east tennessee history center

Great place to learn about the history of east Tennessee & the sounding areas. You can also do a lot of research at this place.

Impressed with the vast ability to find so much history. Hard work and lots of effort went into this center and it's so enjoyable to visit.

If you love to know and experience information that made your locale what is is today, and even imagine you lived here back then, this is the attraction for you. Great displays and video make history come alive. Plus the East Tennessee History Center hosts numerous events, such as talks by famous authors and television producers, as well as monthly reviews of popular books by local personalities.

We visited this museum in downtown Knoxville, TN. There is some on street parking and we were fortunate enough to get a space close to the museum as it was very cold and windy today. The on street parking is very limited but free. There is an entrance fee $5 adults/$4 seniors. Inside the museum there is a very large permanent display encompassing several rooms. The displays cover from when Tennessee was the "southwest territory" and had a governor appointed by George Washington up through the 20th century including the four years that part of east Tennessee was the State of Franklin. There are displays about many facets from the wars to early life, to Indians, manufacturing, mining, building of dams, railroads, highways, etc. We spent about 2 hours and did not see everything, but got the gist of most of it. They also have a rotating exhibit which is currently about manufacturing in Tennessee from the time of statehood (1796) to present. That exhibit was quite interesting, but a little sad to read of all the manufacturing facilities that were at one time thriving and employing thousands but are now closed due to competition from imports. Of course the current manufacturing is centered around automobiles and according to the display, Tennessee is currently the number one auto producing state. Between GM, Nissan & VW, thousands now work in auto plants and in many Tennessee factories that make components for the auto plants. Again it was very interesting and well worth the time and small fee.

I was so surprised to see such excellent displays and information about the local area. I did not allow enough time to see it all, so I came back a second time. I am on their email list and wish I lived closer so that I could attend some of the lunch-time lectures, etc.

This museum has some really neat permanent exhibits and one room for traveling exhibits. On Sundays, you can get in free. ETHC is right next to Market Square- a local area with shops and restaurants. A nice Sunday is having lunch at Market Square then visiting the museum!

Great for families of all ages. Price is very reasonable. Lots to look at if you don't want to read captions. Will go back to see what I missed

This is a fantastic resource in Knoxville. The museum explores the history of East Tennessee going back to the Native Americans. They also have rotating exhibits; currently they're featuring a focus on manufacturing. I admit I had low expectations for this museum. I was so pleasantly surprised at the quality of the exhibits. They're fantastic. We had three generations in our family that day, ages 6 to 76. Everyone enjoyed it. The admission is reasonable and the gift shop is well stocked with a broad range of items, reasonably priced. I would go back there again. The exhibits are all on one level, and the restrooms are clean and spacious.

My husband and I recently went to the East Tennessee History Center on a Sunday afternoon. Admission is free on Sundays. We were there to see the "Made In Tennessee" exhibit. The displays and accompanying scripts were interesting and very well done. We have visited the Center for other temporary and traveling exhibits. The Center always meets our expectations. I have also attended lectures and book talks there. The staff is always friendly and helpful.

Excellent displays- interactive, sounds, authentic; interesting history of Knoxville and east TN that you wouldn't find elsewhere; great art and guides! Hidden gem of Knoxville.

One of my favorite places in Knoxville! I love the McClung Collection on the 3rd floor and can spend hours there reading! The workshops are excellent! I've been to various workshops hosted by George Switzer and he is awesome!!If you love history, and not just local history, take a few hours and visit. The staff is very knowledgeable also!

This museum is terrific. There are lecture schedule regularly which are very well done. There is a permanent exhibit in the museum on going. And a special exhibit on a rotating basis. With every visit, I find it to be extremely worthwhile. And to note, admission is free, as of now, on Sundays.

I would definitely go on Sunday when it's free, but if you're a history buff, it may be worth the money to you! Also, the staff is friendly and the gift shop makes you feel like you time-traveled to the 1800's!

I have been coming to the ETHC for years! They have exhibits ranging from the Battle of Knoxville to Dolly Parton. They have a cabin in the middle of the museum and you really get a feel for East Tennessee. Also they have a room for traveling exhibits and it is alway interesting what they put in it. The staff is very helpful and informative. The facility is clean and nice. The ETHC is a museum in Knoxville that sadly many Knoxvillians do not know about. It has tons of fun facts and artifacts about the East Tennessee area and I think that anyone should visit!

If you are looking at the history of not only Knoxville but all of east Tennessee the History Center is a wealth of resources. I found they have a massive Civil War research capability and that a family member fought in the Civil War. I was able to get copies of his records.The visual displays include artifacts and excellent descriptions.It is well worth the admission fee and definitely a membership if you are local...