History Headquarters: Interactive Gallery for Children & Families

History Headquarters (History HQ) is the East Tennessee Historical Society’s exhibition experience for young historians and their families. Come learn the key skills of a historian’s detective-like work: investigating sources, such as artifacts, images, and documents, to better understand history’s mysteries! 

History HQ features interactive activities that encourage families to engage with East Tennessee history and culture through investigation, discovery, and play.

In History HQ you can: 

• Explore discovery boxes that hold clues to famous Tennesseans starting with the 1700s.
• Trace photography from its beginnings in the 1800s to modern digital images and make a stop motion movie.
• Learn about artists and craftspeople including doll makers, basket and cloth weavers, and quilters. Then try it yourself!
• Create characters and put them on stage in the Story Forest.
• See yourself in the past through an interactive mirror!

When you leave History HQ, you will have the keys to unlock your past!

Weekday Hours

Mondays: Closed

Tuesdays - Fridays: 9 am - 4 pm

Weekend Hours with staffed added experiences

Saturdays: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Sundays: 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. 

History Headquarters may occasionally be closed for student groups on weekdays (contact education@eastTNhistory.org).