Frist Art Museum

The Frist Art Museum is one of Nashville's most underrated family attractions, largely because parents hear "art museum" and assume their kids will be bored within 10 minutes. But the Frist has cracked the code on making art accessible to children, and the fact that admission is free for everyone under 18 makes it one of the best-value family outings in the city.

The building alone is worth the visit. The Frist occupies Nashville's former main post office, a gorgeous 1930s Art Deco building on Broadway with soaring ceilings, geometric detailing, and a grand marble lobby that makes kids feel like they have walked into an important place. Before even seeing any art, older kids notice the building's design elements — the brass fixtures, the terrazzo floors, the symmetrical layouts.

The main galleries host rotating exhibitions that change every few months. Because the Frist does not have a permanent collection, every visit offers something new. Past exhibitions have ranged from Impressionist masterworks to contemporary photography to ancient Egyptian artifacts.

The quality is consistently museum-caliber — these are the kinds of exhibitions you would expect to see in New York or London. Check their website before visiting to see what is currently showing, as some exhibitions appeal more to families than others.

But the real family draw is the Martin ArtQuest Gallery on the lower level. This is a dedicated interactive art space designed specifically for children and families, and it is genuinely impressive. Unlike a generic kids' craft area, ArtQuest has 30-plus stations that change with every major exhibition upstairs.

If the galleries are showing an Impressionist exhibition, ArtQuest might have stations for color mixing, light experiments, and digital painting in the Impressionist style. If the show is about photography, kids might be learning about darkroom techniques and composition.

The activities range from low-tech (weaving, block printing, sculpting with clay) to high-tech (digital art creation, animation stations, interactive design). Kids as young as 3 can engage with the simpler stations, while tweens can spend an hour on the more complex digital and design activities. Parents consistently underestimate how long their kids will want to stay here — budget at least 45 minutes for ArtQuest alone.

First Saturday programming adds another layer for families. On the first Saturday of each month, the museum hosts special family activities that might include live performances, guided art-making workshops, or themed scavenger hunts through the galleries. These are included with admission (and remember, kids are free).

Logistically, the museum is in a prime downtown location with all the parking challenges that implies. The closest garage is on Rep. John Lewis Way and costs about $10-$15. The museum is fully stroller-accessible with elevators and has clean restrooms with changing stations. The on-site cafe serves light lunch options and excellent coffee.

For families visiting Nashville, the Frist pairs perfectly with a walk up Broadway, lunch at a nearby restaurant, and an afternoon at the Johnny Cash Museum or Ryman Auditorium — both within a few blocks. But honestly, between the galleries and ArtQuest, many families find the Frist alone fills a satisfying 2 to 3 hour visit.