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 April at the Museum include Month of the Military Child Art Show, Wood, Paper, Paint: Collecting Art for 40 Years, Veterans Coalition Community Art Show, Rising Voices 3: The Bennett Prize for Women Figurative Realist Painters, Ayana Ross: The Lessons I Leave You, From Here to There: Presented by Google, Storytime & Craft: Earth Day, Sunday Studio: Painting with Sarah Spillers.
Customs House Museum Exhibits
Month of the Military Child Art Show
April 1st – April 21st | Lobby
April is the Month of the Military Child, a time to applaud military families and their children for their daily sacrifices and the challenges they overcome. In partnership with the USO, this special exhibit features selected artwork by local children with an active-duty parent or guardian.
Wood, Paper, Paint: Collecting Art for 40 Years
April 2nd – June 2nd | Crouch Gallery
Since its opening in 1984, the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center has been dedicated to collecting and preserving art. To celebrate the Museum’s 40th birthday, experience a curated selection of artworks from the permanent collection.
Veterans Coalition Community Art Show
Through April 7th | Memory Lane
The Montgomery County Veterans Coalition advocates for our Veteran community through education, collaboration, and resourcing. Celebrate the rich tapestry of military service through the lens of artistic expression at the 2024 MCVC Community Art Show. This expo features a diverse collection of artworks created by Veterans, each piece telling a unique story of resilience, sacrifice, and the profound impact of their service.
Rising Voices 3: The Bennett Prize for Women Figurative Realist Painters
Through April 21st | Kimbrough Gallery
The $50,000 Bennett Prize is awarded biennially to a woman fine art painter whose principal artistic focus is figurative painting in a primarily realistic style. Rising Voices 3 is comprised of paintings by the 2023 Bennett Prize finalists, including Prize winner Shiqing Deng.
Ayana Ross: The Lessons I Leave You?
Through April 21st | Jostens Gallery
Ayana Ross collects stories. For inspiration, she draws from family, current events, history, art, her experiences growing up in the American South, and biblical stories viewed through a contemporary lens. Touching on universal themes, Ross’ paintings offer an opening for viewers to find themselves and their own experiences. Ross was the recipient of the 2021 Bennett Prize.
From Here to There: Presented by Google
Through April 24th | Orgain & Bruner Galleries
How do we move things on land, sea, and air? Through 10 hands-on interactive exhibit stations that include a hovercraft chair, a canal lock system, pneumatic air tubes, pulleys, levers, and hydraulics, guests can learn more about the science of how we get from here to there.
From Here to There is a traveling exhibit developed by the Rochester Museum & Science Center of Rochester, NY and the Sciencenter of Ithaca, NY and is funded locally by a Google Data Center Community Grant.
Tonya Fleming: Up Close Far Away
Through April 28th | Harvill Gallery
Photographer Tonya Fleming presents a series of scenic landscapes, tying together the physical distance among the images with the emotional distance felt in each work.
Museum Events
First Thursday Art Walk?????
April 4th | 5:00pm – 8:00pm????
Free to the public????
Mark your calendars for April’s Art Walk! The Museum offers free admission during First Thursday Art Walk from 5:00pm – 8:00pm. Mis Tres Gallos food truck will be in the courtyard serving up some delicious authentic Mexican food!
Museum Programs
Sundays at 3:00
The Galapagos Islands: A Model of Conservation Successes and Ecotourism
April 7th | 3:00pm | Turner Auditorium
Free to the public; does not include Museum admission
Science-based species recovery efforts have achieved some spectacular results here, which deserve to be widely appreciated. Dr. Sites is a retired Professor of Biology and Curator of Herpetology at Brigham Young University and an adjunct Professor of Biology at Austin Peay State University.
This event is free and open to the public, but registration is encouraged. Register today at www.customshousemuseum.org/events
This month, we’re flipping the script for our beloved Storytime & Craft events! Usually held at 10:30am, but in the spirit of April Fools, we’re pulling a little twist and having it at 1:30pm instead!
Storytime & Craft: Fool-ish Birds
April 4th | 1:30 pm | All ages, with adult
Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Studio
Join us as we read two stories filled with adventure, love, friendship, and the wonders of nature. The Song of Spring by Hendrik Jonas and Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman are sure to spark your imagination! Inspired by the stories, we’ll be crafting charming bird’s nests nestled in trees using a variety of materials.
*All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.
Storytime & Craft: Earth Day
April 18th | 1:30 pm | All ages, with adult
Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Studio
Get ready for an eco-friendly adventure with us as we read the fun tales of How the Crayons Saved the Earth by Monica Sweeney and Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel. Inspired by the themes of recycling and environmental awareness, we’ll make our own windsocks using various vibrant materials.
*All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.
Sunday Studio: Painting with Sarah Spillers?
April 21st | 2:00pm | Third Sunday of each month
Free, with registration required; does not include Museum admission?
Sunday Studio is a new workshop series for adults in partnership with APSU’s Community School of the Arts! This month, we’re celebrating springtime with a beautiful, rainy-day masterpiece! Whether you are a beginner or have painting experience, this workshop is designed to help you develop your skills and express your creativity. This workshop is free and all materials are included, but registration is required. For ages 16+.
Registration opens March 18th at customshousemuseum.org.
Family Art Saturday: Baby Chicks Fork Painting
April 27th | 10:00am – 12:00pm & 2nd – 4:00pm | Ages 3+, with adult
Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Studio
This month’s Family Art Saturday is sure to whisk you away as we explore the charming technique of fork painting. Unleash your imagination as you wield your fork as a paintbrush, creating intricate lines and patterns that will bring adorable baby chicks to life on canvas.
*All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.
Homeschool Fieldtrip Day
April 2nd | 10:30 am | All ages, with adult
Free for Museum members; $3.00 per student and $5.00 per adult for nonmembers
Every semester, local homeschool groups are invited to experience an unforgettable day of exploration and learning. For more information on how to register, contact Curator of Education Stephanie Stafford at stephanie@customshousemuseum.org.
F&M Bank Huff & Puff Express Model Trains?????
Exhibit open daily | Trains run Sundays 1:00pm – 4:00pm, Wednesdays 10:00am – 12:00pm, Fridays 10:00am – 12:00pm and the last Saturday of each month 1:00pm – 4:00pm?????
Our model train exhibit is open daily, and themes change every season – so stick around, because soon it is going to be springtime along the Huff & Puff Express!
Seasons: The Museum Store
Pottery Sale
Offer expires April 30th, 2023
Stop by Seasons: The Museum Store and check out our beautiful, locally-crafted pottery items. All pottery items are 10% off; members receive 20% off.
The offer expires April 30th, 2024. No other discounts apply.
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 interest museum with over 35,000 square feet of exhibit space and houses hands-on activities and special events. Membership and admission information can be found at customshousemuseum.org.
Regular museum hours are 10:00am to 5:00pm Tuesday through Saturday and 1:00pm to 5:00pm on Sundays. Adult admission is $12.00 (18-64). Senior Citizens (65+), Adult Military, CMCSS Teachers, and College Students are $9.00. Children ages 3 to 17 are $5.00, and children 2 years or younger 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
