**April 2025: Weekday Late Morning Visit**…read more My friend and I were visiting Dollywood and figured that we should stop by her hometown to checkout her statue. It's located outside in the town center. My friend and I parked in a plaza nearby and walked towards this downtown area. If you're in Sevierville you should definitely get your photos with Dolly here!

There a no shortage of love for Dolly Parton in Sevierville. They even have erected a bronze statue…read moreof Dolly on the Courthouse lawn. And with good reason. Dolly has invested a lot of money in Sevier County with several theme parks. Dolly was born not too far from Sevierville, in Pittman Center. I'm a big Dolly fan and have listened to her music for decades. I love the reading programs for kids that she has championed throughout the country. The bronze statue by Gatlinburg artist, Jim Gray, depicts a young Dolly holding her guitar with her big smile and curly hair sitting on a rock. The statue was dedicated in 1989. Dolly looks casual and approachable. There is limited free parking around the Courthouse.

I am beyond a true crime enthusiast. I pretty much only read and watch true crime oriented media…read more This was my second trip to the museum. I was worried that there wouldn't be any new exhibits but I was surprised and happy to find the opposite to be true. They have definitely expanded and updated since my last visit. If you enjoy true crime and/or history this is a great spot to visit. On the crime side of things they have a wide range of crimes-not just serial killers or murder. (They do have a Ted Bundy VW beetle and 2 John Wayne Gacy clown costumes on display). They also have areas for financial crimes, etc. History wise they start off in medieval era, then the Wild West, mafia to present day. Nice exhibit on 911. Interactive exhibits too, like DUI and autopsy. Well worth the price of admission to me. Easily a couple hours of stuff to do. Especially nice on a rainy day!

If you have itty bitties, think before going!!…read more This is a great museum with lots of exhibits with detailed insight at them all. So there is LOTS of reading. So this becomes a 1.5-2 hour engagement. It can be dark in areas, so if you're the owner of old eyes. Break out the iPhone flashlight. The rooms are designed to be progressive thru the years (the Middle Ages were messed up!!!). So the pacing is well thought. We went in the off season and it wasn't crowded. I could see during the season, it could be a challenge. Lots of middle aged women that listen to "those podcasts". So husbands be wary when wives start nodding at one another. A great place to go on a "weather" day. As a side note, the staff made a point of stating that all but four display items were authentic and not recreations.

The Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge is truly one of the most incredible and memorable experiences…read moreyou can have. From the moment you arrive and see the massive ship replica, you can tell this is something special. The exterior alone is stunning and immediately sets the tone for what's inside. As soon as you walk in, you're given a boarding pass with the name of a real passenger or crew member, which adds a deeply personal and immersive element to the visit. Throughout the museum, you follow their journey, and by the end, you find out their fate--it's a powerful and emotional touch that really connects you to the history. The exhibits are extremely well done and very interactive. You're not just looking at displays--you're experiencing them. From touching a real iceberg to feeling the sloping decks that simulate the ship's final moments, everything is designed to help you understand what it was like on board. The attention to detail is incredible, with beautifully recreated rooms like the Grand Staircase that make you feel like you've stepped back in time. The museum does an amazing job of balancing education and emotion. There's so much history to learn, with real artifacts, detailed information, and stories about passengers and crew that bring everything to life. It's clear that a lot of care and respect went into telling the story of Titanic in a meaningful way. The staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate, which made the experience even better. The entire facility was clean, well-organized, and easy to navigate, allowing you to take your time and fully enjoy each part of the museum. Overall, this is an unforgettable experience that goes far beyond a typical museum visit. Whether you're a Titanic enthusiast or just looking for something unique and meaningful to do, this is an absolute must-visit. I would highly recommend it to anyone--definitely a five-star experience.

