During your visit to this Nashville attraction, you can explore 60,000 square feet of cultural and historic exhibits that chronicle the history of Tennessee from the 1650s to the 1920s. In addition, temporary exhibitions on history, visual art and culture are presented in the museum’s Changing Gallery on a rotating schedule. At the Museum Store, shop for items unique to the Tennessee State Museum.
Permanent Exhibits
First Tennesseans
Start your journey in the Tennessee State Museum by learning about the First Tennesseans. Prehistoric Indian cultures that existed in Tennessee through four evolving periods are supported by artifacts from the Paleolithic, Archaic, Woodland and Mississippian periods.
Frontier
In the Tennessee history museum’s Frontier exhibit you can learn about the first Europeans to reach Tennessee and the state’s first white settlers. A replica of a frontier cabin, a 200-year-old dugout canoe, a grist mill and a Conestoga wagon bring the frontier to life while handmade furniture, a woodworking shop and a working printing press provide insight into the skill of early Tennessee craftspeople.
The Age of Jackson
Included in The Age of Jackson are displays on: Jackson, David Crockett, Sam Houston and President James K. Polk. Discover a time when government, both on the state and national levels, became more responsive to the common folk of Tennessee. Highlights in the exhibit include Andrew Jackson’s 1829 inaugural hat, a wine chest and document box that once belonged to Mexican President Santa Anna and a reconstruction of a middle class farmer’s cabin.
Antebellum
The Antebellum period between 1840 and 1860 was a time of prosperity and cultural development for a great deal of Tennesseans. Discover how the increasing prosperity manifested itself in Tennessee towns and communities and explore the life of African Americans during this time. A portrait and landscaping painting gallery, an 1850s-style parlor and a 3,600-year-old Egyptian mummy brought to Tennessee in 1860 are showcased throughout the exhibit.
The Civil War and Reconstruction
By 1860 issues of slavery began to arise slowly dividing the northern and southern states. Take a look at how the Civil War affected Tennessee in the Civil War and Reconstruction exhibit. Supporting artifacts include: Sam Davis’ boot cut open by Union troops to search for hidden papers; Nathan Bedford Forrest’s revolver; President Andrew Johnson’s piano; and a map of the Shiloh battlefield prepared for Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard.
The New South
See the great changes Tennessee underwent post-Civil War. Displays on the woman’s suffrage, Prohibition and the Tennessee Centennial Exposition illustrate the state’s involvement in social issues of the times. Artifacts highlighted in The New South exhibit include documents attesting the rise of a Knox County African-American family to middle class status over the years 1860-1930, three Tennessee Equal Suffrage Association banners and one of the largest collections of Tennessee pottery from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Enjoy shopping in the Tennessee State Museum Store. Crafts, jewelry, books and toys unique to the state of Tennessee are available to purchase. In addition to the Museum Store’s regular sale items, it also carries seasonal items and merchandise from the museum’s changing exhibits.
Travel Tip
- Non-flash photography for personal or educational use is permitted throughout the Tennessee State Museum’s permanent exhibition. Traveling exhibitions and exhibit areas may have photographic restrictions. Any restrictions will be posted.