The Douglas Henry State Museum Commission Holds Next Meeting on Monday, April 9 at Tennessee State Museum

NASHVILLE, Tenn.— April 3, 2018—The next meeting of the DouglasHenry State Museum Commission will be held on Monday, April 9, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. in the Museum Experience Room (MER) onLevel D of the Polk Cultural Center at 505 Deaderick Street in downtown Nashville. It will be preceded by a nominating committee meeting at 9:30 a.m. All meetings are open to the general public.  

Thomas S. Smith of Nashville serves as the chairman of the Commission and Nancy Baker De Friece, Bristol, serves as the vice chair. Other members of the Commission include: Harbert Alexander Sr., Jackson;  Victor H. Ashe, Knoxville; Pete Claussen, Knoxville; Tina Hodges, Nashville; Walter G. Knestrick,Nashville; Deputy House Speaker Steve McDaniel, Parkers Crossroads; Deanie Parker, Memphis; Representative Charles Sargent, Franklin; Laura Travis, Dayton; Senator Bo Watson, Hixson; and Eleanor Yoakum, Tazewell. Ashley Howell, Executive Director of the Tennesssee State Museum and Tennessee Historical Society President Robert N. Buchanan III serve on the Commission as Ex-Officio members.

The public can find out information about upcoming Commission meetings, Committee meetings and agendas, as well as the background of Commission members, at the Tennessee State Museum website at: www.tnmuseum.org/commission.

About the Tennessee State Museum:

The Tennessee State Museum was established by law in 1937 “to bring together the various collections of articles, specimens, and relics now owned by the State under one divisional head,” and “to provide for a transfer of exhibits wherever they may be.”   

Today, the Tennessee State Museum is housed in the James K. Polk building in downtown Nashville, where it has been for nearly 37 years. Gov. Bill Haslam proposed and the Tennessee General Assembly approved $120 million in the
FY-2015-16 budget to build a new home for the Tennessee State Museum on the Bicentennial Mall to maximize the state’s rich history by creating a state-of-the-art educational asset and tourist attraction for the state. The governor also announced that $40 million would be raised in private funds for the project. 

A 140,000 square foot facility is being built on the northwest corner of the Bicentennial Mall at the corner of Rosa Parks
Boulevard and Jefferson Street to tell Tennessee’s story in a way that the museum is unable to do in its current and outdated location by showcasing one-of-a-kind artifacts, art and historical documents in an interactive and engaging way. 

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For further information contact:
Joe Pagetta
Director of Communications
Direct: 615-741-5134
Joseph.Pagetta@tn.gov