Best Museums in Pigeon Forge:
From Wax Stars to Sci-Fi Wonder
Pigeon Forge is a treasure trove for museum lovers, blending iconic attractions with quirky hidden finds. Explore the town and its Appalachian heritage through museums, where history, entertainment, and education combine to create unforgettable experiences.
Some of the best museums in Pigeon Forge are around famous landmarks, crime investigations, and pop culture icons with interactive exhibits and authentic artifacts.
Step aboard the Titanic Museum and explore detailed recreations, personal stories, and real artifacts. At Alcatraz East Crime Museum, crime enthusiasts can dive into forensic science and American justice history. Meanwhile, the Hollywood Wax Museum brings visitors up close with lifelike celebrity figures.
Most museums in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee are open year-round, though booking tickets in advance is recommended during peak seasons. Some museums, like the Titanic Museum, have photography restrictions, while others encourage visitors to snap photos.
For a quieter experience, weekday mornings and the off-season (January–February) are the best times to visit. Some museums also offer free admission days, making it easier to explore the region’s rich culture.
Disclaimer: Prices and opening days/hours may vary for Pigeon Forge’s museums. Confirm details directly with museums before visiting. The website provides this list for informational purposes only and is not responsible for any changes or discrepancies related to museum visits.
Let your curiosity run wild at Ripley’s Odditorium, home to unbelievable oddities.
This awesomely weird attraction opened in 1997 to bring the wacky wonders of Robert Ripley’s world-famous collection to life for everyone. It’s filled with over 700 exhibits that will totally amaze and astonish you.
Their huge displays include actual shrunken heads, crazy rare animal mutations, unbelievable artifacts, and oddities worldwide! You can stand in a spinning vortex tunnel – talk about a head trip! There are also interactive exhibits like a laser maze and bubble lab to play with. You can see rare Ripley’s relics and other historical stuff.
Some of the funniest details are the rooms that turn reality upside down, mirrors that distort your reflection, 3D holograms that pop out, and odd photos. Take a wild ride on the 7D Moving Theater! Kids totally freak out for the alien shooting game and live circus show.
If you love bizarre mysteries and everything weird, this place is a must-visit! Unbelievable oddities will blow you away, and you’ll get to indulge your curiosity.
Timings:
09:00 AM – 09:00 PM
Price Range* :
- Adults (12+): $29.99
- Children (6-11): $16.99
- Children (2-5): $04.99
Location:
800 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Let loose and unleash your inner child at Ripley’s Super Fun Zone’s action-packed attraction.
This thrilling place is filled with endless fun for the whole family. It offers a variety of rides, games, and adventures, ensuring everyone, regardless of age, has a great time.
Some of their main activities are indoor go-karts so you can race around, epic laser tag battles, mini-bowling tournaments, and rows of the latest arcade games. You can also take on rad interactive challenges like climbing a psychedelic wall, spinning in gyroscopes, and conquering rope courses. Don’t miss seeing yourself in the hilarious, fun house mirrors!
They have the best carnival-style midway games, air hockey, skeeball, and prizes you can redeem tickets for. Little kids totally freak out about bumper cars, playing in the castle, and the candy store. Parents can chill at the sports bar area.
If you’re looking for high-energy fun, Ripley’s Super Fun Zone is the place to be! From the sickest rides to skill games, this place promises a memorable time out for families, friends, couples, and especially kids of all ages.
Timings:
10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Price Range* :
- Adults (13+): $29.99
- Children (4-12): $24.99
- Seniors (60+): $24.99
Location:
631 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Phone:
865-277-4700
Immerse yourself in biblical tales and artifacts at the interactive Tennessee Bible Museum.
This super cool museum just opened in 2022 to trace the history, stories, and impact of the best-selling book of all time – the Bible! Their interactive exhibits bring the most popular biblical tales to life for you.
The main displays let you see a timeline of how the Bible originated, walk through recreations of ancient settings, and peep at rare artifacts like old Torah scrolls. You can learn about the Bible’s huge influence on screens and play trivia games to test your knowledge.
Some of the most fun details are posing for pics in biblical scenes, resisting temptations in the wilderness, and immersing yourself in a walk with Jesus! Kids will love the Exodus adventure obstacle course and playing David & Goliath by flinging stones with a slingshot.
Whether you’re a total bible buff or not, this place offers awesome insight into how the Bible has shaped history. The hands-on exhibits make it engaging for everyone – religious or not!
