The Tennessee State Museum has released the list of museums across the state that will receive funding for capital maintenance and improvements for the 2024-25 period. This funding, totaling $5 million and provided by the Tennessee General Assembly, is intended to support museums and historical institutions statewide. According to the official announcement, the grants were awarded through a competitive process, with 157 applications submitted for a total of $10.5 million, exceeding the available funds.
As a result of this competitive process, 83 museum projects across 46 Tennessee counties received grants, either in full or in part. This marks the second year that the Tennessee State Museum has overseen the distribution of these grants, which have now reached institutions in 68 counties. In a statement obtained by the Tennessee State Museum, Executive Director Ashley Howell expressed being "inspired by the incredible work being done throughout the state" and extended gratitude to the Tennessee General Assembly for their continued backing of Tennessee museums.
The grant parameters were set with a minimum request amount of $5,000 and a cap at $100,000, setting the stage for a variety of projects, big and small, to be potentially funded. All appropriated grant projects are required to be completed by the end of June 2025, ensuring that this wave of financial support will quickly translate to tangible enhancements and preservation efforts in museums statewide.
The Tennessee State Museum, which is celebrating its 87th anniversary this year, presents the history of the state. In addition to managing these improvement grants, it features exhibits covering centuries of Tennessee's narratives, from geological origins to modern times. Located at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, the museum is a free public resource, open six days a week, providing educational programs and extensive exhibits.
For information about the 2024-25 grant recipients, including a complete list of grantees, the counties they represent, and the specific amounts awarded, interested parties can download the documents from the Museum's grants page. For additional information on the Tennessee State Museum's specialty exhibitions, educational programming, and events, visits to TNMuseum.org are available.
