Nashville Parthenon

Step back in time and see Centennial Park through the eyes of the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition. 🏛️

Join a Parthenon expert every Thursday in June at 10 AM for our award-winning Centennial Park History Tour: 1897 Exposition. Using historic photographs, artifact images, and on-site locations throughout the park, you'll discover where exhibition buildings once stood and learn how Nashville's grand Centennial Exposition shaped the park we know today.

🏆 Winner of the 2023 Tennessee Association of Museums Award of Excellence for Public Programming

📅 June 4, 11, 18 & 25
🕙 10 AM
🎟️ Free and open to the public

This outdoor walking tour offers a unique opportunity to compare the park of today with the park of 125 years ago. Come explore the history hidden in plain sight.

Centennial Park History Tours: 1897 Exposition (June) | The Parthenon Thursdays at 10 AM See Centennial Park as you never have before in this guided outdoor tour that will help you picture the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition. Discover the stories of lost statues and buildings that once stood in the park as part of a six-month celebration of Tennessee’s 100th ye

Centennial Park Conservancy members help sustain the Parthenon–a nearly 100 year-old building–and the experiences it holds. From caring for the 42' statue of Athena Parthenos, to presenting art exhibitions and free public programs, your support makes it all possible.

Membership is a meaningful way to stay connected while giving back to a uniquely historic place that belongs to the entire community.

Membership starts at just $5 per month.

Learn more and join: https://www.conservancyonline.com/membership

Our virtual book talk with Sam Kean is TODAY at 5:00 PM Central. Join us on Zoom for this free event. https://www.nashvilleparthenon.com/events/book-talk

Kean will share firsthand stories from his adventures in experimental archaeology—traveling the world to fire medieval catapults, perform ancient surgeries, build Roman roads, and even feast like the Egyptians—all in an effort to recreate the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of lost civilizations.

These fascinating (and sometimes eccentric!) experiments offer a deeper, more immersive understanding of ancient cultures beyond what we see in monuments and textbooks.

Registration on Zoom is required

🎶 With Musicians Corner’s spring series just a few weeks away, we're looking back on our exhibit "Songs and Stories from Centennial Park" in 2020.

From brass bands at the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition to rock concerts, symphonies, and rising stars, Centennial Park has been a stage for music for well over a century. Our past exhibit, "Songs and Stories from Centennial Park" (1896–2020), celebrated this rich legacy — a place where generations have gathered to listen, perform, dance, and connect.

That tradition is still going strong today. Programs like Musicians Corner continue to carry the park’s musical spirit forward, creating space for artists and audiences to come together in the heart of Nashville.

🎤 Musicians Corner’s 17th season is just around the corner — and we can’t wait to welcome you back to the park for another chapter in this ongoing story.

Images:
1. 1922 - Park conerts such as the one advertised here attracted thousands of people and were often broadcast over radio station WLAC.
2. This example of sheet music from the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition features an illustration of the exposition's art gallery, a replica of the ancient Parthenon.
3. In August 1970, Nashville radio station WMAK held its third annual "Nashville Music Festival" at the Centennial Park band shell. Among the bands to appear was a rock band called Steel Mill, lead by 20-year-old Bruce Springsteen, Roy Orbison, and Jimmy Buffet & the White Duck.
4. By the time Brenda Lee was performing on the Centennial Park bandshell stage, she was a 13-year-old Decca recording artist. The audience that day was estimated at 7,500.
5. Kay George Roberts began playing violin in the 4th grade and received her BA in Music at Fisk University. While working towards her doctorate at Yale University, Roberts was invited to conduct the Nashville Symphony in Centennial Park.
6. Four visitors to the music festival in Centennial park take a break during yesterday's session.
7. In 1997, Vince Gill sang at the bandshell in memory of a young woman at a victim rights ceremony.

🔗 Visit the link to view the "Songs and Stories from Centennial Park" digital exhibit:
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e305abfabc0e4424fd1454a/t/5f49b568af92cf4f85458e7b/1598666150752/Digital+Exhibit+-+Music+in+the+Park.pdf

Support the Parthenon and help preserve a Nashville icon. 🏛️

Centennial Park Conservancy Membership directly contributes to keeping this 100+ year-old structure standing, while also bringing exhibitions, lectures, and educational experiences to life.

Join today at the link in our bio to be part of the ongoing story of the Parthenon — a landmark shaped by history, and sustained by its community.

Membership | Centennial Park Conservancy Centennial Park Conservancy members support free community access to arts, education, and creative experiences in the Park and Parthenon. Memberships start at just $25 per year and help sustain the vitality of Nashville's central park.

Join us for a virtual Book Talk on Monday, May 4 with Sam Kean, author of Dinner with King Tut–our first Parthenon-AIA book club selection of the year. The event will take place on Zoom at 5 PM, before our in-person book club meeting at 6 PM.

RSVP for both events: https://www.nashvilleparthenon.com/events

May's book club meeting with take place at the Metro Parks permit office at 2565 Park Plaza.

Join us for a virtual Book Talk on Monday, May 4 with Sam Kean, author of Dinner with King Tut–our first Parthenon book club selection of the year. The event will take place on Zoom at 5 PM, before our book club meeting at 6 PM.

⏰ RSVP for the Book Talk: https://www.nashvilleparthenon.com/events/book-talk

⏰ RSVP for Book Club: https://www.nashvilleparthenon.com/events/book-club-may

May's book club meeting with take place at the Metro Parks permit office at 2565 Park Plaza.

Book Talk with Sam Kean | The Parthenon 5 PM Central, Registration required Join a free virtual talk with Sam Kean, author of Dinner with King Tut .

With our free exterior audio tour, you can explore the architecture, sculpture, and mythology of this iconic structure anytime. Follow along on your own device as experts break down the details that bring the building to life.

Available in English, Spanish, and Arabic.

Start your tour using the sidewalk graphics on-site or visit the link below.

Audio Tours | The Parthenon Audio Tours This free exterior architecture tour is available 24/7! From the outside of the Parthenon, follow along with museum experts as they describe the exterior, identify Greek gods and architectural features, and tell the story of the architectural sculpture. We encourage you to listen to each...

Vote for Centennial Park for Best City Park! There's only a few days left to vote, so get those votes in!

What is the Best City Park for 2026? Voting for the Best City Park is open! Cast your vote daily to help pick the 2026 10Best Readers' Choice Award for Best City Park.

Stop by and say hello at our pop-up merch stand! 🛍️ You can support the Parthenon and Centennial Park by visiting us just outside the Parthenon's main entrance. We’re there Tuesday–Friday with t-shirts, stickers, Centennial Park honey, and more—perfect for taking a little piece of the Park home with you. 🌿

Every purchase helps care for the Park and keep its programs and spaces thriving for everyone.

Can't make it to the park? Shop online here: https://centennialpark.myshopify.com/collections/shop