Nashville has a bright new reason to linger at the Tennessee State Museum: Tennessee Made: Three Grand Divisions of the Arts, a gallery that shows how art itself tells the story of Tennessee.
The exhibition traces a creative journey that begins in the early 1800s, when Tennessee art was defined by place. It was shaped by itinerant artists traveling from town to town, by settlers who brought training and traditions from elsewhere, and by Indigenous makers whose practices had been tied to the land for generations. As the state grew, arts organizations formed and professional artists used their work to put forward a fresh vision for Tennessee.
That story continues today. In this gallery, visitors discover rotating highlights from the museum’s own collection, moving between historic traditions and innovative contemporary voices. Paintings, textiles, pottery and sculpture sit side by side, reflecting the vast diversity of experiences found across the state, from the Appalachian Mountains in the east to the Mississippi River in the west.
It is an easy, uplifting stop for art lovers, history fans and families alike: one welcoming gallery where generations of Tennessee talent, from all three grand divisions of the state, share the same walls. Find it at the Tennessee State Museum, in the Bill Haslam Center at 1000 Rosa L. Parks Blvd. in Nashville.
Photo: Tennessee State Museum
