Tennessee State Museum

This last stop, opened in October of 2018, is free and air conditioned! Take a visit! The museum is open from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, as well as 10:00-8:00 pm on Thursday and 1:00-5:00pm on Sunday.

The Tennessee State Museum also gives a thorough chronology of Tennessee history, beginning with the region’s natural area and the indigenous peoples whose land the state now occupies. There are permanent and interactive exhibits on “The First Peoples” and “The Life and Times of the First Tennesseans.” Ever wanted to do an archaeological dig? There is a special trunk, that becomes an archaeology lab. If you have children, ask if you can check it out. You can investigate real and replica artifacts from the Mississippian moundbuilders in Tennessee to learn about their rich and complex culture. What did they eat? How did they hunt? What games did they play? You can even hold and study real pottery shards made by the hands of Mississippian Indians over 500 years ago!

Congratulations! You have now completed the Early History tour on Nashville Sites. We hope that you’ve enjoyed learning more about the ancient and early history of our downtown area. On this tour we’ve taken a trip through time,explored the first fort, the public square, and learned lots of fun facts along the way. We hope you’ll take one of our other 25+ walking tours. Thank you for supporting Nashville Sites. Click the “Donate Now” button to make a small contribution if you like. Also, be sure to post pictures and comments on social media and tag us @NashvilleSites. Until we meet again, signing off, this is Carole Bucy.