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 December at the Museum are: Camille Engel: Her Home Tennessee, Alan LeQuire: From Clay to Bronze, Holiday from the Collection, Second Saturday Free Admission Day and Christmas Town.
Customs House Museum Exhibits
Camille Engel: Her Home Tennessee
October 16th – January 2nd | Crouch Gallery
American contemporary realist oil painter Camille Engel is internationally acclaimed and known for her use of rich colors, textures, and intricate detail. This award-winning artist has created a series of paintings themed around the Tennessee State symbols. In conjunction with the exhibit, the Museum is displaying 13 student works of art created within the same theme and chosen through a juried process, featuring work from grades 2nd – 10th. The student art competition is sponsored by Jerry’s Artarama and Chromatics.
Alan LeQuire: From Clay to Bronze
October 19th – January 6th | Orgain & Bruner Galleries
Alan LeQuire is best known today for his monumental sculptures in Middle Tennessee. From Clay to Bronze features works done in terra cotta, bronze, and drawings, and includes the traveling exhibit Lost Wax Casting. This exhibit includes clay models, molds, wax castings, and finished bronze sculpture, along with photographs that help to explain the process that was invented in China over 10,000 years ago.
Finished works include many of LeQuire’s small-scale figure studies. The exhibition promotes the value of traditional practices: studying the human figure and working from life.
Holiday from the Collection
November 1st – December 31st | The Leaf Chronicle Lobby
Objects from the permanent collection of the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center celebrate the holiday season.
Christmas Town
November 1st – January 27th | Memory Lane
This large collection of porcelain pieces was assembled by Jimmy and Sue Drye of Clarksville. The village was donated to the Museum by the Drye’s children in honor of their parents. Hundreds of porcelain pieces make up the large display for Christmas Town.
There are moving parts and lights, and even a model train making its way through the village. Sponsored in part by Planters Bank
The Nature of Things: Alison & Frank Lyne
December 1st – February 24th | Kimbrough Gallery
The Lyne’s will feature works on paper and of wood from their series on the upcoming Women’s Suffrage.
Dane Carder: The Healing Game
December 1st – February 24th | Kimbrough Gallery
These paintings are based on the photographs of Dr. Reed Bontecou, who documented the treatment of the wounded toward the end of the Civil War.
New to the Collection
December 1st – January 27th | Jostens Gallery
This exhibition features items that have been recently donated to the museum.
She’s Not There: New Photographs by Price Harrison
December 4th – January 3rd | Planters Bank Peg Harvill Gallery
These images bring attention to everyday places we often overlook. This exhibition is sponsored in part by Nashville Arts Magazine.
Programs and Events
Hands-on Activities: Make & Play with a Cup and Ball
Saturday, December 1st & 15th | 2:00pm-4:00pm
Grades K – 6th, with adult caretaker | In the Family Art Studio
December brings holidays with children hoping for some new toys. Do you ever think about what life was like without video games or TV? Kids made their own toys. The Cup & Ball toy goes back hundreds of years and variations of it are found around the world.
It’s a real challenge to catch the attached ball in the hole! Have fun making and playing with a Cup & Ball toy. Maybe you’ll want to make it as a present for someone!
This program is provided with your Museum Membership or paid admission at no additional cost.
Friday Mornings in December: Play with Old-Fashioned Wind-up Toys
December 7th, 14th, 21st & 28th | 10:30am–11:30am
Ages 2 – 5, with adult caretaker | In Explorers’ Landing
This program is provided with your Museum Membership or paid admission at no additional cost.
Second Saturday Free Admission Day
Saturday, December 8th | 10:00am-5:00pm
The museum is open to the public with free admission all day from 10:00am–5:00pm as part of our monthly Second Saturday Free Admission Day.
Meet the Artists: Frank and Alison Lyne
Saturday, December 8th | 10:30am-12:00pm | All Ages | Kimbrough Gallery
Second Saturday Free Admissions Day
This is an opportunity to meet husband and wife artists Frank and Alison Lyne, learn about their processes, and ask them questions about their work on display. Alison will discuss some of her painting techniques and provide some background on her suffragist paintings. Frank will demonstrate some of his wood carving expertise. This free program is part of our ART 4 US project sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts.
APSU Student Documentaries
Thursday, December 13th, 2018, 1:30pm-3:30pm | Turner Auditorium | Free Event
Join us for a screening of these Austin Peay State University documentaries:
- “Listen Hear” brings you into the world of the Clarksville music scene from past to present.
- “Mankind, Brandkind” is a look at Social Media branding and its impact on everyday life.
- “Viking Strong” is the story of the Northwest High School Band and their 2018 season.
- “You Failed Us” explores students doubts as to whether the current school system is preparing them for their future.
This program was organized by Karen Bullis, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, Austin Peay State University
Closures
The Customs House Museum & Cultural Center will be closed Monday, December 24th for Christmas Eve Day and Tuesday, December 25th for Christmas 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
