Visitors on Music City getaway will definitely want to make a stop at the Tennessee State Museum, featuring three floors and over 120,000 square feet of permanent as well as fresh, ever-changing Tennessee-related exhibits, including one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of Civil War uniforms, weapons and battle flags. The Military Museum, a branch of the Tennessee State Museum, located in the War Memorial Building across the street, showcases exhibits dealing with America’s overseas conflicts, beginning with the Spanish-American War in 1898 and ending with World War II in 1945. Originally created to house World War I artifacts and other collections from the State, the State Museum’s fascinating arrangements treat visitors today to a rich cross section of Tennessee history, from a fascinating look at Prehistoric native cultures and a trek through the wild frontier first discovered by Spanish conquistadors to studies of the gloriously prosperous Antebellum period, the terrible upheaval and division of the Civil War and an introduction to the Post-Civil War South. The Museum Store tenders guests a fabulous array of beautiful jewelry, masterful wood carvings, hand crafted soaps, wonderful pottery and fine photography by noted Tennessee artisans.
