CLARKSVILLE, TN – The Customs House Museum & Cultural Center would like to announce the upcoming exhibits, programs, and updates:
Exhibitions
Freedom: The History of US, Through September 27 | Memory Lane: Freedom: The History of US is an exhibition developed by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, featuring select documents from the Gilder Lehrman Collection. Since 1776, when the United States declared independence from Great Britain, the idea of freedom and our understanding of its implications have changed dramatically. This exhibition traces the evolving concept of freedom from the founding era to the election of Barack Obama. Accompanying the exhibit are items from the Customs House Museum’s collection. This exhibition is sponsored by F&M Bank and is part of the Customs House Museum’s celebration of America’s 250th.
A Gathering of Women, Through September 27 | Kimbrough Gallery: “A Gathering of Women” features items from women’s clubs and scrapbooks from local women. This exhibition is sponsored in part by F&M Bank in connection with America’s 250th.
Annual Staff Art Exhibition, Through September 29 | Lobby: The Annual Staff Art Exhibition features artwork and crafts from the talented museum employees.
Framed & Dangerous: Acrylic, Oil, & Watercolor Paintings by Peach McComb, Through September 30 | Jostens Gallery: Tennessee artist Peach McComb works in a variety of media. She derives her inspiration from light, shadow, and noticing everyday things. She paints outside frequently, sketches daily, and uses those for larger studio work. Acrylic, oil, & watercolor paintings by Peach McComb will be on view in Jostens Gallery.
Cave Johnson & James K. Polk, Through October 7 | Harvill Gallery: James K. Polk was elected to the Tennessee state legislature in 1823 and then to the United States House of Representatives. He became Speaker of the House in 1835, the only person to serve both as Speaker and U.S. president. Polk left Congress to run for governor of Tennessee, winning in 1839. Cave Johnson served as a Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives (1829-37, 1839-45), postmaster general of the United States (1845-49), and president of the Bank of Tennessee (1854-60). Exhibit includes borrowed artifacts and those from the collection. This exhibition is sponsored by F&M Bank and is part of the Customs House Museum’s celebration of America’s 250th.
Still Lifes, Shifting Narratives: The Hyperrealistic Paintings of Sharon Harms, Through October 22 | Bruner & Orgain Galleries: In the hands of Nashville-based artist Sharon Harms, the still life genre becomes anything but settled. In Still Lifes, Shifting Narratives, Harms presents a body of work that honors the still life tradition while reimagining its purpose by transforming the arranged object from passive subject into active narrator. The things Harms selects — anatomical models, vintage toys, typewriters, glass figurines, advertising ephemera — function simultaneously as personal relics and cultural artifacts, evoking individual memory and collective experience at once. They are chosen intuitively, not for their decorative potential but for their symbolic resonance and their capacity to mean more than they appear. The result is a body of work in which the still life is not an endpoint but a doorway to a space where the viewer is invited to complete the story. In this, Harms adds to the genre’s long conversation with storytelling through the symbolism inherent in inanimate objects. Her paintings ask what it means to arrange objects with such exacting care, and what those arrangements quietly confess. The answer is that nothing in her work is simply still.
Piecing the Past: Quilts from the Collection, Through October 25 | Crouch Gallery: A selection of quilts and quilting materials/items from the collection will be on display as well as unique items on loan from the Clarksville community. This exhibition is sponsored in part by F&M Bank in connection with America’s 250th.
Programs
Homeschool Fieldtrip Day. September 1 | 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | K-12 students with adults: School tour admission is $3 per student and $5 per adult for non-member homeschool families. On the first Tuesday of each month, local homeschool families are invited to experience a day of self-guided exploration and learning. For more information, contact Curator of Education Stephanie Stafford at stephanie@customshousemuseum.org
Art & More Fall Semester, Sept. 1, Oct. 6, Nov. 3 | Two Sessions | For Homeschool Families
Morning session: 10:30am – 12:15pm Grades K-4 & 5-12. Afternoon session: 1:30 pm – 3:15 pm Grades K-4 Only. $25 non-refundable registration fee for the semester. Join us for our two-in-one art class for homeschool families. Art & More is a combination of an instructor-led art class, covering art standards, and an educator-led exhibit tour with cross-curricular topics. Register today by CLICKING HERE FOR MORNING SESSIONS. CLICKING HERE FOR AFTERNOON SESSIONS. For additional information, please contact Curator of Education Stephanie Stafford atstephanie@customshousemuseum.org.
Storytime & Craft: Skyscraper Day, September 3| 10:30 a.m. | All ages, with adult | Free with membership or paid admission. In honor of skyscraper day, we’ll read books about these super tall buildings and design a cityscape as the craft. All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.
September Art Walk, September 3 | 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.| Free to the public. The Customs House Museum & Cultural Center is excited to take part in the September Artwalk on September 3, offering free admission and new exhibits.
