My wife and I recently attended the Rocky Mount Museum "Early Frontier Days" and, again, this was…read morean extremely rewarding experience. The atmosphere is relaxed, educational, informative, and most of all, entertaining for the entire family. The entire staff is knowledgeable about the era, customs, culture, and history of Rocky Mount. I had some questions about spinning wheels and they not only answered them but, they gave me a description of the wheel and its evolution. They had a woman spinning yarn who also explained some of the nuances of spinning. The tours describe the way of life, give demonstrations of that life, and delve into history that shaped those lives. From rope making to candle making, cooking, and the military of the day, there is always something new to behold. Taking a tour inside their museum features some real eye-opening exhibits regarding farm tools, medicine, and hand-made items from buttons and stone arrowheads to the crude woodworking of the late 1700s into the 1800s. The site features the actual Cobb-Massengill home and other original structures. The blacksmith area demonstrates actual metalworking, as does their sheep shearing event, Wooly Day, which is coming up on May 10th, 2025. The annual event is held at the Rocky Mount State Historic Site just outside of Piney Flats, TN. This is just one of the many events they hold throughout the year. We have attended a few of their events including their Harvest Festival and Christmas tours and events. Each event is unique and provides a fresh view of history that pertains to the respective period of the season. In this crazy rushed world, it is a relaxing step back into a simpler and more down-to-earth time. If you're looking for something different to do and at the same time rewarding, you should attend one of the Rocky Mount Museum's events.

Terrible disappointing experience. The tour guides rambled on for close to 3 hours. Although…read moreknowledgeable the tour guides had no structure with their never ending personal stories. Much of the tour felt improvised. My daughter and I actually left the tour before the end because the non stop irrelevant stories were so irritating.

I've visited the Hands On Discovery Center before and always thought it was a decent but fairly…read moresmall children's attraction. Unfortunately our most recent experiences were frustrating. We first drove out on a Monday because the door sign and online listings indicated they were open, but the building was closed when we arrived. When we came back later in the week around 4:30 PM (they close at 5), we were told admission would still be full price for both the child and the supervising parent ($22 for 30 minutes). For a museum that recommends spending 1-2 hours there, paying full admission for roughly 30 minutes didn't make much sense, especially when parents are mostly supervising rather than using the exhibits themselves. Other kid-focused play spaces in the area either don't charge adults or adjust pricing near closing time. In past visits we've also noticed that some interactive exhibits were not functioning, which makes the experience feel smaller than it probably intends to be. The concept is great and the fossil site connection is interesting, but the hours, pricing structure, and maintenance of exhibits could use some attention. With a few improvements this could be a much stronger destination for families in the Tri-Cities area.

I went here with a friend and it was fun alright…read more I've never been here before, and firstly, I went upstairs and the staff were so friendly! We had a nice chat about the Gray Fossil Center, over outside. They just dug up a new red panda skull. The entire walkthrough the building was really informative and fun. Exhibits were super cool as well. We also saw one of the Tesla Coil shows, and it was short but radical. Show lasts about 15-17 minutes and you watch the tesla coil play music with noise cancelling headphones and i'll leave that up to you to judge if it's entertaining or not, but I thought it was. This place is satisfactory alright. Very cool.

My friends and I went there yesterday. Unfortunately we arrived 10 min before the museum closed…read morefor lunch. That was disappointing that the staff couldn't divide and conquer so that it could stay open. The map of the park wasn't the best and as a state park, would've thought it would be better. However, it's relatively small so unlikely for most people to get lost. The map didn't even indicate that there was a numbered path to follow. I guess if the people hadn't been in a rush to close for lunch they would've told us that. We tried to find each marker but we also don't know how many there were cause again, the map didn't indicate them at all. Nice park to walk around, picnic, and just relax.

I love this location! I remember coming here in…read morekindergarten for a field trip and the actors for the re-enactments were so amazing! Because this made my childhood spark a love for our History here, I come here quite often as an adult. The museum is very interesting and although it's not the largest exhibit, they definitely keep you wowed. Also, the trail is beautiful. It's very fun and relaxing to walk a trail surrounded by nature. Not to mention, the water next to the trail is so beautiful and there's always ducks chilling out. Their garden in the center of the park is so beautiful and the amount of wild life (squirrels, rabbits, birds, etc) is amazing. It's so cute, too! I actually enjoy taking photos here with my camera! I do a lot of photoshoots here and this is a wonderful spot because there's such an abundance of locations. It's a perfect spot for photographers during every season! The "town" where they do most of the re-enactments is so beautiful. It's very interesting as well to see how we used to live so many years ago. The staff is very friendly when you go inside of the museum and are very helpful if you have any questions. I love this place, it will always hold a special place in my heart.

Great music and place to meet common people that love bluegrass and old time life where people knew…read morewhat was really important. Celebrating tonight with Ed Bowman who helped get this going and was involved with it from the beginning.

From the owner: Our business provides an area where local musicians can perform and show off their country,…read morebluegrass, and gospel music talents. We have a featured performer on our stage every week, we have an open mic, and a circle jam, and we provide music lessons to aspiring musicians.

