Most people walking into a former post office don’t expect to see international surrealist art, Judaica from a New York museum, or a wall of shimmering thread stretching three stories high. That’s exactly the surprise waiting inside the Frist.
The Frist Art Museum is a non-collecting art museum in downtown Nashville, housed in the city’s restored 1934 Art Deco post office at 919 Broadway. Instead of a fixed permanent collection, it rotates world-class exhibitions every six to eight weeks, pairs them with a hands-on family gallery, and charges a modest $15–$16 general admission — with kids 18 and under always free.
What Is the Frist Art Museum?
Here’s the thing that trips up first-time visitors: the Frist doesn’t own a permanent collection the way the Met or the Art Institute of Chicago does. It’s what’s called a non-collecting museum, meaning its entire identity is built around borrowing and hosting traveling exhibitions from other institutions around the world.
That model has an upside and a downside. The downside is you can’t count on seeing “the same painting” every visit. The upside — and it’s a real one — is that the galleries never go stale. A trip in spring might mean an exhibition on Surrealism pulled from London’s Tate; a trip in fall might mean Judaica from the Jewish Museum in New York. It’s part of why locals treat the Frist as a rotating destination rather than a one-and-done stop.
The building itself is worth the visit on its own. Before it was a museum, it served as Nashville’s main U.S. post office, and the Art Deco details — the marble, the brass, the geometric ceiling work — are largely original. The Frist Art Museum opened its doors in April 2001 after a major restoration, and today offers roughly 24,000 square feet of gallery space across two levels.
Look up as you walk into the atrium and you’ll see Plexus No. 47, a long-term installation by artist Gabriel Dawe made of thousands of colored threads arranged like beams of refracted light. It’s part of the museum’s ongoing Art in the Atrium series and is scheduled to stay on view through April 2028.
Hours, Location & Getting There
The Frist Art Museum sits at 919 Broadway in downtown Nashville, an easy walk from the honky-tonks on lower Broadway if you need a change of pace from live music and neon signs.
Current hours:
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | Closed |
| Thursday | 10 a.m.–8 p.m. |
| Friday | 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. |
| Saturday | 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. |
| Sunday | 1–5:30 p.m. |
The museum closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Note the Tuesday/Wednesday closure — it’s the single most common planning mistake visitors make, especially tourists building a Nashville trip around a weekday layover. Thursday evenings, when the museum stays open until 8 p.m., tend to be the quietest time to see the galleries without a crowd.
Parking at the Frist
The museum has its own parking lot. Rates run $3 per hour with validation, up to a three-hour maximum, then $12 per hour after that. Scan your admission ticket at the exit gate to get the discounted rate — skip that step and you’ll pay full price. If you’re downtown for other reasons, WeGo Public Transit and rideshare are both realistic alternatives, since street parking near Broadway fills up fast.
Admission Prices & Discounts
General admission runs $15 for adults. Seniors (65+), active military, and college students with valid ID pay $16 in person (the discount doesn’t apply to online purchases). Anyone 18 and under gets in free — no ticket type required, though an admission sticker is still needed for gallery entry.
| Ticket Type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | $15 |
| Senior (65+) | $16* |
| Military (w/ID) | $16* |
| College Student (w/ID) | $16* |
| Ages 18 & under | Free |
| Groups of 10+ (advance reservation) | $16 each |
*In-person purchase only.
Free and Discounted Admission Programs
A few programs are worth knowing before you buy a ticket online at full price:
- Museums for All / EBT, SNAP, WIC cardholders get in free (up to four adults) with photo ID.
- College students get free admission on Thursdays from 5–8 p.m.
- Bank of America cardholders get free general admission the first full weekend of every month through the Museums on Us program.
- Active-duty military and their families get free admission during the Blue Star Museums window, which typically runs from Armed Forces Day in mid-May through Labor Day in early September.
None of these stack automatically — check eligibility and bring ID, since discounts are verified at Guest Services rather than online.
Current & Upcoming Exhibitions in 2026
Because the Frist rotates shows every six to eight weeks, “current exhibitions” is a moving target — but a few themes tend to hold steady: one major international loan exhibition, one show spotlighting a contemporary or Indigenous artist, and community-focused programming layered on top.
Recent and upcoming exhibitions have included International Surrealism from Tate: Fifty Years of Dreams, a show pulling surrealist works from the Tate’s collection in London; Anila Quayyum Agha: Interwoven, featuring the artist’s signature light-and-shadow installations; and An Indigenous Present, spotlighting contemporary Indigenous artists. A Judaica exhibition drawn from the Jewish Museum in New York has also been on the calendar, presenting more than 130 ceremonial objects spanning antiquity to the present.
