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 August at the Museum include Between Tone & Texture: The Art of Edie Maney, Kitty Harvill: New to the Collection, David Smith: Tennessee Waterfalls, At Rest: A Still Life Invitational, Annual Staff Art Show, Storytime & Craft, Family Art Saturday: Watercolor Stained Glass.
Customs House Museum Exhibits
Between Tone & Texture: The Art of Edie Maney
Through August 21st | Crouch Gallery
Labeling herself an abstract expressionist, Edie Maney paints in a chaotic manner with layer after layer of color and strokes, finding a balance between intensity and motion. “For me, it is color that stimulates a conversation between tone and texture, between motion and shape. Four, five, six layers emerge – and a focal point is revealed.”
Kitty Harvill: New to the Collection
Through August 27th | Jostens Gallery
Kitty Harvill is an internationally acclaimed wildlife artist and illustrator. This exhibit features nine original watercolors of endangered animals, created during her time in Brazil. Since 2016, Harvill has led a group of like-minded artists through ABUN – Artists & Biologists Unite for Nature. Her work is included in collections throughout the United States, Brazil, Germany and Singapore.
David Smith: Tennessee Waterfalls
Through August 29th | Harvill Gallery
Local photographer David Smith captures the movement, spectacle, and allure of waterfalls across Tennessee in this collection of photographs.
At Rest: A Still Life Invitational
Through August 30th | Orgain & Bruner Galleries
Even the simplest, everyday objects have the power to spark inspiration in an artist’s brush. This invitational exhibition features 14 award-winning artists showcasing a variety of styles that celebrate the still life genre.
Women. Artists. Masters.
The Big & the Small of It
Through September 24th | Kimbrough Gallery
Women. Artists. Masters. (WAM for short) is a group comprised of three artists sharing common goals. In this traveling exhibition, Debra Keirce, Maria Bennett Hock, and Carrie Waller render representational paintings that highlight the ways the big and the small work together. Debra has palm-sized oil miniatures, some of which are hidden in boxes. Maria paints on large canvases that draw viewers in. Carrie paints everyday objects, elevating them to their most beautiful, larger-than-life presentation.
Annual Staff Art Show
Through October 22nd | Lobby
The annual staff art exhibit showcases the creative work of those who work behind the scenes at the Museum. Each piece reveals the unique personalities and skills of the artists, special moments in their lives, and their inspirations.
Red Grooms: Selected Works from the Caldwell Collection
Through January 7th | Memory Lane
Born in Nashville in 1937, Red Grooms stands among Tennessee’s cultural icons. A performance artist, filmmaker, printmaker, and cartoonist, he is best known for colorful pop art that captures both the grotesqueness and humor of everyday life.
His art is featured in the collections of more than 35 museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Cheekwood Botanical Garden, and Museum of Art in Nashville, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Carnegie Museum of Art and the Knoxville Museum of Art.
This exhibit features paintings and paper sculptures, and is produced in partnership with the West Tennessee Regional Art Center with contributions from the Discovery Park of America.
Museum Events
First Thursday Art Walk & Book Signing
August 3rd | 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Free to the public
The Museum offers free admission during First Thursday Art Walk from 5:00pm – 8:00pm. Starting at 5:30pm in the Museum Lobby, join author Dr. Minoa Uffelman and editors Phyllis Smith and Dr. Ellen Kanervo for a book signing of their newest release, The Civil War Letters of Sarah Kennedy: Life Under Occupation in the Upper South.
Museum Programs
Storytime & Craft
August 3rd & 17th | 10:30am | All ages, with adult
Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Studio
Join us in the Family Art Studio to read our favorite children’s books and create fun summer-themed crafts!
*All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.
Family Art Saturday: Watercolor Stained Glass
August 26th | 10:00am – 12:00pm & 2:00pm – 4:00pm | Ages 3+, with adult
Free with admission | Family Art Studio
Step into a world of vibrant colors with a fun “watercolor stained glass” art activity. Using the whimsical medium of watercolors, you will be able to create a stunning collaborative display of colors, just like a true stained-glass window.
*All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.
Baby Picasso: A Sensory Art Activity
August 23rd | 10:30am | Ages 1-2, with adult
$5.00 Registration | Family Art Studio
Join us as we embark on a colorful adventure where your little one can use playful techniques to squish, pat and wipe their hands to paint a beautiful masterpiece on canvas. Messy fun is guaranteed for your baby or toddler! Registration will open August 2nd!
*All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.
Seasons: The Museum Store
Stationery Sale
Offer expires August 31st, 2023
Stop by Seasons and check out another great summer sale! Enjoy 10% off ALL greeting cards and stationery (members receive 15% off).
Museum Closures
Saturday, August 19th
The Museum will be closed on Saturday, August 19th, and Sunday, August 20th for our 39th Annual Flying High fundraiser.
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
