Tennessee State Museum, Nashville: Photos, Reviews & Location

Tracing the state's past through Indian artifacts, replicas of pioneer buildings & Civil War relics.

At a glance

#5 of 16 Museums in Nashville #1 of 3 History museums in Nashville

LocalGuideWorld score: 4.70

1.6 km from the center of Nashville

Rating breakdown

5 ★79%
4 ★16%
3 ★3%
2 ★1%
1 ★1%

1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, United States

tnmuseum.org

+1 615-741-2692

Photos of Tennessee State Museum (121)

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Quick facts

What is the rating of Tennessee State Museum?: Tennessee State Museum is rated 4.7 out of 5 based on 2,849 reviews.
How does Tennessee State Museum rank in Nashville?: Tennessee State Museum is #5 of 16 Museums in Nashville by LocalGuideWorld score (rating weighted by number of reviews).
Where is Tennessee State Museum located?: 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208, United States — 1.6 km from the center of Nashville.
How can I contact Tennessee State Museum?: Phone: +1 615-741-2692 · Website: tnmuseum.org

Reviews (8)

John Reed 2023 Sep 30

I love seeing and learning about history. Being from Tennessee it was cool to find items from my area and also some items from potential relatives. Admission is free which should be more than enough reason to check it out if you have some time to kill.

Goode Nurse 2023 Sep 21

IT'S FREE!!! This is one of THE BEST MUSEUMS I have been to. Exhibits are arranged like a timeline with a beautifully intuitive design that guides you along. Every foot has clothing, pictures, tools, weaponry, maps, paintings, contemporary artifacts, personal stories... And countless fascinating historical snippets to read EVERYWHERE, included very organically. Noticeable attention has given to including viewpoints and experiences of Native Americans, African Americans, and women. The horror of slavery was not glossed over, nor was the plight of Native Americans as settlers advanced. Women are featured throughout. Music, background sounds, short films, and purposeful lighting make it a truly immersive experience. You don't have to be a history buff to really enjoy it. Appropriate for all ages. Elementary school age and up will love the whole museum. Younger may, however there is a fun children's area too. The gift shop is loaded with cool kids stuff, the usual souvenirs and clothing, and even some high end choices for gifts. We spent over three hours here, never did anything twice, and DEFINITELY didn't read even half of the amazing factoids. Check out the farmer's market across the street when you're done for food and tons of crafts!

Sara Javidi 2023 Sep 12

It is a good museum. I liked the short videos and the history highlights. The park and market place next door is also great.

Brian Dible 2023 Aug 21

Wow, wow, wow!! This place was awesome! Just constructed in 2018, the building is magnificent. The fountain out front was nicely designed. I don't know how anybody that lives here or visits doesn't stop in to see this place. The best thing is it's free, with voluntary donation. I wish I had more time but had to try and fit it all in in 45 minutes. I think about 2 hours would be sufficient to read mkat things and watch videos. Will probably drop in again next time in Music City

Lawana Ofisa 2023 Aug 11

Great place to visit to learn about the history of Tennessee. Admission is free to the public. A definite must see. It's also in the same parking area as the farmers market. Parking was easy to find and we were there on a Saturday. Definitely would recommend.

Min Zhang 2023 Jul 12

Comparable to Smithsonian Museums! Great design and layout. Timeline travels back in history. Multimedia includes Interactive maps, short movies, colorful displays! Great education for children and adults who loves history! A beautiful view of the city from balcony!

John Van Riper 2023 Jul 07

This is one of the best state museums I’ve been too in recent years. Tennessee is so rich with history, both good and bad, that it was quiet an experience to go through it. It was great going through the timeline exhibit that broke down everything over the past 250+ years and highly recommend this to anyone wanting to learn more about history. If you’re in the area, get some culture beyond just Broadway and enjoy the Air Conditioned, well laid out exhibits. It’s free!

Yulia Berry 2023 May 27

This was the best museum on American History (and of course, on the history and culture of Tennessee) I've ever been to! This is a real gem! Totally unexpected and so appreciated!!

First, it is FREE!

The lady at the visitor desk, Tara Adkerson, was super nice and helpful! I would like to thank her!

Whoever planned the museum and the exhibitions did an incredible job! It is done by time periods that are flowing naturally from one to another. The amount of informatiom is overwhelming and incredibly educational.

All time periods offer short documentaries (about 5-7 minutes long), which are done excellent! I highly recommend not to skip any.

However, my absolute favorite film was in the first section and told about geohistory of the region, starting from 4.5 billion years ago. I loved going through millions of years and seeing Tennessee state marked on the map and how it was changing, including its nature and animals. Loved it!

But all films were so interesting!

I came out from the museum with a feeling of going on the time machine throughout history of America and Tennessee and it made me fall in love with this state. People who love and preserve their history so much deserve all love and respect!

It's too bad that our beautiful and historical Boston doesn't have anything like this 🤦‍♀️🙄

I want to thank everyone who made this museum possible, the state administration, people who built and created this museum and everyone who works there!

This was truly unforgettable experience! Highly recommend to visit!! 🌟🏆👏👍❤️