Tennessee
Art, History & Archaeology Sites & Museums
Archaeology & History Sites in Tennessee
Belle Meade
Belle Meade Plantation was established by John Harding in the early 19th century. Here he erected a Federal Style brick plantation house, later replaced with a Greek Revival building by his son William in 1853. As well as laboring on the construction of these houses, enslaved people worked in the fields, with dedicated tours now offered on this aspect of the plantation’s history. The late 19th century saw Belle Meade become known for its involvement in horse breeding. As well as being open as a heritage attraction, Belle Meade Plantation is also active as a winery.

Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Park
About 11 miles south of Jackson, Tennessee, outside the small town of Pinson, lies one of the largest mound sites in the Eastern United States. The site is a ceremonial earthwork complex that includes 17 mounds, covers an area of approximately 1,200 acres, and contains the second-highest surviving mound in the United States. There is no evidence that these were fortified settlements, rather it seems they were built for burial and ceremonial purposes. Besides the mounds, there is an onsite museum and six miles of hiking trail.


Museums & Art Galleries in Tennessee
National Civil Rights Museum
Housed in the Lorraine Hotel – the building that Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in – the National Civil Rights Museum looks at the long struggle for racial equality in America. The museum covers a wide period of history from slave revolts in the 17th century to sit-ins and the black panthers in the 1960s, even connecting to the present day and modern fights against inequality.
