Muse Knoxville Unveils Future Museum Design
November 9, 2026, 8:15 p.m.

Muse Knoxville unveils renderings of future home; image submitted

KNOXVILLE — Muse Knoxville has unveiled renderings of its future home at Chilhowee Park and launched its $50 million Grow with Me capital campaign, marking a major milestone in the museum’s plans to expand access to hands-on learning for children and families across East Tennessee.

The project will transform the historic Jacob Building into a 57,000-square-foot destination for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) learning, replacing the museum’s current 10,000-square-foot space with a significantly larger, purpose-built environment for exploration and discovery. The new space will create opportunities to serve more families, welcome additional school groups, expand educational programming, and provide more children with access to meaningful learning experiences.

Muse Knoxville shared the vision for the expanded museum during a private preview on November 5, inviting community partners and supporters to learn more about the project and the philanthropic investment needed to bring it to life.

“We believe that every child deserves the chance to wonder, explore, create, and discover. This next chapter for Muse Knoxville means more room for big ideas, more opportunities for hands-on learning, and more children who can see themselves as the scientists, artists, engineers, and innovators of tomorrow,” said Allison Comer, President and CEO of Muse Knoxville. “We’re building a space where curiosity has no limits.”

Expanding Access and Opportunity

The expansion responds to growing demand for Muse Knoxville’s educational experiences. During fiscal years 2024 through 2026, nearly 3,000 visitors were waitlisted due to capacity limitations, and 10 East Tennessee school districts were turned away during the 2025-2026 school year.

Muse Knoxville unveils renderings of future modular home; image submitted

With the expanded facility, Muse Knoxville anticipates welcoming more than 200,000 visitors annually. Increased capacity will create additional opportunities for school field trips, camps, educational programs, and community experiences while advancing the museum’s commitment to making STEAM learning accessible to children across the region.

The project will also strengthen Muse Knoxville’s ability to connect children with the skills and confidence to ask questions, solve problems, explore new ideas, and imagine future possibilities.

A Community Partnership Building the Future

The Grow with Me campaign builds on a significant public-private partnership between Muse Knoxville, the City of Knoxville, and the Clayton family. The City’s commitment through the use of the building and the Clayton Family Foundation’s transformational $25 million investment have established a strong foundation for the project.

With a total of $33 million raised and additional support from partners including the Boyd Foundation, Bill and Crissy Haslam Foundation, Clayton, Kevin and Chelly Clayton, the State of Tennessee, Arconic Foundation, UT Battelle - ORNL, Bank of America, TVA, Siddiqi Charitable Foundation, Tennessee State Museum, Knox County Government, The Bruce Family, Delta Dental of TN, BVI, Management Solutions, LLC, and Perk City reflects a broader commitment to expanding educational opportunities for the region’s children.

Together, these partners are helping turn a shared vision into reality. With the campaign now underway, Muse Knoxville is inviting individuals, businesses, foundations, and community members to join this effort and help create a lasting resource for future generations.

Looking Ahead

Muse Knoxville’s current location will remain open and continue welcoming visitors throughout the expansion process. Design work is anticipated to be completed in 2026, construction is expected to begin in 2027, and the expanded museum is projected to open in 2028.

The Grow with Me campaign represents an investment beyond a building. It is an opportunity to expand access to transformative learning experiences, strengthen connections across the community, and create more opportunities for every child to discover what is possible.

To learn more about the Grow with Me campaign or explore opportunities to support the project, visit themuseknoxville.org/muse-knoxville-capital-campaign/ or contact Katie Mixon, Vice President of Advancement, at Katie@themuseknoxville.org.