Clarksville’s Customs House Museum
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 July at the Museum are: Fantastical Patterns: Quintin Owens: Memory Structures, International Reflections: The Art of Women Artists Mentors, World in Wood: The Folk Art of Herbert Baggett, Interpreting the Familiar: The Art of Hattie Marshall Duncan, and Randy Rubel to Reveal Log House Mystery.
Customs House Museum Exhibits
Quintin Owens: Memory Structures
July 3rd–July 31st | Planters Bank Peg Harvill Gallery
Quintin Owns, Assistant Professor of Ceramics at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee chooses to work in clay for its power to breach both high cultural value and domestic functionality; it demands physical labor, validating a sense of play. His work provides the opportunity to integrate his relationship with material into a composition of objects that strive to articulate a wondrous sense of an encountered place in time.
International Reflections: The Art of Women Artists Mentors
July 5th–September 2nd | Kimbrough Gallery
This exhibition represents five women artists who come together in the spirit of friendship and to support each other’s art careers. Women Artists Mentors (WAM) members meet once a month in a video chat online. Each has different levels of experience in pursuing a career in the arts.
In May 2016, all five members finally met up in Venice, Italy. Since, they have enjoying spending time together in Montreal, Canada. The bonds formed that week in Venice not only solidified a group that is committed to helping each other in art and business, but resulted in lasting, lifelong friendships. The group consists of Virginia artist Debra Keirce, Helen K. Beacham (South Carolina), Maria Bennett Hock (North Carolina), Kim Minichiello (Florida), and Carrie Waller (Japan).
Tennessee Watercolor Society 2018 Biennial Juried Exhibition
May 19th–July 27th | Crouch & Orgain Galleries
The Tennessee Watercolor Society will open its 36th Juried Exhibition of water media paintings on paper at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center on Saturday, May 12th. Sixty works have been selected for display by juror and artist Lian Quan Zhen.
Following its run at the Customs House, a selection of 30 paintings will continue across Tennessee as a traveling exhibit for the duration of 2018, stopping at three gallery venues including a final show at the Hunter Museum in Chattanooga.
World in Wood: The Folk Art of Herbert Baggett
May 15th–July 29th | The Leaf Chronicle Lobby
Wooden figures by Tennessee artist Frank Baggett are on display. These objects are from the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center’s permanent collection.
Interpreting the Familiar: The Art of Hattie Marshall Duncan
June 6th–August 19th | Jostens Gallery
African American folk sculptor Hattie Marshall Duncan creates expressive sculpture that offers a loving, humorous portrayal of her hometown community in Jackson, Tennessee. She uses common household items such as wire hangers, plastic bottles and old stockings to build the frames.
After molding the figures, she adds texture and detail by applying coffee grounds for hair, pine cones for hats, and broken egg shells for clothing.
Our Town: Stories Within Clarksville’s Doorways
February 28th–September 30th | Memory Lane
An exhibition of regional stories featuring photographs and artifacts from our collection, including: the jail, Trinity Episcopal Church, the Court House, the Capitol Theater, and more.
Customs House Museum Activities
Toy Sale at Seasons: The Museum Store
Enjoy 10% off toy purchases during the month of July at Seasons: The Museum Store. Museum Members receive an additional 10% off. Spend $20 or more in toys and receive a FREE Museum mug (while supplies last)!
Randy Rubel to Reveal Log House Mystery
Sunday, July 1st, 1:30pm–2:30pm | In the Turner Auditorium
“How did you get the log house into the museum?” is a frequently asked question by adults and children when discussing the Powers’ family log house, on display in Memory Lane.
Randy is a retired Clarksville firefighter and Civil War re-enactor.
Sue Lewis, Curator of Education, will also share some of the Powers family story, as written my Mabel Powers Hicks at age 99. Mabel Hicks passed away last year at the age of 102.
First Thursday Art Walk
Thursday, July 5th, 5:00pm-7:00pm
The museum is open to the public with free admission as part of Downtown Clarksville’s First Thursday Art Walk.
Weaving Demonstration at the Powers Log House
Saturday, July 7th and Sunday, July 8th from 1:00pm–3:0pm both days
Join us in Memory Lane outside the Powers log house for a demonstration by a weaving group.
Paper Weaving Activities
Saturday, July 7th, 10:00am–4:30pm & Sunday, July 8th, 1:00pm–4:30pm
Make your own paper weaving project in the Family Art Studio.
Art & Lunch: Exploring Techniques in Watercolor with artist Patsy Sharpe
Thursday, July 12th, 12:15pm | Free Admission to program; bagged lunches welcome.
Join Clarksville artists Patsy Sharpe for a demonstration in watercolor techniques. Program is in conjunction with the exhibit Tennessee Watercolor Society 2018 Biennial Juried Exhibition.
Saving Your Family’s Story: The Old-Fashioned Scrapbook
Sunday, July 22nd 1:00pm–4:30pm | In the Family Art Studio
One of the reasons we know so much about the Powers family is because Mabel Powers Hicks saved all the papers, the family Bible, and other such items that had been passed down to her since the building of the house in 1842. Sue Lewis, Curator of Education, will show her scrapbook from the 1950s and ‘60s, as well as copies of items from Mabel Hick’s collection.
Sue will show you how to help your children make their own scrapbooks. This family activity is geared especially for anyone 8 years and older.
Second Saturday Free Admission: Make a Craft Stick Log House
Saturday, July 14th
The Customs House Museum & Cultural Center is open with free admission from 10:00am to 5:00pm as part of our Second Saturday Free Admission Day!
Join us in the newly-renovated Family Art Studio until 4:30pm and build a log home with craft sticks.
For more information contact Ms. Sue at sue@customshousemuseum.org or 931.648.5780.
Closings
The Customs House Museum & Cultural Center will be closed Wednesday, July 4th for Independence Day.
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 4:00pm.
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
