Grant will be used to upgrade the lighting system in the galleries of the Museum of East Tennessee History
The East Tennessee Historical Society is a recipient of a $78,600 grant for Capital Maintenance and Improvements from the State of Tennessee as administered through the Tennessee State Museum. The grant award will be used for upgrading the lighting in the Museum of East Tennessee History, allowing for the transition to LED lighting, which will address many lighting issues in the gallery.
The Tennessee General Assembly made available $5 million in funding from the 2025-2026 Appropriations Act, “for the sole purpose of providing grants to museums with a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or affiliated with a governmental entity for capital maintenance and improvements.”
In the third year of the grant program, it remains a highly competitive process. In total, the Tennessee State Museum received 178 applications, totaling $12,031,874 in requests. The Museum has made full or partial awards to 99 museums across the state, representing 45 counties. In the three years the Museum has administered the grant program, it has served museums in 73 counties across the state. A complete list of 2025-26 grantees, counties and amounts is posted at TNMuseum.org/grants.
“The Tennessee Capital Improvement Grants continue to support and strengthen the infrastructure of institutions preserving our state and local history and culture,” said Ashley Howell, Tennessee State Museum Executive Director. “We are honored to help support the commitment of those institutions to better serve their communities and visitors through collection care and visitor accessibility these last three years. We are inspired by the dedication of their staff and volunteers. None of it would be possible, of course, without the State of Tennessee’s unwavering support for Tennessee history.”
President/CEO of the East Tennessee Historical Society Warren Dockter says, “We’re extremely grateful for this enormous opportunity to fix our lighting issues so we can share the history of East Tennessee with everyone that comes to the Museum. This types of grant helps illustrate how much the State of Tennessee cares about its history.”
“Lighting is something that should go unnoticed,” says Tim Yates, Head of Museum Shop & Guest Services. “This grant will make a positive improvement in the overall guest experience while visiting the Museum, allowing for the complete focus to be on the artifacts which tell the fascinating story of East Tennessee.”
The Capital Maintenance and Improvements grant had a minimum request amount of $5,000 and a maximum request amount of $100,000. All projects must be completed by June 30, 2026.
About East Tennessee Historical Society
The East Tennessee Historical Society (ETHS) is one of the most active private historical organizations in the state. We specialize in finding creative ways to introduce the public to the fascinating world of history. Lectures, tours, award-winning exhibits, family heritage programs, genealogy classes, and student and teacher education appeal to people of all ages.
Recognizing that East Tennessee’s history, heritage, and geography are distinct from the rest of the state, the East Tennessee Historical Society provides services and programs uniquely tailored to the region. ETHS partners with and promotes history and events of organizations and sites across our 35 counties. We have 45 affiliate chapters across the region.
About Tennessee State Museum
Celebrating its 88th Anniversary in 2025, the Tennessee State Museum, located on the corner of Rosa L Parks Blvd. and Jefferson Street at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, is your home to thousands of years of Tennessee history, art, and culture. Through six permanent exhibitions titled Natural History, First Peoples, Forging a Nation, The Civil War and Reconstruction, Change and Challenge and Tennessee Transforms, the Museum takes visitors on a journey–through artifacts, films, interactive displays, events and educational and digital programing–from the state’s geological beginnings to the present day.
Additional temporary exhibitions explore significant periods and individuals in history, along with art and cultural movements. The Museum is free and open to the public Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. For more information on exhibitions and events, please visit TNMuseum.org.
