Green McAdoo Cultural Center

Knoxville


In front of this small museum an eye-catching statue portrays the 12 African American high-school students who desegregated Clinton High School in 1956. Twenty miles northwest of Knoxville, Clinton was the first state-supported school in the South to integrate, and exhibits trace the fascinating story of the students and the school. Although integration began peacefully, with support from the community and the state, white supremacists from elsewhere initiated a violent response that culminated in the bombing of the school.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Knoxville attractions

1. Museum of Appalachia

6.67 MILES

Sprawled across 65 acres dotted with cabins and livestock, this comprehensive museum spotlights the history and culture of the mountain communities in the…

2. American Museum of Science & Energy

8.84 MILES

During WWII the US military began the Manhattan Project, a top-secret program to develop the atomic bomb. Oak Ridge was one of the key research and…

3. Knoxville Museum of Art

15.44 MILES

If you're planning to explore the region, the landscape paintings of mountains, forests and streams are a lovely source of inspiration at this small…

4. Sunsphere

15.56 MILES

The city's visual centerpiece is the Sunsphere, a golden orb (disco ball!) atop a tower that's the main remnant of the 1982 World's Fair. You can take the…

5. Museum of East Tennessee History

15.69 MILES

This glossy museum spotlights key moments in the history of East Tennessee as well as regional cultural topics, from 'hillbilly' music to mountain tourism…

6. McClung Museum of Natural History

15.81 MILES

On the campus of UT, this small natural-history museum is a good rainy-day distraction for families. You'll find dinosaur bones from Tennessee in the…

7. Women's Basketball Hall of Fame

16.03 MILES

You can't miss the massive orange basketball that marks the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, a nifty look at the sport from the time when women were…

8. Beck Cultural Exchange Center

16.24 MILES

This center preserves and shares the history of African Americans in Knoxville. Key exhibits highlight urban renewal in the city and trace the interesting…