Clarksville, TN – The Customs House Museum and Cultural Center is located in Historic Downtown Clarksville, Tennessee. 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 include Silent Skies: A Traveling Mural, John Sharp: En Route, Sophia Macias (Eisenbart): Collected Moments, Following Feathers: The Photography of Jane & Michael O’Malley, The Annual Staff Art Exhibition, Historic Greenwood Cemetery Walking Tours, Historic Riverview Cemetery Walking Tours, Storytime & Craft: Hooray for Birds, Homeschool Fieldtrip Day.
Customs House Museum Exhibits
Silent Skies: A Traveling Mural
Through October 27th | Crouch Gallery
Silent Skies is an international collaborative mural mosaic featuring 678 endangered species of birds that brings together over 160 of the world’s most recognized nature and wildlife artists. An exhibition produced by Artists for Conservation. Sponsored in part by Jane and Michael O’Malley.
John Sharp: En Route
Through October 20th | Orgain & Bruner Galleries
Photorealist artist and art educator John Sharp’s greatest passion is the urban landscape. Whether it is an old neon sign, an abandoned street corner or a forgotten object, Sharp’s purpose as an artist is to capture the beauty of decades of rust and slow decay. Sharp’s work has been exhibited in galleries in Chicago, New York and Italy.
Sophia Macias (Eisenbart): Collected Moments
Through October 20th | Jostens Gallery
Sophia Macias (Eisenbart)’s artwork reflects her “proof of existence”—her Hispanic cultural heritage and personal experiences blended with contemporary techniques. She aims to connect with a person’s emotional intelligence through her collage, mixed media and fine arts paintings.
Following Feathers: The Photography of Jane & Michael O’Malley
Through October 20th | Harvill Gallery
Clarksville’s Michael O’Malley shares wildlife photos taken from his years traveling the world in search of birds.
The Annual Staff Art Exhibition
Through October 6th | Lobby
The Annual Staff Art Exhibition features artwork and crafts from the talented Museum employees.
Triumphs and Treasures: Celebrating 40 Years
Through September 29th | Kimbrough Gallery & Memory Lane
The Customs House Museum & Cultural Center is home to more than 22,000 artifacts, documents, photographs and works of art. Through this exhibit, travel decade by decade through our collections to gain insight into the history of the Museum and the community as a whole.
Museum Events
First Thursday Art Walk
September 5th | 5:00pm – 8:00pm | Free to the public
Mark your calendars for September’s Art Walk! The Museum offers free admission during First Thursday Art Walk from 5:00pm – 8:00pm. Johnny and Junes Italian Ice and That Taste of Florida food trucks will be parked outside the Courtyard ready to serve up some of their delicious food!
Historic Greenwood Cemetery Walking Tours
September 21st, October 5th & 19th | 9:00am – 10:00am
$20.00 ticket | $15.00 member ticket | Artifact Talk: $5.00, ages 5+
Join us for our popular historic walking tour of Greenwood Cemetery, one of Clarksville’s oldest active burial grounds. Take a spine-tingling stroll through the winding paths as we share captivating tales of local history and intrigue.
This 1-hour tour will reveal the cemetery’s rich past and highlight the notable figures laid to rest there. Afterward, our Curator of Collections will present a 30-minute talk on select items from our collection. This additional session is $5.00 and can be added during checkout. Tickets must be purchased in advance, as space is extremely limited.
Register now at www.customshousemuseum.org/events/list/page/2/.
The Museum Marksman Challenge
September 27th | 8:00am – 2:00pm
Individual Shooter: $125.00 | Corporate Team: $650.00 (16 Teams)
Join us for an exciting day of competition and camaraderie at the first ever Museum Marksman Challenge, a fall fundraiser sponsored by Travis Electrical Service. This thrilling event is made possible with the generous support of our participating sponsors: Providence Builders, McReynolds Nave and Larson Funeral Home, and Leatherwood Distillery.
Come shoot for the cause at Cross Creek Clays where there will be prizes, games, and an award ceremony! Shooters may bring their own gun and ammo or rent from Cross Creek Clays. Don’t miss out on this thrilling event! Register now and help support the Customs House Museum.
For more information and to register, visit customshousemuseum.org or contact Stacy Mobley at stacy@customshousemuseum.org
Historic Riverview Cemetery Walking Tours
September 28th & October 12th | 9:00am – 10:00am
$20.00 ticket | $15.00 member ticket | Artifact Talk: $5.00, ages 5+
The Riverview Cemetery, established on February 23rd, 1800—back when Clarksville was just a village—rests on land donated by Valentine Sevier. Join us for a 1-hour guided tour of the cemetery, where you’ll uncover its rich history and learn about the notable figures buried there.
