Tennessee State Museum

Tennessee State Museum The new Tennessee State Museum is now open on the corner of Rosa L. Parks Blvd. and Jefferson Street
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Beginning his music career after pitching for the Memphis Red Sox, Charley Pride became the first Black artist to have a...
02/10/2025

Beginning his music career after pitching for the Memphis Red Sox, Charley Pride became the first Black artist to have a number one country record. Chet Atkins recognized his talent and convinced him to work with RCA, and Pride recorded hit records in Nashville. His musical portfolio includes 29 No. 1 country hits, 52 Top 10s, and 12 gold albums, making him one of the most successful country artists of all time.

On display in is "Pride of Country Music" (1967), Charley Pride’s second studio album. Promotion for Pride’s first singles intentionally withheld information about his race. Early fans of his music learned that Pride was Black through his album covers or his live performances.

This folk art painting (1870-1899) was made by Lonso Hording at 83 years old. The artist wrote a message on the back of ...
02/07/2025

This folk art painting (1870-1899) was made by Lonso Hording at 83 years old. The artist wrote a message on the back of this work reading in part, "Many people find no pleasure in the past and often sigh. Some however seem to treasure scenes of happy days gone by." The predominantly green, blue and gray landscape depicts a farm or homestead with mountains in the background.

Some furniture makers used their skill to meet a range of needs for their customers. For example, many furniture makers,...
02/06/2025

Some furniture makers used their skill to meet a range of needs for their customers. For example, many furniture makers, like William R. Cornelius, made coffins. Originally from Pennsylvania, William R. Cornelius (1824–1910) moved to Nashville in 1847 and later formed the partnership McCombs and Cornelius. This sideboard on view in demonstrates their knowledge of national trends, referencing Gothic elements.

The sideboard is inscribed “McCombs" and “C[orne]lius" underneath the marble top, likely written by the marble cutter. This suggests the sideboard was made in the 1850s before Cornelius gained full control of the business and switched to funeral services full-time. Don't miss the accompanying portraits of Cornelius and his wife Sallie by Washington Bogart Cooper, also on display.

In American history, there are familiar names: Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, John Brown, each having played a sign...
02/05/2025

In American history, there are familiar names: Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, John Brown, each having played a significant role in the mid-19th century abolitionist movement. There are other names that are perhaps not as familiar but were also important in the crusade to free enslaved African Americans. Among them is Jermain Wesley Loguen, born into slavery near Nashville, Tennessee in 1813. Loguen escaped from enslavement in Tennessee and became known in New York as the “King of the Underground Railroad.” On our Stories blog, Alicia Adkerson explores Loguen’s life after enslavement and his contributions to the abolitionist movement: https://bit.ly/4gs3oy0

Pictured: Detail, engraved frontispiece portrait of Rev. Jermain Wesley Loguen from his autobiography, courtesy Tennessee State Library & Archives.

Two hundred years ago this spring, the Marquis de Lafayette stopped in Tennessee during his whirlwind farewell tour of t...
02/04/2025

Two hundred years ago this spring, the Marquis de Lafayette stopped in Tennessee during his whirlwind farewell tour of the United States. “Welcome Lafayette, Friend of Liberty" declared a civic arch erected in the Public Square that welcomed Lafayette to Nashville on May 4, 1825. By that time an international symbol of revolutionary spirit, Lafayette had previously served in the American Revolution as a Continental Army officer and a trusted friend of George Washington. In 1824, he returned to the United States for a 13-month tour stretching from New England to Louisiana. The young nation was enthusiastic to greet him.

On our Stories blog, learn more about Lafayette's two-day visit to Nashville and the related artifacts now on display at the Museum: https://tnmuseum.org/Stories/posts/welcome-lafayette-friend-of-liberty

Pictured: Portrait of Lafayette, 1825, Samuel F. B. Morse, oil on canvas, courtesy Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art .

This February, honor Black History Month by exploring engaging programs at the Museum! 📅✨ February 15 – A performance of...
02/03/2025

This February, honor Black History Month by exploring engaging programs at the Museum! 📅

✨ February 15 – A performance of "When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson" with Nashville Opera.

✨ February 18 – Homeschool Day: Black History Month features a free day of fun and historical activities for homeschool families.

✨ February 20 – Lunch and Learn: We Are North Nashville brings together panelists to discuss the podcast, the history of North Nashville and the contemporary efforts to build and maintain a thriving, joyful neighborhood.

Find out more on the Calendar of Events: https://tnmuseum.org/calendar-of-events

This photograph shows the Camp Sam Houston Band in Pikeville, Tennessee. These men participated in the Civilian Conserva...
01/30/2025

This photograph shows the Camp Sam Houston Band in Pikeville, Tennessee. These men participated in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a New Deal program during the Great Depression that provided work relief for young, unmarried men. In Tennessee, CCC workers helped construct infrastructure for many state parks.

