The Customs House Museum and Cultural Center is the cultural centrepiece of downtown Clarksville, housed in a striking Italianate building completed in 1898. It is the second-largest general-interest museum in Tennessee, covering art, history, and science across multiple galleries. The permanent collection includes works by notable Tennessee and American artists, exhibits on the region's history from Native American settlement through the Civil War to the present, and rotating science and natural history exhibitions.
The building itself is worth the visit: the ornate Victorian facade with its stone detailing, soaring interior with cast-iron columns, and the restored period post office section. The museum runs a busy programme of temporary exhibitions and community events. Admission is very reasonably priced and free on certain days.