first-served. In the event of a special program that conflicts with the recurring event, the special program's schedule will take precedent. Schedule may change due to holidays.
1. Museum Highlight Tours: Tuesday – Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
2. Storytime in the Children’s Gallery: Every Tuesday and Saturday at 10:30 a.m. On every fourth Saturday of the month, Storytime will feature an American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter from our community partner, BRIDGES For the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
The Passport to Tennessee History on Capitol Hill and Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park encourages you to visit four state history locations, all within walking distance near downtown Nashville: The Tennessee State Capitol, Tennessee State Museum, Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park and Tennessee State Library & Archives. Pick up a free Passport to History at either location, and then get your booklet stamped at all four locations to complete your Tennessee history journey. If you can’t do it in one day, hold on to it for your next visit. Be sure to collect all four!
The mission of the Tennessee State Museum is to procure, preserve, exhibit, and interpret objects which relate to the social, political, economic, and cultural history of Tennessee and Tennesseans, and to provide access to educational and cultural programs and exhibitions for the people of the state.
In 1937 the Tennessee General Assembly created a state museum to consolidate World War I mementoes and other collections from the state, the Tennessee Historical Society and other groups. This museum was located in the lower level of the War Memorial Building until it was moved into the new James K. Polk Center in 1981. It remained there for more than 35 years until, in 2015, Gov. Bill Haslam proposed a new home for the museum on the northwest corner of the Bicentennial Mall in Nashville. The Tennessee General Assembly appropriated $120 million to build the Museum, with the additional funding to complete the project to be raised in private contributions.
The Tennessee State Museum that sits on the corner of Rosa L. Parks Blvd. and Jefferson Street at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park can trace its roots back to a museum opened on the Nashville public square in 1817 by a portrait artist, Ralph E.W. Earl. That same painting is now part of the Tennessee State Museum collection.
The Museum’s collection contains a representation of Tennessee, its land and its people, from Prehistoric times to present day. Significant artifacts related to the state’s history have been acquired over several decades which include art, furniture, textiles, and photographs produced by Tennesseans.
The Museum’s permanent collection includes exhibited items, digital archives, and stored items. These items are rotated through the Museum exhibits as time and resources permit. The Museum also holds in trust the collection of the Tennessee Historical Society, which the state began managing in 1927.
The new Tennessee State Museum, encompassing 137,000 sq. ft. of administration and gallery space, opened to the public on October 4, 2018.
In-person Guided Tours and field trips, at both the Museum and the State Capitol, are available. Please keep an eye on our events calendar for updates on events. We offer many events, like Lunch & Learn lectures, both in-person and online. You may also wish to sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of our home page or follow us through our social media accounts for updates.
The Tennessee State Museum Store on the first level of the Museum offers a unique history and art-focused shopping experience. Browse a selection of handmade items from artisans throughout Tennessee, along with state history-related merchandise, a vast collection of books, specialty gift items, local foods and apparel. The Museum Store is open the same hours as the Museum. State employees receive a 10% discount on purchases!
For a limited selection of Museum and Tennessee Tristar merchandise, shop our online store.
Gift Shop
Online Gift Shop
Event Rental
Restaurant
Group Tours