Photo: Camp Sam Houston Band, Civilian Conservation Corps Camp, Pikeville, by Spencer & Wycoff, courtesy Tennessee State Library & Archives. Every county in Tennessee has a music story. 🎶 Explore more music stories from online interactive map: https://tnmuseum.org/tennessee-playlist-counties

January's cold weather makes it perfect for  . ⛸️❄️ This satin fitted hood and mittens are Part of an ice skating costum...
01/29/2025

January's cold weather makes it perfect for . ⛸️❄️ This satin fitted hood and mittens are Part of an ice skating costume worn by Jeanette Olliver of Nashville when she was attending the Parsons School of Design in New York City. She wore the floral motif outfit at Madison Square Garden's Rockefeller Center Skating Rink on December 7, 1941.

Check out this post to see a frozen Nashville   in 1940!
01/28/2025

Check out this post to see a frozen Nashville in 1940!

Check out this remarkable photo from our collection! ❄️ Tennessee recently saw some snowy weather, but it was so cold , January 28, in 1940 that the Cumberland River froze over. The low for that day was -9 °F. This photograph shows a view of the Cumberland River from the Shelby Street Bridge in downtown Nashville. A line of rather brave people in dark coats and hats can be seen taking the opportunity to walk across the frozen river to the bank. Some reportedly even ice skated on it too! ⛸️

"Welcome Lafayette, Friend of Liberty" opens next week on February 4. On the 200th anniversary of the tour, explore what...
01/27/2025

"Welcome Lafayette, Friend of Liberty" opens next week on February 4. On the 200th anniversary of the tour, explore what Lafayette’s visit meant to Tennesseans through a temporary display of artifacts from the collection of the Tennessee State Museum and other institutions.

The State Museum recently acquired a stage costume previously owned and worn by the legendary Dolly Parton. The costume,...
01/24/2025

The State Museum recently acquired a stage costume previously owned and worn by the legendary Dolly Parton. The costume, which features a bejeweled and fringed jacket, top, and skirt, was made for Parton by Robért Behar, who began designing custom costumes for her in the 1990s. The ensemble was worn by Parton for her performance at the 1998 Dollywood Foundation Benefit Concert. It was also worn during her 1998 appearance on the Australian talk show “Midday with Kerri-Anne.” This costume is a wonderful addition to the Museum’s textile collection, which also includes a 1976 performance costume worn by Parton.

Head to the Stories blog to learn more: https://bit.ly/4gicJIu

New merchandise found exclusively at the Museum Store features the phrase “Preserve History.” Shop striking t-shirts, sl...
01/22/2025

New merchandise found exclusively at the Museum Store features the phrase “Preserve History.” Shop striking t-shirts, sleek notebooks, and pens and pencils that proudly showcase your love for history. Whether you’re out and about or jotting down notes, the collection is perfect for every-day occasions. Each piece supports awareness and appreciation of the Tennessee State Museum. After all, preserving history is part of our mission! Shop the Museum Store during the same opening hours as the Museum.

Made possible by funding from the Tennessee General Assembly, the Tennessee State Museum has been able to provide grants...
01/21/2025

Made possible by funding from the Tennessee General Assembly, the Tennessee State Museum has been able to provide grants to museums and historic sites across the state that are in need of structural repairs and upgrades. Every recipient has a story of need that was met by the grant program, whether it involves serving their visitors and community, or preserving their history. In our latest Thousands of Stories blog, we reflect on two years of facilitating the Capital Maintenance and Improvements grant program and helping over 60 counties in the state. Read more about the projects made possible by this program: https://bit.ly/4anYmBd

📸: Unicoi County Heritage Museum & Clinchfield Railroad Museum.

This 1960s envelope-style leather briefcase may seem rather ordinary, but what it once carried was extraordinary. The br...
01/20/2025

This 1960s envelope-style leather briefcase may seem rather ordinary, but what it once carried was extraordinary. The briefcase belonged to attorney Arthur D. Shores, whose initials, A.D.S., are blind-stamped in the leather on the flap above the clasps. Shores was one of three attorneys granted permission to visit Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the Birmingham city jail after King was arrested on Friday, April 12, 1963, and placed in solitary confinement. Shores, together with Norman Amaker and Orzell Billingsley, took Dr. King an ad that ran in the Birmingham News in which eight white ministers referred to King as a troublemaker. King read the ad and felt a response was necessary. Initially without paper, he wrote his response to the clergymen in the margins of the newspaper ad and on toilet paper, before one of the attorneys brought him a notepad. Drafts were secretly carried in this briefcase back and forth from the jail to Dr. King’s secretary, before the 7,000 word letter was completed on April 16. The “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” as it came to be known, was released to the media and published far and wide on May 19, 1963. Almost instantly, it became one of Dr. King’s most significant and impactful writings. With its message that "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," it remains one of the most important works of literature from the Civil Rights Movement. The briefcase, part of the Tennessee State Museum’s collection, is on display at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.

