Museums & Galleries in Cookeville

Residing in the restored 1925 L&N Depot, where Bowling Green–bound trains tenaciously chugged toward, The Historic Railpark and Train Museum educates rail revivalists on the train cars and culture of a departed, but still kicking, era. Toot your own horn if you can correctly identify five subtly different sounds of passenger cars during an aurally pleasing exhibit, or ask an interactive conductor mannequin if passengers groggily tucked their own handlebar mustaches into their eardrums to quietly rest in the sleeping car. Although entry for children 4 and younger is free, a family membership to The Historic Railpark and Train Museum makes for an economically priced getaway, where children can expend energy excitedly pointing at cabooses and parents can relax watching informational railroad films. Put on the old conductor hat, brush up on railroad lingo, and learn about the monorail's supremely cooler uncle at The Historic Railpark and Train Museum.

The Discovery Center enlivens kids’ learning experiences by cleverly disguising exhibits as awesome playtime arenas. Tiny tots and even 10-year-olds are encouraged to run wild at this hands-on children’s museum and nature center, trying their hand at the many fun activities.

At the creation station, which is stocked with paint, clay, chalk, paper, and just about anything a young da Vinci or police sketch artist needs, kids are free to unleash their creative potential. Alternatively, at the fire-truck exhibit, they can put on a firefighter’s boots and hat and climb aboard the full-sized 1954 Oren fire truck to learn about a firefighter’s job in Murfreesboro. Nearby, at Tennessee Live!, they can get in touch with their natural surroundings when they come face-to-face with turtles, fish, and snakes at the living stream table, dig in the fossil pit, and learn about the customs of the native Cherokee.