This is a museum located in the same building that contains the visitor's center, and some…read moreadditional space (when we were there, they were having a craft show, which we declined to visit). The museum was free, and although it isn't very large, it contained some really interesting pieces. There were some very old water pumpers, and an exhibit on firefighters. I especially enjoyed reading the old school book, from the 1800's, which was opened to a page on "Asia". It was fascinating to see what was known (or at least being taught) at that time. There were paragraphs on silk worms (they were steamed to death, to avoid damaging the silk cocoons), the Great Wall of China (in some places it is wide enough for 3 carriages to pass!), and parenting (children in Asia are very obedient and respectful to their parents, and education is very important). There were also agricultural exhibits, some rifles, furniture, a few garments, and quite a number of pictures from the local buildings. I wouldn't make a long trip to visit, but I will bring my children back, when I am in the area with them. ETA: I changed this from a 3 to a 4, because I am comparing it with micromuseums, not the Smithsonian. I really did think they had an excellent selection, which was well-presented and intereting.

We enjoyed our guided tour with Emily, very much. She really knew the history and eagerly shared it…read morewith us. The grounds, homes, and lawyer office were clean, neat and the items in there were true to the era and a few pieces were ORIGINAL ie: rugs, chairs, and other items. Just seeing how the home started out with 1 to 3 rooms and finished up with several more and some electricity. Visiting this historical site helps us appreciate what we have today. Recommend this to all that are in Johnson City TN. It's great for families, and school field trips.

Tony Vanoy and Noël Lori-Elizabeth Teel and I stopped at the Tipton-Haynes Historic Site Museum in…read moreJohnson City, TN on Saturday January 9th, 2016. The day after my 52nd birthday. It was very nice. Because we are AARP, AAA members we got a discounted rate of $4 per person for a guided tour of the house and property. The museum was free to enjoy History: The Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site tells the rich story of the history of Northeast Tennessee and of the several families that lived here. The site includes 45 acres, eleven historic buildings, the Tipton/Gifford/Simerly cemetery, a limestone cave, a natural spring, a buffalo trace, a nature trail, and a Visitor Center. The Visitor Center contains a permanent exhibit, museum store, educational spaces, a library, and archives. Purchasing the site in 1784, Colonel John Tipton (1730-1813) moved from Shenandoah County, Virginia to settle in what was then Washington County, North Carolina. For the next four years, the formation and decline of the State of Franklin became an important issue for the area and the life of Colonel Tipton, who stayed loyal to North Carolina. In February of 1788, the Battle of the State of Franklin turned the peaceful home of Colonel Tipton's into a battle ground for Franklin independence. Colonel Tipton would later help with the development of Tennessee becoming the 16th state of the Union before retiring from public life. After his father's death, John Tipton, Jr. (1767-1831) inherited the property. Before moving to Washington County, Tipton, Jr. was already a successful state legislator and wealthy land owner in Blountville, Tennessee. Tipton, Jr. expanded his father's cabin in the 1820s, making it a Federal style farmhouse. While attending the 19th General Assembly, he died in Nashville. The heirs of John Tipton, Jr. sold the property to David and Rhoda Haynes in 1837. For a wedding gift, David and Rhoda gave the property to Landon Carter Haynes (1816-1875), their oldest son, in 1839. That year, Landon had married Eleanor Powell. In the 1850s, he expanded the former Tipton home into how it appears today. Haynes is best known for being a Confederate senator, but was also a state legislator, politician, farmer, newspaper editor, Methodist minister, and attorney. Losing his home during the Civil War, Haynes moved to and lived the rest of his life in Memphis, Tennessee. The site would eventually return to the Haynes family when, on May 1, 1882, Sarah L. Gifford Simerly (1847-1935) purchased the property. Sarah was the niece of Landon Carter Haynes.

We happened to be in town on a weekend when the museum was closed, which was a small letdown…read morebecause the building has that inviting, lived‑in look that makes you want to step inside and wander for a bit, but even from the sidewalk you can feel the weight of its long history and the marker out front fills in enough of the story to make the stop worthwhile in that quiet Jonesborough way where the past is always just under the surface. It reads, "Built in 1797 by Dr. William P. Chester of Lancaster, Pa., it has been continuously occupied as an Inn, a hotel and an apartment house. Among the guests here have been three presidents of the United States, Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk and Andrew Johnson, as well as John Sevier, Governor of Franklin and first Governor of Tennessee. President Andrew Jackson held a reception for his friends on the porch of the Inn in the summer of 1832." It is marker number 1A-90 and it was erected by the Tennessee Historical Commission. The Museum is a reminder that Jonesborough has always been a crossroads for travelers, politicians, and everyday residents, and even though we couldn't go inside this time, the marker gives you enough context to appreciate the building's long life and to look forward to a return visit when the doors are open again. [Review 99 of 2026 - 598 in Tennessee - 25289 overall]

Standing in front of the Parthenon in Nashville didn't feel real at first it's massive, beautiful,…read moreand unexpectedly powerful. Walking inside and seeing the towering statue of Athena was a true wow moment and made the visit feel special, not just touristy. It's impressive, and one of those places that sticks with you after you leave. Easily a five star experience and a must see in Nashville. We will be back for sure next time to see again