Clarksville, TN – The Customs House Museum and Cultural Center is located in Historic Downtown Clarksville, Tennessee. Come explore an entire city block featuring large gallery spaces filled with fine art, science, and history.
Some of the events in September at the Museum are Familiars: Still: Ceramics by Anne Beyer, Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, Familiars: The Art of Beverly Parker, Family Art Day: Create a Greeting Card, Museum Discovery Quest.
Customs House Museum Exhibits
Still: Ceramics by Anne Beyer
September 8th – November 28th | Harvill Gallery
Anne Beyer’s work is inspired by the relationship between the natural world and the human psyche. In this exhibit, she explores the relationship between handcrafted wood-fired ceramic forms and digitally designed 3D-printed objects.
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15th – November 7th | Lobby
Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15th and pays tribute to the history and culture of the Hispanic and Latin American communities. This year’s national theme is “Be Proud of Your Past, Embrace the Future.” This exhibit features a variety of Hispanic and Latin American cultural objects, clothing, and traditions.
Douglas Charlton: Out of Darkness
Purgatory, Mayhem, Color, Love, Hate, Light, and Tomorrow
Through September 26th | Jostens Gallery
Douglas Charlton grew up just outside of Nashville in Gallatin, Tennessee. Old Hickory Lake provided an inspiring backdrop to begin creating artwork. Having spent much of his youth in his grandfather’s woodshop, Charlton uses wood as his surface medium of choice. His paintings have a neon-rustic look that convey nostalgic emotions. Building depth through layers of color, his artwork has the ability to transport you to the ethereal experience of your most cherished memories, whether it be a person, place, or pure emotion.
Familiars: The Art of Beverly Parker
Through October 27th | Crouch Gallery
Beverly Parker’s background in the darkroom developing and printing provided a bridge to experimenting with other photography processes. Parker taught advanced darkroom and alternative processes at Austin Peay State University (APSU) through the Community School of the Arts. She is a co-founder of the Downtown Artists Co-op.
Start Your Engines! A Celebration of Racing in Montgomery County
Through October 31st | Bruner, Orgain, Hand & Kimbrough Galleries
Sponsored by Tri-Star Beverage and MPG Transport
The Museum expands its Challenge & Champions exhibit with this multi-gallery exhibition showcasing Montgomery County’s auto racing history and the local legends that formed the sport. Start Your Engines! highlights race cars, art, historical memorabilia, and video footage of personal stories from locals who established auto racing in the area.
Museum Events
First Thursday Art Walk
September 2nd, 5:00pm – 8:00pm
The Museum will have free admission during First Thursday Art Walk Clarksville from 5:00pm–8:00pm. Linell’s Mexican Food Truck will serve up delicious food in the Museum courtyard. Exhibiting artist C. Douglas Charlton will be at the Museum to visit with guests.
Hispanic Heritage Month Kick-off Celebration
September 19th, 2nd–4:00pm
In honor of the generations of Hispanic and Latin Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society, the Museum is hosting a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration that honors our local Hispanic and Latin American communities with food, culture, and performances.
Museum Programs
Family Art Day: Create a Greeting Card
September 25th, drop by between 10:00am–12:00pm & 2:00pm–4:00pm | Family Art Studio
Free with membership or paid admission
To celebrate Thinking of You Week on September 20 – 26, come make greeting cards for the special people in your life. The Museum provides plain, white cards and envelopes and you will add the design and words of love and encouragement. A collection of Ms. Sue’s personal greeting cards will be on display.
Museum Discovery Quest
Free with membership or paid admission | Developed for school-age children
Free Take It N’ Make It Activity
Explore Museum exhibits with your family in a creative way with Museum Discovery Quests – entertaining, self-guided “scavenger hunts” that pique kids’ curiosities and captivate their attention. Several different themes are offered, and all of them include a free Take It N’ Make It activity packet for kids to make a fun project at home. Sign up for a Perks Pass to win a free prize from Seasons: The Museum Store after finishing three MDQs. Available MDQ themes:
- Start Your Engines *coming soon!
- Tools & Simple Machines
- Structures
Huff & Puff Express Model Trains
Exhibit open daily | Volunteer Train Crew members run trains Sundays, 1:00pm–4:00pm and Wednesdays, 10:00am–12:00pm
Enjoy one of the largest model railroad layouts in the region boasting a miniature castle, UFO, and scenic landscape. Interact with the miniature world by making automobiles move and helicopters fly. The model train exhibit is open daily and themes change every season.
Seasons: The Museum Store
Pottery Sale
Offer good through September 30th, 2021
All pottery, including bowls, mugs, and vases made from local ceramicists is 15% off. Members receive 25% off.
Thinking of You Week Greeting Card Sale
Offer good from September 12th-26th, 2021
Thinking of You Week is an international movement to celebrate the joy of sending and receiving hand-written notes and greeting cards. Receive 30% off all greeting cards and stationery in Seasons.
About the Customs House Museum
Located in the heart of historic downtown Clarksville, Tennessee, the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center is the State’s second-largest general museum. The original portion of the building was constructed in 1898 as a U.S. Post Office and Customs House for the flourishing tobacco trade. Incorporating a number of architectural styles, the original structure is one of the most photographed buildings in the region.
With over 35,000 square feet of the region’s best hands-on activities and special events…people of all ages agree – the Customs House Museum is well worth the stop!
The Explorer’s Gallery is packed with fun, learning, and fantasy in Aunt Alice’s Attic, McGregor’s Market and kitchen, and of course – the Bubble Cave! Finally, get “all aboard” to see our fantastic model trains. Our volunteer engineers “ride the rails” every Sunday afternoon from 1:00pm to 5:00pm.
Regular museum hours are 10:00am to 5:00pm Tuesday through Saturday, and 1:00pm to 5:00pm on Sundays. Adult admission is $7.00, Senior Citizens and College ID $5.00, Ages 6 to 18 $3.00, and under six years and Museum members are free.
The Customs House Museum is located at 200 South Second Street. For more information, call 931.648.5780 or visit their website at www.customshousemuseum.org
