East Tennessee Historical Society and Museum, Knoxville

About East Tennessee Historical Society and Museum

The Museum of East Tennessee History, part of the East Tennessee Historical Society established in 1834, invites visitors to explore the people, places, and events that shaped the region through award-winning exhibits. The signature exhibition, Voices of the Land: The People of East Tennessee, features interactive displays alongside original artifacts and first-person accounts of regional life set against historic imagery. Changing exhibitions throughout the year focus on different aspects of East Tennessee history, including topics like Lines Were Drawn and The Freedom Engine. Beyond exhibits, the museum offers lectures, brown bag lectures on subjects such as Civil War ghost stories, genealogy workshops, family history programs, and The History Parlor. The museum also presents Little History Lessons conversations with curators. Located in downtown Knoxville at the East Tennessee History Center on Gay Street, the museum operates seven days a week and sits near other historic attractions including Blount Mansion and James White's Fort.