Following the tour, our Curator of Collections will present a 30-minute talk on select items from our collection. This additional session costs $5.00 and can be added during checkout. Please note that tickets for the tour must be purchased in advance, as space is very limited.Registration is available at https://customshousemuseum.org/events/list/page/2/.
*The grounds of Riverview Cemetery are not handicap accessible. The terrain is bumpy with few paved paths.
Museum Programs
Sundays at 3:00
Wildlife of Southern Africa with Mike O’Malley, local businessman and APSU Board Member
September 1st | 3:00pm | Turner Auditorium
Free to the public; does not include Museum admission
For this Sundays at 3 lecture, amateur photographer Mike O’Malley will discuss some of the best practices for taking photographs in the wild. During an expedition to five countries in Southern Africa, O’Malley captured images of birds, mammals, and scenery.
This event is free and open to the public, but registration is encouraged. Register today at customshousemuseum.org/events.
Storytime & Craft: Hooray for Birds!
September 5th | 10:30am | All ages, with adult
Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Studio
Join us at the Museum for another exciting Storytime & Craft session! We’ll be reading Hooray for Birds! by Lucy Cousins and Bird Friends I Know by Richard Nelson. These delightful stories will introduce young readers to the vibrant world of birds and their fascinating behaviors. After the stories, we’ll get creative with a fun craft activity—making your very own binoculars for bird watching!
*All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.
Storytime & Craft: Apples Picking Time!
September 19th | 10:30am | All ages, with adult
Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Studio
Join us for a fun-filled Storytime & Craft session! This time, we’ll be reading Up, Up, Up! It’s Apple-Picking Time by Jody Fickes Shapiro, with illustrations by Kitty Harvill, as well as Ten Apples Up On Top! by Dr. Seuss.
These delightful stories will whisk young readers away on an apple-picking adventure. After the storytelling, we’ll get creative with a hands-on craft activity, where we’ll paint an apple tree using bubble wrap!
*All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.
Homeschool Fieldtrip Day
September 3rd | All ages, with adult
Free for Museum members; $3.00 per student and $5.00 per adult for nonmembers
The first Tuesday of each month, local homeschool families are invited to experience a day of exploration and learning. For more information, contact Curator of Education Stephanie Stafford at stephanie@customshousemuseum.org
Art & More
September 3rd | 10:30am – 12:15pm| All ages, with adult
$25.00 for the semester
Join us for our two-part class. Art & More is a combination of an instructor-led art class to cover art standards and an educator-led exhibit tour with cross-curricular topics. For additional information, please contact Curator of Education Stephanie Stafford at stephanie@customshousemuseum.org. Click HERE to register.
Sunday Studio: Painting with Sarah Spillers
September 15th | 2:00pm | Third Sunday of each month | Ages 16+
Free, with registration required; does not include Museum admission
Teaming up with APSU’s Community School of the Arts, we present Sunday Studio—a workshop series for adults. This month, we’re celebrating National Dot Day by exploring the art of painting pointillism.
This workshop is FREE and all materials are included, but registration is required. For ages 16+. Register Here!
Family Art Saturday: Cotton Ball Tree Painting
September 28th | 10:00am – 12:00pm & 2:00pm – 4:00pm | Ages 3+, with adult
Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Studio
Join us at the Museum and enjoy a delightful day of creativity! This month, we invite families to explore their artistic side by using cotton balls as paintbrushes. Kids and adults will have the chance to create beautiful, textured tree paintings. This unique technique is perfect for all ages and skill levels, encouraging creativity and imaginative expression.
*All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.
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?????
The circus is still in town! Come and explore one of the region’s largest model railroad layouts, featuring a miniature castle, a UFO, scenic landscapes, and an engaging circus display. Interact with this tiny world by actively participating in carnival rides and flying elephants. Our model train exhibit is open every day, with themes that change each season—so stay tuned to discover what’s coming next!
The Museum Store
20% off ALL Locally Handmade Items
Discover unique, locally crafted treasures at The Museum store! This month, enjoy a special discount of 20% off all locally handmade items. Our collection features a wide variety of beautifully crafted pieces, including jewelry, pottery, textiles, and more. Each item is created by talented local artisans, making them perfect for gifts or a special treat for yourself.
Offer expires September 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
