Tennessee State Museum

The new Tennessee State Museum, which opened in 2018, is a free museum and the perfect stop to end our tour. The permanent exhibition chronicles the Civil War from Tennessee’s debated decision to secede from the Union to the end of Reconstruction—including the ratification of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The museum features an extensive collection of Civil War artifacts and a timeline of the major military conflicts that took place in the state—beginning with the Battles of Fort Henry and Donelson and ending with the Battle of Nashville. With the help of interactive displays, visitors can explore Tennessee’s Civil War history through both facts and figures as well as personal stories. Much of the exhibition is dedicated to the role of African Americans in the war, describing how enslaved men and women lived before the war, how they fled enslavement, and how some literally fought for their freedom as part of the Union Army. For more on the role of African Americans who built Fort Negley and Black soldiers who served there, take our Ft. Negley tour.

The Tennessee State Museum also gives a thorough chronology of Tennessee history, beginning with the region’s natural history and the indigenous peoples whose land the state now occupies. The current facility opened in October of 2018 and is free to visit. The museum is open from 10:00-5:00 on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, as well as 10:00-8:00 on Thursday and 1:00-5:00 on Sunday.