Because exhibitions change on a fixed rotation, always check the museum’s current exhibitions page before your visit rather than relying on what a blog post — including this one — says was showing last month.
Martin ArtQuest: The Frist for Families
If you’re traveling with kids, this is the section to read twice. Martin ArtQuest is the Frist’s award-winning interactive gallery on the upper level, with roughly 20 to 30 hands-on stations covering drawing, painting, printmaking, and digital art-making.
It’s free with gallery admission (and free for anyone 18 and under, which covers most of the kids using it anyway), and it’s genuinely designed for a wide age range — not just toddlers pushing buttons. Parents consistently point to it as the thing that turns “I guess we’ll do a museum” into a highlight of the trip. Budget at least 30–45 minutes here if you’re visiting with children; it’s easy to lose track of time.
Membership: Is It Worth It?
If you live in or near Nashville, or you’re a frequent visitor, membership pays for itself faster than most museum memberships do — largely because new exhibitions arrive every six to eight weeks, giving you a reason to come back often.
Members get unlimited free admission during regular hours, early access the day before new exhibitions open to the public, 10% off in the gift shop, discounts on classes and workshops, two single-use guest passes, and a subscription to the museum’s print Bulletin. There are tiers for individuals, couples, families, seniors, students, teachers, and corporate groups.
For an out-of-town visitor making a single trip, membership usually isn’t worth it. For a local who might visit two or three times a year, it often is.
Visitor Tips — What to Actually Expect
A few things that don’t always make it into the official brochure:
- Plan for 1.5 to 2 hours for a full visit that includes both the galleries and Martin ArtQuest. Rushed visitors report closer to an hour; art-focused visitors with no kids in tow can easily spend more.
- There’s no permanent collection, so don’t come expecting to see “the famous painting” from a past visit — it’s likely moved on.
- Café Cheeserie, the on-site café, serves sandwiches, salads, pastries, and coffee, with exhibition-inspired menu items that rotate along with the art. It’s a legitimate lunch stop, not just a snack counter.
- Photography rules vary by exhibition. Some lenders restrict photos in their galleries, so check posted signage rather than assuming you can shoot everything.
- Sensory-friendly hours exist for visitors who benefit from lower sound levels and reduced crowding — check the events calendar for scheduled dates, as they’re not offered daily.
- It’s not primarily a music attraction. If you’re building a Nashville itinerary and want a break from Broadway’s live-music scene, the Frist is one of the more effective ways to do that without leaving downtown.
Things to Do Near the Frist Art Museum
Because the Frist sits right on Broadway in downtown Nashville, it pairs naturally with a walkable afternoon. The honky-tonk strip on lower Broadway is a few minutes away, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is an easy walk, and the Nashville riverfront and Bridgestone Arena are both within range if you’re stringing together a full downtown day. Many visitors use the Frist as a midday, air-conditioned break between louder, busier stops.
For a full overview of what to see and do, visit our full Nashville guide.
FAQ Section
Is the Frist Art Museum worth visiting?
Most visitors find it worth a stop, especially as a change of pace from Nashville’s music-focused attractions. The rotating exhibitions, Art Deco building, and family-friendly Martin ArtQuest gallery make it a solid half-day activity for a wide range of travelers.
How long does it take to see the Frist Art Museum?
Plan on 1.5 to 2 hours for a full visit, including Martin ArtQuest. A faster gallery-only walkthrough can take under an hour, while art enthusiasts often spend longer.
Is the Frist Art Museum free?
General admission is free for anyone 18 and under and for museum members. Adults pay $15; seniors, military, and students pay $16 for in-person tickets. Additional free-admission programs exist for EBT/SNAP/WIC cardholders and, seasonally, for military families.
What was the Frist Art Museum building before it became a museum?
The building was Nashville’s main U.S. post office, constructed in the 1930s in the Art Deco style. It was restored and reopened as the Frist Art Museum in April 2001.
Does the Frist Art Museum have a permanent collection?
No. The Frist is a non-collecting museum, meaning it hosts rotating traveling exhibitions rather than displaying a fixed, owned collection. New exhibitions typically arrive every six to eight weeks.
Where do you park at the Frist Art Museum?
The museum has its own on-site lot, priced at $3/hour with ticket validation (max three hours), then $12/hour after that. Rideshare and WeGo Public Transit are also options given downtown parking demand.
Is the Frist Art Museum kid-friendly?
Yes. Martin ArtQuest, the museum’s interactive art-making gallery, is designed specifically for families and is free for all visitors 18 and under.
What’s currently showing at the Frist Art Museum?
Exhibitions rotate roughly every six to eight weeks, so current shows change frequently. Check the museum’s official exhibitions page before visiting for the most accurate, up-to-date schedule.