“When he was running for president in 1976,” notes Harvard Magazine this month, “Jimmy Carter was asked to name his favo...
01/17/2025

“When he was running for president in 1976,” notes Harvard Magazine this month, “Jimmy Carter was asked to name his favorite book. He said, ‘strangely enough,’ it was 'Let Us Now Praise Famous Men,' with text by James Agee ’32, and photographs by Walker Evans, published in 1941 when Carter was 17.” The magazine goes on to explore why the book and the writing of Knoxville-native James Agee, who posthumously won the 1958 Pulitzer Prize for his autobiographical novel, 'A Death in the Family,' resonated so much with Carter. “One of the reasons is that the life that he wrote about was almost exactly the life that I knew,” the magazine records Carter saying in the 1980 documentary, “Agee.” “We were not as poor, but my neighbors were, and his detailed description of most specific occurrences or observations of his and his projections on a universal basis of the suffering and destitution of people who were afflicted by poverty really touched my heart.” When the book was first published in 1941, it was considered a failure and sold only 600 copies in its first year. A second edition was published in 1960 after Agee’s Pulitzer Prize reignited interest in his work. Pictured from the Museum’s collection is a first edition hardcover copy with dustjacket of that original 1941 printing. Read the Harvard Magazine article on Jimmy Carter and James Agree here: https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2025/01/jimmy-carter-james-agee-influence

Members of the Douglas Henry State Museum Commission recently toured the new Tennessee State Museum Collection Storage F...
01/16/2025

Members of the Douglas Henry State Museum Commission recently toured the new Tennessee State Museum Collection Storage Facility, which is scheduled to begin housing the Museum’s collection of art and artifacts this spring. Designed by architectural firm Gobbell Hays Architects (GHP) and constructed by T.W. Frierson, the 65,000 square-foot facility adheres to the most-up-to-date museum best practices and requirements for temperature, humidity, and light levels to create the best preservation environment for historic objects. Textiles, metal objects, art, and more will all have specific locations in the facility, adjacent to staff offices, conservation and artifact assessment areas. The building will not only accommodate the existing collection, but also allow for growth. We’re thankful to Tennessee’s continuing commitment to preserving its history. Pictured in the group photo are, left to right: Commissioners Phillip Renfroe, Derita Coleman Williams, Scott Price, Chairman Sen. Bo Watson, Tennessee State Museum Executive Director Ashley Howell, the Honorable Steve K. McDaniel, and Vice Chair Lottie Ryans. Learn more about the facility here: https://bit.ly/3WnoXs6

This top hat on display in Forging a Nation was worn by Andrew Jackson during his inauguration as the seventh President ...
01/15/2025

This top hat on display in Forging a Nation was worn by Andrew Jackson during his inauguration as the seventh President of the United States on March 4, 1829. The hat, made by the haberdasher Orlando Fish of New York, features leather and silk trim and is made primarily of felted beaver hair, the most popular material for stylish top hats of the day. The most significant feature is the black mourning band placed on the hat in honor of Jackson’s devoted wife, Rachel, who died just months before the inauguration.

The Museum recently acquired a sampler made by Sinai Virginia Crutcher at Spring Hill Female Academy in 1841. Crutcher w...
01/13/2025

The Museum recently acquired a sampler made by Sinai Virginia Crutcher at Spring Hill Female Academy in 1841. Crutcher was born around 1828 and created this sampler when she was 13 years old. A few years after this sampler was made, she married Dr. Rolly Peyton Smith Kimbro before moving to Atlanta, Georgia.

The Spring Hill Female Academy was located on the border of Maury County and Williamson County. The school was run by Mr. and Mrs. Ellis, a husband and wife who had taught at several other female academies in Tennessee. They had previously taught at a Mrs. Ellis’ Female Academy, also called Marble Hill Female Academy, as well as Porter Female Academy and a female academy at Hardeman’s Crossroads.

Address

1000 Rosa L Parks Boulevard
Nashville, TN
37208

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 1pm - 5pm

Telephone

(615) 741-2692

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History of the Tennessee State Museum

The new 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. A young boy who visited that museum in 1823 wrote home that he had seen a life-size painting of then General Andrew Jackson. That same painting is now part of the Tennessee State Museum collection.

In 1937 the Tennessee General Assembly created a state museum to consolidate World War I mementos 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 new Tennessee State Museum, encompassing 137,000 sq. ft. of administration and gallery space, opened to the public on October 4, 2018.

Plan your visit at tnmuseum.org