CLARKSVILLE, TN − The Customs House Museum was a recipient of five Tennessee Association of Museums (TAM) awards at the recent TAM conference. For Institutional Impact, Executive Director Frank Lott was awarded one of three Awards of Excellence for museum leaders across Tennessee. Lott’s tenure includes not only writing for various exhibitions and leading the Board of Trustees in past decades, but since becoming Executive Director in 2019, he coordinated the lighting of the museum’s 1898 roof, the creation of the award-winning magazine Second & Commerce and shifting the Flying High fundraiser into an annual gala.
For Emerging Museum Professional, Channing Grimes, the Membership, Volunteer & Development Manager, was awarded an Award of Excellence. Emerging Museum Professional awards are given to individuals who have less than five years of experience in the museum profession. Channing has led the museum’s membership drives and tripled the membership, including creating exclusive opportunities for upper-level members. She re-energized the volunteer corps, annual fundraising under her direction grew exponentially and she fosters relationships across the community, including those developed with military veterans and families at nearby Ft Campbell.
The Customs House Museum won three Awards of Commendation for the Sundays at 3:00 adult-lecture program, the FLY Girls Gallery Guide for Alison Fullerton’s exhibition and the Museum at 40 marketing campaign.
The Awards Ceremony was held in Knoxville, TN at the Knoxville Museum of Art on March 13. The TAM Awards of Excellence were presented to museums across the state for exceptional projects, programs and events held during 2024.
“This year we presented 99 awards, representing 36 museums, including six awards recognizing Emerging Museum Professionals, five awards recognizing outstanding volunteerism, and our overall winner of the TAM President’s Award, chosen by the past Presidents of TAM, which this year was presented to the Metal Museum in Memphis,” stated Tori Mason, Historic Site Manager at Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, who serves as the chair of the TAM Awards Committee. “Once again, Tennessee museums showed their creativity, resourcefulness, commitment and heart, while providing outstanding programs and opportunities for their audiences. Our state is fortunate to have so many excellent museums and historic sites that are committed to providing exceptional exhibitions, events and educational programming for visitors to enjoy.”
For more information about these exhibits and museum events, visit customshousemuseum.org or follow us on social media.
