Museums are primarily about historical sites and relics but can also offer a fun-filled experience. If this is hard to believe, visit the enigmatic town of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee! This city redefines indoor entertainment— be inspired, learn, unlearn, and let your imagination run wild. Turn back time in style when you visit these museums and immerse yourself in the oddities of the past. The interactive sessions enrich and educate you without being preachy or boring. This exotic mountain destination has plenty of museums that history enthusiasts would love to explore.
Read on to explore the best museums in Pigeon Forge.
5 Must-Visit Museums in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
You cannot afford to miss a trip to these museums at Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. From stunning creative visuals to oodles of entertainment, such museums are perfect for family outings with your kiddos engagingly learning a lot. Let’s browse the popular museums in Pigeon Forge that will pique your curiosity and offer you a treasured museum experience.
1. Titanic Museum Attraction
If the movie ‘Titanic’ left you flabbergasted and you spent a significant amount of time searching the internet and browsing books to feed your thirst for knowledge about the infamous disaster, it’s time to experience a close encounter! One of the most entertaining and educational museums in Pigeon Forge, the Titanic Museum Attraction provides a glimpse into more than 400 actual artifacts that were recovered from the colossal ship.
After being handed a boarding pass, you can feel like an actual passenger of the luxury passenger liner that met its sad end in 1912. A costumed cast member will greet you and take you through the ship’s history, spread over 22,000 sq. ft. Learn about the crew and the passengers, sit in a lifeboat like the one used on the fateful night, play the Grand Piano of the 1900s, visit the Captain’s Bridge to take the wheel, or walk along the Grand Staircase replica – you may have your fill of vivid experiences here!
2. Alcatraz East Crime Museum
If you have an appetite for gory, thrill, and crime dramas, this crime museum is the place to be! Drop in to take a sneak peek at the crime history of America. Modeled after Alcatraz, the infamous San Francisco prison, this is among the best museums in Pigeon Forge, filled with many artifacts and interactive displays. You can learn about forensic science, the penal system, law enforcement, forensic science, and the accounts of real-life victims. The list is endless!
That’s not all! Check out the submachine gun used in the Al Pacino-starrer ‘Scarface’, the rosary of Al Capone, John Dillinger’s car, the Bronco from the unforgettable car chase of OJ Simpson, and so much more. Learn about some of the most notorious criminals in American history at this incredible museum. With 20 different exhibit areas, expect a hair-raising and fun experience at this venue, situated on The Island at Pigeon Forge. This two-story building is as much fun as it is educational and is open to visitors of all ages.
3. Hollywood Wax Museum Entertainment Center
If you are a Hollywood movie buff and have a list of favorite stars, you can rock with your favorite celebs here; that is, with their beautifully crafted wax figures! The museum is themed with a glam setting where paparazzi, red carpet, clicks, glitz, and fame seem to be the order of the day. The Hollywood Wax Museum lets you be a star for the day, hog the limelight, and rub elbows with celeb figurines. Pose with the stars in fun photo ops you would love to share on your social profiles. Sing with pop icons or walk the red carpet. You can even wear a Hollywood-style wedding dress or ‘marry’ a Hollywood star in a faux ceremony…the possibilities are endless! You can also learn about the lives of iconic Hollywood stars.
Whether it be the 34,000-pound Great Ape, Hannah’s Maze of Mirrors, or the Castle of Chaos, entertainment is packed at every corner. You can also experience fun and dread in the on-site zombie-infested facility called Outbreak: Dread the Undead. History and fun intermingle at this fantastic museum.
4. Pigeon Forge Gem Mine
Check out this exciting attraction to marvel at the sight of the replicated Sapphire and Ruby mines of the mid-1800s. You can simulate a mining experience with different specialty buckets available for visitors. The various buckets on offer each have precious gems or jewelry that you may unearth. The thrill of discovering a hidden treasure makes the gem mining adventure exciting and an interesting activity for enthusiasts and young children looking to learn. Wake up the archeologist in you with a visit to this museum!
The museum’s mining buckets offer more than just gemstones. You may also unearth arrowheads, fossils, geodes, shells, and shark teeth. You may also visit the General Store to explore the Jewelry Counter and Rock and Fossil Shop. Stop by this museum to plan your gem-mining adventure and create unforgettable memories!
- Beyond the Lens!
A comparatively new hotspot for tech geeks, game lovers, pop culture fans, and history connoisseurs, Beyond the Lens promises an all-engrossing “Techno-Tainment” experience. You are spoilt for choice at this venue, with over 150 exhibits to explore and participate in. Enjoy the virtual reality attractions to level up your gaming skills, and participate in augmented reality scavenger hunts or two-minute escape rooms. You can also explore the space-themed ‘alien egg’ ball pit. The museum also offers a fantastic flight simulation, using an advanced technology called FlyRide, that takes you over different landmarks! You will be regaled with historical conspiracy theories as you learn about American criminal history anecdotes.
The endless pop culture trivia at the museum will keep you engaged for your entire stay. Visitors enjoy taking photos in the famous Selfie Gallery within the venue. It’s a picture-perfect destination and one of the best museums in Pigeon Forge for visitors to soak in the fun and experience a unique blend of glam-laced entertainment and high-end technology.
History Has Never Been This Fun!
With a quirky concoction of fun, science, technology, pop culture, and imagination, the museums in Pigeon Forge make history fun-loaded, interactive, and thrilling! Packed with interactive exhibits, historical artifacts, and the most fascinating information from the past presented in a thrilling package, each museum in Pigeon Forge is a delight for history buffs. Visiting any of these venues ensures an experience you won’t soon forget!