The holiday time brings all sorts of travelers. Some people visit a city for its rich food. Some, for excitement. You? You visit every museum and read every plaque while taking in its history. If you’re the traveler who lingers at the exhibit label while everyone else heads for the gift shop, welcome to Week One of Six Sides of Clarksville: The Curious side. Three stops, one very historic, very good weekend.
Customs House Museum & Cultural Center
Tennessee’s largest general interest museum lives in an 1898 post office and customs house built for the city’s tobacco trade, so the building itself is the first exhibit. This is the perfect stop for those with a wide array of interests. Inside are 35,000+ square feet of rotating and permanent displays. Don't miss the train display downstairs! It’s free with membership and during the First Thursday Art Walk (5-8 p.m.). Otherwise, adults pay $12, seniors, military and college students $9, and kids 3-17 $5. It’s open Tue-Sat 10-5 and Sun 1-5. Located at 200 South Second St and with free parking in the lot on the south side of the building.
Tennessee Wings of Liberty Museum
Military history fans, this one’s for you. After a 20-year effort, the TN Wings of Liberty Museum opened in 2026 with free admission and more than 50,000 square feet, roughly four times the size of the old Army museum. It honors the 101st Airborne, 5th Special Forces Group and 160th SOAR with exhibits ranging from D-Day to current operations. You’ll need a solid hour or two for this one.
Insider note: no DoD ID required. It’s at 400 Wings of Liberty Way and open Tue-Sat 10-4.
Clarksville Throttle
Part museum, part dealership, all horsepower. Car and bike enthusiasts will love this. It opened October 3 with 300-400 classic cars and motorcycles, plus an antique store. The oldest bikes include a 1911 Singer, a 1912 Harley-Davidson and a 1916 Flying Merkel. Bring the kids, since there’s a children’s area and some vehicles you can climb into. It’s at 181 Stone Container Drive, and admission is $22 for adults and $6.60 for ages 10-15.
Three stops down, and your brain has earned a break. Next week: the Creative side of Clarksville, where galleries, makers and murals prove this town doesn’t just preserve its past; it paints its future.