The Titanic exhibit is incredibly well done and thoughtfully put together. When you enter, you're…read moregiven a card with the name of a real person who was on the Titanic, and as you move through the exhibit you discover whether they survived or not--which really makes the experience feel personal. The exhibit is full of fascinating artifacts, all clearly labeled and easy to follow. There are several interactive elements throughout, including a station where you can touch the water to feel just how cold it was that night. They also have a section with memorabilia from the movie, plus an impressive LEGO model of the Titanic that comes with a really cool backstory about the person who built it. Overall, it's engaging, informative, and memorable. I would definitely visit again.

Large and fun Gatlinburg sculpture features the city's name and Eve present bears located just…read moreoutside the Gatlinburg convention center off the popsicle parkway stretch of the city. Probably the most popular public art photo op in the entire city. While exploring the crowded and popular strip there is always a line of people waiting to pose and take their memory and scrapbook photo ops. Very well done and nice sculpture that is a perfect representation for the city of Gatlinburg.

Downtown Gatlinburg public art mural that is located on the popular parkway stretch…read more Nestled on ten main strip between two commercial Businesses this mural is a great photo op for tourists as it features the words Gatlinburg and the ever present bears of the city. Overall fun and nicely done mural that is a perfect representation of what you would think a Gatlinburg mural would want. Maybe the only thing missing is Dolly Parton riding the bear while eating a pancake from one of the many pancake houses In the city :)

The art is ahhhhmmmaaazing in the alley! Wow! I would have loved to hang out and enjoy each piece…read moreof creativity more however, it's an alley. The smell was off putting. So we enjoyed each as much as we could and got to the end of the alley quickly. I've been to Artist Alley's in other major cities and somehow, some way the alley is kept clean and well lit for the public to actually enjoy.

Such a creative use of typically unused space and a great nod to our city and artist community. My…read morefriends, family, and I always make sure to stop by and see seasonal and new murals and take nerdy photos. To a thriving and growing downtown area, this alley (and other nearby murals) truly add to a growing sense of investment in the community. Did you know that Visit Knox has a map of murals to do a self-guided walking tour? So cool! Time to make my list and get my walking shoes on. https://www.visitknoxville.com/plugins/maps/map/knoxville-murals/5ab2b182977b8c8f375d13f0/

This is a museum in progress but it was still pretty decent. I liked that they included pottery and…read moreitems from more recent times to tie in with the past. Overall I do wish they didn't cover over some of the signage with paint but it's very reading intensive. Kids probably wouldn't find this as interesting Would love more interactive parts like being able to touch beading, playing cultural songs, I loved the portion where you hear their language by syllables Really interesting and the girl at the counter was super sweet. The gift shop was kind of expensive- a sticker was $6.. overall easy parking and access.

Having visited many years ago the museum is in transition. They have taken out many items and are…read morelooking to eventually build a new facility. It was an average experience but one bit too be missed if wanting educating on the Cherokees.

Missing the Tennessee River by a few blocks, this rowing man scultprure was created by David Phelps…read moreand installed in 1988. The man appears to be in a submerged boat and trying hard to row his way down the street. It's an interesting piece of art though I wouldn't say that you should go out of your way to see it. [Review 12896 overall, 212 of 2020.]

Get Woke! This Wake sculpture was commissioned as part of…read morethe Mel Chin: All Over the Place exhibition that led to this artwork being displayed in Times Square. It's supposed to be animatronic and move or something, but I didn't see it doing any moving. Maybe Wake was sleeping? It kinda looks like the person at the helm of a ship, with the parts of the helm behind them. When we came, during Pandemic, the Wake person was wearing a mask, which was most appreciated. This giant work of public art is nestled in a triangular lot right next to Burial Brewery on the South Slope of Asheville's brewing district. It fits right in with all the cool, unique weird stuff going on in this neighborhood!

This amazing sculpture was engineered and sculpted by a team of UNC Asheville students and staff…read moreand community artists. It was displayed in Times Square and has since been brought home and is on display in Asheville's South Slope. It's a beautiful piece designed to make a statement about climate change. It's 40 feet tall and the coolest part? It's animatronic! I highly recommend stopping by, visiting her and then hitting one (or three) of the brewers that are in the area. Have fun!!