Timings:
10:00 AM – 06:00 PM
Price Range* :
- Adults: $19.99
- Seniors (65+): $17.99
- Children (4-12): $14.99
- Children under 4: Free
Location:
135 East Wears Valley Rd, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Phone:
865-365-1277
Step aboard history’s most luxurious and infamous ship at TITANIC: Pigeon Forge!
This awesome museum is literally built to look just like the Titanic ship. It uses rooms, galleries, and huge recreations to tell the story of its disastrous first and final journey.
Their massive exhibits let you check out recreated spaces like fancy first-class cabins, the gorgeous grand staircase, and the open promenade deck. You can see real artifacts pulled from the actual wreck, too. Touch a real iceberg and step aboard the giant chunk representing the one that sank Titanic!
Super cool details like learning passenger stories, shipbuilding facts, and info about how the sinking went down make it feel so real. Kids can practice sending old-timey SOS signals. Everyone even gets a boarding pass belonging to a real passenger back then!
If you’re a history buff or Titanic enthusiast, visit this place! It lets you experience what life was like aboard the most luxurious liner and its fateful voyage in such an imaginative way.
Timings:
09:00 AM – 06:00 PM
Price Range* :
- Adults (13 and over): $35.00
- Children (5-12): $15.00
- Children under 5: Free
- Family Pass (2 adults and up to 4 children 18 and under): $115.00
Location:
2134 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Phone:
800-381-7670
Wonderworks combines education and entertainment for an unmatched interactive science experience.
This amazing spot blends education and fun. It offers interactive experiences with science, math, nature, and technology, making learning active and engaging.
Their biggest exhibits let you try wild stuff like experiencing an earthquake simulator, lying on a bed of nails without getting poked, making giant bubbles, and designing real rockets! You can see actual imagery from the Hubble telescope and play with over 100 exhibits on physics, space, weather, and light.
Some of the funniest details are taking on an astronaut training challenge, starring in your music video, navigating laser mazes, and playing competitive games against others. Little kids freak over the epic rope climbing walls.
From future scientists to curious new learners, Wonderworks makes science rock. You’ll discover the cool principles behind natural wonders through exhibits that make learning feel more like a blast than school. This place rules for all ages!
Timings:
09:00 AM – 06:00 PM
Price Range* :
- Adults: $32.99
- Seniors (65+): $24.99
- Children (4-12): $24.99
- Children under 3: Free
Location:
100 Music Road, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Phone:
Step into the world of American outlaws and crusaders of justice at Alcatraz East Crime Museum.
Opened in 2016, Alcatraz East fills a former Pigeon Forge shopping mall with immersive exhibits on crime and punishment. Though not officially tied to the infamous former prison, it takes you inside law enforcement history’s most captivating cases and artifacts.
Their major exhibits let you get super close and personal with artifacts from huge celebrity kidnappings, political scandals like Watergate, and serial killers and mobsters like Ted Bundy, Al Capone, and Bonnie and Clyde. You can see their vehicles, weapons, belongings, authentic mugshots – it brings history to life!
One of the most fun parts is getting to do things like trying on a prison jumpsuit and taking your mugshot photo! They also have neat displays that teach you how police forensics and crime-solving tactics work so you can feel like a real detective. And the audio tours give you awesome insights from the case files and evidence lockers.
So, if you love binge-watching true crime documentaries or think it’d be cool to solve mysteries, you will totally flip for this museum. It’s the perfect mix of intriguing investigations, cool science, and fascinating artifacts for history buffs and wannabe detectives of any age!
Timings:
10:00 AM – 09:00 PM
Price Range* :
- Adults (13-60): $28.95
- Seniors (61+): $21.95
- Children (8-12): $14.95
- Children (7 and under): Free
Location:
2757 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Phone:
865-453-3278
Relive the remarkable history of Bush’s Beans at their Visitor Center’s captivating exhibits.
This awesome visitor center opened in 2014 near the original old Bush’s factory in Tennessee. It’s there to help everyone learn about Bush’s journey, going from just a small canning business to a beloved pantry.
Their main exhibits are set up in the old factory and show off vintage equipment like antique bean sorters, roasters, conveyors, and other old-timey stuff. You can watch rad footage of the original Bush family working hard back in the day. They also have interactive displays where you can geek out learning about the humble beginnings and cool innovations that made Bush’s so popular.
