Things to do in Knoxville

Although Knoxville is only moderate in size, it is home to an amazing number of interesting sites including some that have had an impact on the citys history, museums, parks and a science centre. In fact, Knoxville has so many fascinating places for visitors to take in that the only difficulty will be in choosing which site to visit if you dont have enough time to visit them all.

Knoxville Zoological Gardens

The zoo is home to many different species of wild animals and was opened with the aim to educate, conserve, research and provide recreation. This is one of the best-known zoos in the Appalachian Range and should not be missed. Children will be enthralled with the kids cove, where they can play in water, sit in a huge birds nest, milk a cow, climb a giant spiders web and enjoy lots more activities.

Atomic City

Less than a 30-minute drive away from Knoxville is the site where the first atomic bomb was built. The Oak Ridge National Lab is still being used today to build bombs, but the American Museum of Science and Energy, which is also located here, is open to the public and a great place to learn about the making of the atomic bomb.

Museum of Appalachia

This museum is located at Norris, less than 20 miles from Knoxville, on 65 acres of land. Visitors will be able to experience how the early settlers used to live and visit the cabins of Daniel Boone and Mark Twains family. There are more than a quarter of a million pioneer relics on display here including a chapel, school house and barns.

Armstrong-Lockett House

The majestic house was built in the early 1830s on three acres of land which overlook the Tennessee River. Landscaped in Italian style, it was built for Drury P Armstrong, who was a county official and also a merchant and a farmer. The house has a good collection of 18th century English and American furniture and also art from this period.

Confederate Memorial Hall (Bleak House)

This site is also referred to as Bleak House and was built in 1858 for Robert and Louise Franklin Armstrong. Visitors can see reminders of the war and the site has been converted into a museum. Bleak House has a rich history, as it once served as the headquarters for General James Longstreet during the siege of Knoxville in 1863.

James White's Fort

The 1786 fort was once the home of James White and it still contains his original tools and other interesting artefacts and items used by him and others during this period. History buffs should not miss touring this site, which offers an interesting insight into the lives of the first settlers. This site is one of Knoxvilles most popular historic sites and was the first pioneer structure to be built here.

World's Fair Park

This was the site of the World Fair, held here in 1982. Now, it is home to many different shops, restaurants and galleries, and visitors should plan to spend at least half a day visiting this site. Situated within the 52 acre park is the Knoxville Convention Center and the famed Sunsphere, a huge golden glass ball that houses five levels of the fair.

There are many more interesting sites to take in including the Marion County Historical Village, Pella Historical Village, Stratown Country Store, Womens Basketball Hall of Fame, East Tennessee Discovery Center, East Tennessee History Center, Emporium Center for Arts and Culture, Farragut Folklife Museum, Knoxville Museum of Art and many other places.