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Highest-rated specialty museums in Tennessee by visitors

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Sergey Ryzhov // Shutterstock
Sergey Ryzhov // Shutterstock
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In 1683, Elias Ashmole, an Oxford graduate and true polymath, founded the Ashmolean, the modern world's first public museum. Stocked with his private collection of artifacts, curios, and special scientific equipment, the goal of the museum was to create a center for practical research and the advancement of knowledge. This, Ashmole felt, was a goal "very necessary to humaine life, health [and] the conveniences thereof."

According to figures from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, there are more than 35,000 museums in the United States today. Their collections encompass everything from modern art, like at the MoMA in New York City, to mustard, like at the National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wisconsin, and everything in between.

Museums are anchors of our communities. The American Alliance of Museums reports that museums support more than 725,000 jobs and contribute upwards of $50 billion to the U.S. economy each year. Three-quarters of Americans agree that museums are an important part of our civil society and have an important role in promoting knowledge and civic engagement.

Beyond their educational and economic significance, museums are just plain fun. Whether you have a developed interest in natural history or just want to learn a little bit more about funerary history (the National Museum of Funeral History in Houston), there's sure to be a museum that strikes your interest. There's simply nothing else quite like spending an afternoon learning about famous figures, arts and crafts, military history, or what else you fancy.

Here, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated specialty museums in Tennessee on Tripadvisor as of Aug. 13, 2025. Keep reading to see what unique museums are in your home state. Then, make sure to plan a visit. With many museums facing funding cuts due to the current administration's efforts to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services, who's to say how much longer these treasure troves will be available to us?

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#30. Salt And Pepper Shaker Museum

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#30. Salt And Pepper Shaker Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (665 reviews)
- City: Gatlinburg
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#28. Rusty's TV and Movie Car Museum

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#28. Rusty's TV and Movie Car Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (206 reviews)
- City: Jackson
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#27. Hunter Museum of American Art

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#27. Hunter Museum of American Art

- Rating: 4.4/5 (567 reviews)
- City: Chattanooga
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#25. Classic Arcade Pinball Museum

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#25. Classic Arcade Pinball Museum

- Rating: 4.9/5 (161 reviews)
- City: Chattanooga
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#24. Discovery Park of America

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#24. Discovery Park of America

- Rating: 4.7/5 (470 reviews)
- City: Union City
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#23. National Museum of African American Music

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#23. National Museum of African American Music

- Rating: 4.9/5 (242 reviews)
- City: Nashville Davidson County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#20. Madame Tussauds Nashville

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#20. Madame Tussauds Nashville

- Rating: 4.4/5 (708 reviews)
- City: Nashville Davidson County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#19. Coker Museum - Honest Charley

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#19. Coker Museum - Honest Charley

- Rating: 4.8/5 (209 reviews)
- City: Chattanooga
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#18. Loretta Lynn's Ranch

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#18. Loretta Lynn's Ranch

- Rating: 4.5/5 (539 reviews)
- City: Hurricane Mills
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#17. Hollywood Star Cars Museum

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#17. Hollywood Star Cars Museum

- Rating: 4.3/5 (1,472 reviews)
- City: Gatlinburg
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#15. Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum

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#15. Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (2,443 reviews)
- City: Memphis
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#14. Creative Discovery Museum

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#14. Creative Discovery Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,011 reviews)
- City: Chattanooga
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#13. Cooter's Museum and Store Nashville

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#13. Cooter's Museum and Store Nashville

- Rating: 4.2/5 (1,103 reviews)
- City: Nashville Davidson County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#10. Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum

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#10. Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,271 reviews)
- City: Nashville Davidson County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#9. Alcatraz East Crime Museum

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#9. Alcatraz East Crime Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,895 reviews)
- City: Pigeon Forge
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#8. Lane Motor Museum

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#8. Lane Motor Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (987 reviews)
- City: Nashville Davidson County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#7. Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum

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#7. Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,898 reviews)
- City: Chattanooga
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#5. The Johnny Cash Museum

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#5. The Johnny Cash Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (7,197 reviews)
- City: Nashville Davidson County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#4. Andrew Jackson's Hermitage

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#4. Andrew Jackson's Hermitage

- Rating: 4.6/5 (5,906 reviews)
- City: Nashville Davidson County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#3. Titanic Museum Attraction

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#3. Titanic Museum Attraction

- Rating: 4.6/5 (11,284 reviews)
- City: Pigeon Forge
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#2. Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

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#2. Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (15,737 reviews)
- City: Nashville Davidson County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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