Tennessee State Museum facts for kids
Entrance to the Tennessee State Museum
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| Established | 1937 |
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| Location | 1000 Rosa L. Parks Blvd Nashville, Tennessee |
| Type | Heritage centre |
The Tennessee State Museum in Nashville is a cool place to learn all about the history of Tennessee. It opened its doors on October 4, 2018. You can find it near the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. This huge museum has lots to see!
Inside, you'll find a "Tennessee Time Tunnel." This special path takes you through the state's history. There's also a fun, hands-on gallery just for kids. The museum has six other galleries that change their exhibits. Plus, there's a digital learning center and a big two-story hall.
The museum shows off many important items from Tennessee's past. You can see art, furniture, old fabrics, and photographs. They even have a special collection from the American Civil War. This includes old uniforms, battle flags, and weapons. The best part is, it's free to visit!
A Look Back: Museum History
Did you know Tennessee had a museum way back in 1817? A portrait artist named Ralph E. W. Earl opened one in Nashville. The official state museum, the Tennessee State Museum, started much later in 1937. It was first located in the War Memorial Building.
The state decided it needed a museum to keep important collections. These included items from the state and souvenirs from World War I. Later, in 1981, most of the museum moved to the James K. Polk Building. It shared this space with the Tennessee Performing Arts Center until 2018.
In the Polk Building, the museum displayed many interesting things. There were paintings, silver items, weapons, and furniture. Some bigger exhibits showed what a historic print shop looked like. There was also a painting gallery and even a reproduction of a grist mill. The museum also had a store with handmade crafts and Tennessee souvenirs.
The Military Museum is still in the War Memorial Building. It focuses on wars where Tennessee soldiers fought. You can see exhibits from the Spanish–American War to World War II.
The new Tennessee State Museum opened in October 2018. It's one of the biggest museums in the country!
The Lorraine Motel Connection
The museum also owns the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. This motel is part of the National Civil Rights Museum. The Tennessee State Museum lets a special foundation run the motel as part of the museum complex.
Certain parts of the motel have been kept just as they were. This is because of their important history.
