The Museum of East Tennessee History, inside the East Tennessee History Center in downtown Knoxville, is a kid-friendly history museum where families can explore the people, places, and events that shaped the region. Kids ages 16 and under get in free, which makes it an easy budget-friendly stop.

The signature exhibition, Voices of the Land: The People of East Tennessee, mixes original artifacts with interactive displays and first-person audio accounts, so kids can hear and see what life was like across the region. The museum also rotates in new exhibits throughout the year.

Good to know for families: - Free admission for kids 16 and under; general admission is inexpensive (adults ~$5), and Sundays are free for everyone. - Free museum admission for everyone June 1, 2026 - February 14, 2027 (250 days) in honor of America's 250th anniversary. - Penney4Arts gives children in Knox and surrounding counties a chance to attend for a penny (or free) with a paying adult. - Located right across from the Tennessee Theatre, a few blocks from Market Square and Blount Mansion - easy to pair with a downtown outing. - On-street metered parking on Gay Street; City of Knoxville garages are free after 6 pm weekdays and all day weekends.

It's about a 25-minute drive from Maryville up US-129/I-140 toward downtown Knoxville.