Today we speak with Jeff Sellers, Director of Education and Public Programs for the Tennessee State Museum, about one of the biggest historical artifacts in the state, the State Capitol. How did Nashville attract the highly successful architect William Strickland to design this Greek Revival structure? Where did they source the raw materials and interior ironwork? Why does our capitol not have a dome like most other state capitols? Jeff answers these questions and shares the evolving story of enslaved, immigrant, and incarcerated workers who built the structure in the years before the Civil War.   

We continue our celebration of the country's anniversary today, talking with Miranda Fraley and Tranae Chatman, curators at the Tennessee State Museum, about the exhibition, “Tennessee Voices, American Stories.” The exhibition, which runs through the end of 2026, uses costume, textiles, and other material culture to explore the stories of some exceptional Tennesseans.  You may know all about James Robertson, but what do you know about the equally important Charlotte Robertson?  Listen to Tranae and Miranda as they share a behind-the-scenes look at the curation of this exhibition: who they selected, why they are important, and how they are represented.

Today we talk with Curator Stephen Wicks about two artistic brothers who were born in Knoxville -- Joseph and Beauford Delaney.  We learn about their roots in Tennessee, their national and international careers, and how a thoughtful collaboration of Knoxville's art patrons, historians, archivists and institutions made Knoxville a center for their work. We hope it inspires you to visit the Knoxville Museum of Art and see these master works.

Today we learn the story behind the making of the soft drink Mountain Dew and its connection to Knoxville, Tennessee. We also learn about the graphic design behind the brand and its connection to Appalachian culture. And we learn a bit about the collectibles market for older bottles and signs. It's  a fascinating story and we guarantee you will learn something you never knew!

Today we are excited to be talking about samplers--needlework textiles created in the 19th century by young girls (and sometimes boys!) to teach them how to mend, monogram, and embellish their household fabrics. We speak with two textile experts, Julia Doyle, the curator of fashion and textiles at the Tennessee State Museum, and Jennifer Core, whose new book, Tennessee Samplers: Female Education and Domestic Arts, 1800–1900, written with Janet Hasson, has recently been released by the University of Tennessee Press. Julia and Jennifer help us understand how to identify key characteristics of samplers and share tips on preserving them for future generations.

You might ask what art conservation has to do with Tennessee material culture, but the work Cynthia does not only keeps our state’s treasures in a stable form to last for generations, it also has given her a unique view and visual expertise when thinking about the formal aspects of Tennessee’s art history. We’re going to delve into that perspective and learn more about the role of a conservator and also hear about an exciting project Cynthia has been working on around two of Tennessee’s most prolific 19th century painters.

Welcome to our inaugural podcast!  Today we welcome Tracey Parks. Tracey is an avid student and collector of Tennessee decorative arts, and for the past thirty five years his research has specialized in the study of the furniture makers of the Volunteer state working before 1840. His in-depth investigation of the subject seeks to reveal the lives of craftsmen in context with their work and the world through which they moved. We will talk with Tracey about how he became interested in Tennessee furniture, his work editing the groundbreaking The Art and  Mystery of Tennessee Furniture, his support for MESDA, the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Art, and his thoughts about furniture on the auction market.