Sundays at 3:00 – Forged in Fire: The History of the Clarksville Foundry with Charlie Foust, owner and descendant, September 6 | 3 p.m. | Turner Auditorium | Free to the public; does not include museum admission. The Clarksville Foundry has a long history of creating items for Clarksvillians and beyond. Current owner and descendant of a multi-generational Clarksville business and family, Charlie Foust will discuss the history of the Foundry as well as the products they have made over the years and where the Foundry is today. Register here
Blue Star Museum Program. Now through September 7, 2026 | Free admission to U.S. active-duty military personnel including National Guard and Reserve and their families (up to 5 members, limit 6 admissions to include the card holder). The free admission program is available for those currently serving in the United States Military–Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, Coast Guard–including Reservists, National Guardsman (regardless of status), U.S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps, and up to five family members. Qualified members must show a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card for entrance.
Museum Marksman Challenge, September 11 | 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.| Cross Creek Clays. Each fall, the Customs House Museum hosts an exciting day of competition and camaraderie – the annual Museum Marksman Challenge, a fall fundraiser. Come shoot for the cause at Cross Creek Clays, where there will be games, awards, and a luncheon. Shooters may bring their own gun and ammo or rent from Cross Creek Clays. Don’t miss out on this thrilling event! Register as an individual or get a team together. Sign up here: Customs House Museum & Cultural Center. If you want to sponsor this event, contact Channing Grimes at channing@customshousemuseum.org. Thank you to everyone who has made the Marksman Challenge a success for the past two years!
Storytime & Craft: National Farm Animal Week, September 17| 10:30 a.m. | All ages, with adult | Free with membership or paid admission. It’s National Farm Animal Week, so we’re reading stories about farms and farm animals. We’ll make farm stick puppets as the craft. All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.
History on the Rocks at Leatherwood Distillery, September 17 | 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. | Free and open to the public. History on the Rocks! Sept. 17 – our next History on the Rocks will be at a new location – Leatherwood Distillery, located at 119 College Street. The fall issue of the magazine features stories on Sango-Halliburton’s Crossroads, the Clarksville Female Academy, The Chestnut Group, the Mallory Family, and Quilts from the Museum’s current exhibition and collection. Guests will be Roxanne Jenkins, Historical Interpreter for Ft. Defiance Civil War Park & Interpretive Center, who will discuss the Clarksville Female Academy, and artists from The Chestnut Group, a plein air painting group from Middle Tennessee dedicated to conservation. More guests announced soon. Patrons will be able to purchase drinks and a couple of light bite appetizers during the event. Come out and celebrate our newest issue of the magazine at Leatherwood Distillery!
Historical Greenwood Cemetery Walking Tour, September 19 | 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. | $20 per non-member ticket | $15 per member ticket, Location: Greenwood Cemetery at 976 Greenwood Ave. Clarksville, TN 37040. Join us for a historic walking tour of Greenwood Cemetery, one of Clarksville’s oldest active burial grounds. As we make our way along the cemetery’s winding paths, you’ll hear fascinating stories of Clarksville’s past, learn about the cemetery’s rich history and discover the lives of notable figures laid to rest there. The approximately one-hour tour offers a unique opportunity to explore local history while gaining a deeper understanding of one of Clarksville’s historic landmarks. Advance tickets are required. Same-day tickets will not be available. Space is limited. Register here
Sunday Studio: Art Journaling with Aubrey Derryberry, September 20 | 2 p.m. | Ages 16+ | Free, with registration required; does not include Customs House Museum admission. In partnership with APSU’s Community School of the Arts, our Sunday Studio class is a creative workshop series for adults. In partnership with APSU’s Community School of the Arts, our Sunday Studio class is a creative workshop series for adults. We will be exploring simple exercises and responding to different prompts for Art Journaling. We will work with a variety of mediums in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. Everyone will get to create a journal. This class is open to all levels. The workshop is free and includes all materials. Register here
Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day, September 26 | 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | All ages, with adult | Free with Smithsonian Ticket. This is an annual celebration of boundless curiosity hosted by Smithsonian magazine. Participating museums and cultural institutions across the country provide free entry to anyone presenting a Museum Day ticket. Watch for the Free ticket downloads on the Smithsonian Magazine Site here.
Family Art Saturday: Printmaking – Sunflowers, September 26 |10 a.m. – 12 p.m., 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. | Ages 3+, with adult. Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Studio. This September, we’re creating a sunflower print in the Family Art Studio. As always, this is perfect for artists of all ages — no experience needed, just bring your imagination! All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.
Celebrate America’s 250th at F&M Bank Huff & Puff Express Model Trains. Exhibit open daily | Trains run Sundays 1 – 4 p.m., Wednesdays 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., Fridays 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and the last Saturday of each month 1 – 4 p.m. We’re celebrating America’s 250th on one of the region’s largest model railroad layouts, which is interactive for kids of all ages. The circus is still in town for the summer, too, so visit and clown around with our model trains. The model train exhibit is open every day, with themes that change each season.
| DON’T MISS AN EVENT: For more Clarksville things to do, check out the Summer fun guide or the Clarksville Events calendar.