New Tennessee State Museum Opens in Nashville with $150M Budget

The new Tennessee State Museum has opened at the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park in Nashville. Spanning over 12,000 square meters, the building was funded by $120 million in public funds and $30 million in private grants. Governor Bill Haslam confirmed the project was completed on time and under budget. The museum features six permanent exhibitions covering history from 13,000 BCE to the present, plus six temporary galleries including spaces for Red Grooms, Tennessee's Musical Heritage, a Children's Gallery, and a Digital Learning Center. Executive Director Ashley Howell highlighted the careful relocation of artifacts and documents. Admission remains free. The museum's origins date to 1937 when the Tennessee General Assembly established a state museum in the War Memorial Building, later moved to the James K. Polk Center in 1981. Haslam proposed the new location in 2015.