CLARKSVILLE, TN – Here are the events upcoming at the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center in January.

Exhibits

Celebrating Our Korean Culture, Jan 7 – Feb 27 | Jostens Gallery: This year, February 1 marks the Lunar New Year, one of the most important traditional Korean holidays. Share in the celebrations and view cultural items like clothing, instruments and more.

The Infirmary, Jan 11 – April 17 | Lobby: Dr. Robert T. Burt was a skilled surgeon who opened Clarksville’s first hospital in 1906. He performed over 300 operations per year, including C-sections long before they were common practice. This exhibit features photographs and other artifacts that tell the story of Dr. Burt and his colleagues at the Home Infirmary.

New to the Museum Collection, Jan 11 – Feb 20 | Kimbrough Gallery: The Customs House Museum & Cultural Center is home to more than 21,000 artifacts, documents, photographs and works of art. Come and see a variety of recent additions to our collection!

The Petite Voyage: Small Works by Paul Harmon, Through Feb 6 | Harvill Gallery: This collection of small oil paintings is an homage to the little amateur landscapes found in Paris flea markets. Paul Harmon is the recipient of many major international painting awards and his work is well represented in galleries, museums and collections around the world.

Visual Songs, Many Verses: Multimedia Exhibition by Jim Diehr, Through Jan 30 | Crouch Gallery: Jim Diehr is a ceramic artist in Clarksville working with oil, acrylic, watercolor, wood, stone and clay to create works based on life experiences. This extensive multi-media exhibition is a mixture of new pieces and familiar favorites, including a new collection of cloud paintings and several whimsical sculptures.

Journeys: Photographs by John Guider, Through Jan 23 | Orgain & Bruner Galleries: In 1779, John Donelson set out on a river journey that would lead to the founding of Nashville. John Guider followed 240 years later, capturing contemporary images of Tennessee’s waters in a boat of his own making. Photographs from his journey show us where we come from, and where we might be going.

Customs House Christmas Village, Through Jan 1 | Lobby: This large collection of porcelain pieces was assembled by Jimmy and Sue Drye of Clarksville and donated to the Museum by their children in their honor. Make your way through the lights and moving parts of the village.

Interactions: Paintings by Judy Lavoie, Through Jan 2 | Jostens Gallery: A wide variety of themes inspire Judy Lavoie to paint. Interesting textures inspire her, as do delicate colorful flowers and brightly lit landscapes. “By exaggerating colors, or sometimes altering them from reality, I aim to preserve a moment in time, recreating the subject in my own way.”

Events

First Thursday Art Walk, Jan 6, 5 – 8 pm: The Museum will have free admission during First Thursday Art Walk Clarksville from 5 – 8 pm.

Lunar New Year’s Kickoff, Jan 15, 11 am: Kick off the Lunar New Year with the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center and Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts. Celebrate with drum dancers, Korean history and traditional food. Be sure to also visit the Celebrating Our Korean Culture exhibit in the Jostens Gallery at the Museum.

Programs

Little Explorers: Winter Wonderland, Jan 7, 14 & 21, drop by between 10:30 am – 12:30 pm | Ages 2 – 5, with adult, Free with membership or paid admission | Hudson Classroom: Play in the snow with polar animals, create a blizzard in a jar, throw snowballs at a snowman and make a giant snowflake to take home. All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children. Activities may include items that are a choking hazard.

Discovery Saturday, Jan 8 & 22, drop by between 1:30 – 3:30 pm | Kindergarten and above, with adult, Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Studio: Investigate, create, discover! Kids and adults will enjoy sharing the experiences offered in this “hands-on, minds-on” program that explores a variety of science, art and exhibit-related topics. All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.

Family Art Saturday: Meet the Painters, Jan. 29, drop by between 10 am – 12 pm & 2 – 4 pm | Ages 3 & above, with adult Free with membership or paid admission | Family Art Studio: Some people paint pictures; others paint walls. Meet the painters who worked on the walls of the newly-renovated Explorers Landing as they demonstrate how they did it and let you give it a try – your arms will get a workout with the long-handled roller! Use rollers, paint and brushes on cardboard to create a masterpiece. Please wear appropriate clothing; all paint is washable, but some may stain. All parents are expected to participate with and supervise their children.

Museum Discovery Quest, Free with membership or paid admission | Developed for school-age children Free Take It N’ Make It Activity: Explore Museum exhibits with your family in a creative way with Museum Discovery Quests – entertaining, self-guided “scavenger hunts” that pique kids’ curiosities and captivate their attention. Several different themes are offered, and all of them include a free Take It N’ Make It activity packet for kids to make a fun project at home. Sign up for a Perks Pass to win a free prize from Seasons: The Museum Store after finishing three Quests.

F&M Bank Huff & Puff Express Model Trains, Exhibit open daily | Volunteer Train Crew members run trains Sundays, 1 – 4 pm and Wednesdays, 10 am – 12 pm: Enjoy one of the largest model railroad layouts in the region boasting a miniature castle, UFO and scenic landscape. Interact with the miniature world by making automobiles move and helicopters fly. The model train exhibit is open daily and themes change every season.

Closures

Explorers Landing, Reopening Jan 2022: The fully renovated Explorers Landing will reopen this month! Stay tuned to the Museum’s website for the announcement of the official grand reopening.

New Year’s Day, The Museum will be closed on Saturday, Jan. 1 for New Year’s Day.