Some of the most fun details are peeping at the retro packaging designs, looking at historical photos, and watching videos that’ll make you feel time-traveled! Kids will have a blast doing activities like bean sorting games and crafts. There’s also a gift shop with neat Bush’s merch you can grab.
Whether you’ve been a Bush’s fanatic forever or just think it’s neat to see iconic brands start small, you gotta check out this place! It lets everyone explore the roots of America’s favorite beans in a vintage factory. It’s an awesome time for all ages.
Timings:
09:00 AM – 04:00 PM
Price Range* :
Admission to the museum, theater, and gift shop is free.
Location:
3901 US Highway 411, Dandridge, TN 37725
Phone:
865-509-3077
Calling all Dukes of Hazzard fans – Cooter’s Place brings the zany character of Cooter Davenport to life.
This totally outrageous attraction opened to celebrate the Dukes of Hazzard’s hilarious character, Cooter Davenport. It’s packed with awesome exhibits and good times for fans of the classic show!
Their main displays include Cooter’s Garage, where you can check out the General Lee, other sweet rides from the show, and even an original Dodge Charger! There’s also Cooter’s souvenir shop and fun photos all over. You can see costumes, props like Boss Hogg’s suit, and other rad stuff used in filming!
So many awesome little details crack you up, too – like getting your mugshot taken in a real jail cell or trying your skills at a carnival shooting gallery. Let kids go wild playing in the massive treehouse. And you can catch live music or learn line dancing at shows on certain nights!
So whether you’ve been a Dukes fan for years or think some down-home goofy fun sounds great, Cooter’s Place is your ticket! You’ll feel like one of the Duke boys for a day.
Timings:
10:00 AM – 06:00 PM
Price Range* :
- Adults (12+): $19.99
- Children (4-11): $15.99
- Children (3 and under): Free
Location:
177 East Wears Valley Road, Suite 22 & 23, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Phone:
865-429-7099
Surround yourself with celebrities at the Hollywood Wax Museum Entertainment Center’s glamorous exhibits.
This immersive attraction celebrates iconic Hollywood celebrities through hyper-realistic wax figures and fun exhibits for you to enjoy. It brings the glitz and glamor of Tinsel town to life.
Major displays include wax figures of stars from Marilyn Monroe to Angelina Jolie for you to see and interact with, using props and backdrops. Other exhibits feature science fiction characters, horror villains, and pop culture icons. Give your acceptance speech on the actor’s montage stage.
Fun details like photos with celebrities and singing karaoke add an interactive element. Kids can enjoy the zombie shooting gallery and mirror maze. You can even see live shows on the two stages!
So, if you’re a major movie buff, pop culture nerd, or celebrity super-fan, this place is for you! You’ll feel like a VIP with all your favorite stars.
Timings:
08:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Price Range* :
- Adults (12+): $39.99
- Children (4-11): $19.99
- Children (3 and under): Free
Location:
106 Showplace Blvd, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Phone:
865-428-5228
FAQs
Are there any free museums in Pigeon Forge?
There are no free museums in Pigeon Forge. All require paid admission. However, attractions like Old Mill Square offer guided tours with free admission for kids and the Tennessee Museum of Aviation (for veterans on select days).
What are the busiest and least crowded times to visit Pigeon Forge museums?
The busiest times for museums in Pigeon Forge, TN are weekends, holidays, and summer. To avoid crowds, visit on weekday mornings or during the off-season (January–March).
Are museums in Pigeon Forge open year-round?
Yes, most museums in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee are open year-round, but some may have seasonal hours or closures. Always check individual museum websites before visiting.
Do I need to book tickets in advance for Pigeon Forge museums?
Booking in advance is always recommended for popular museums in and near Pigeon Forge, TN, especially during peak seasons. Walk-ins are accepted at most places but always check with museums beforehand.
How long does it take to walk through the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge?
A walk through the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge can easily take 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on how much time you spend at exhibits.
Can I take photos or videos inside museums in Pigeon Forge?
Taking photos and videos inside museums in Pigeon Forge varies, some allow it, and some don’t. Always check museum guidelines beforehand.
Do museums in Pigeon Forge have guided tours?
Yes, many museums in Pigeon Forge offer guided tours. Visit the official website of the museum for more details or inquire about it at the ticket counter.
Are museums in Pigeon Forge kid-friendly?
Absolutely! Museums in Pigeon Forge for kids include WonderWorks, Beyond the Lens, and the Hollywood Wax Museum, offering fun, interactive exhibits.