Night At The Museums Returns With Special Indoor Encore Performance
(UCBJ) – Cookeville Leisure Services is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary with a month of educational programs and interactive experiences, including:
- a new museum exhibit
- a self-guided downtown history walk
- a family history hike
- the return of Night at the Museums
The celebration begins July 3 with the opening of Becoming America: Voices of 1776 at the Cookeville History Museum.
According to the release, the exhibit will remain on display through Sept. 12 and “invites visitors to experience the American Revolution through the eyes of six individuals, each offering a unique perspective on life during one of the most significant periods in American history.”
The exhibit demonstrates “that the Revolution was more than battles and historical dates—it was the story of the people who lived it.”
Cookeville Leisure Services also launched the Declaration of Independence Walk on July 3. According to the release, the self-guided experience begins at the Cookeville Depot Museum and ends at the Cookeville History Museum, featuring exhibit panels displayed in participating downtown businesses that explore the ideas behind the Declaration of Independence, the courage of its signers and the document’s lasting impact.
Participants are also invited to sign the 250th Anniversary Community Pledge at the conclusion of the walk.
The department will host the Declaration Discovery History Hike on Saturday, July 11, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. According to the release, participants will follow the Declaration Walk while answering questions based on the exhibit panels, creating “an engaging activity that encourages learning, exploration and appreciation for the nation’s founding.”
The celebration continues Saturday, July 18, with Night at the Museums: Indoor Encore at the Cookeville Performing Arts Center.
According to the release, the production follows the success of the original Night at the Museums in 2025 and “brings Cookeville’s living history actors back together for a journey through 250 years of local history.”
The performance features actors portraying historical figures from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, Women’s Suffrage, World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, the Space Race, the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, Sept. 11 and the year 2020. The release says “a special surprise at the conclusion of the performance will celebrate both the audience and the cast.”
Tickets for Night at the Museums: Indoor Encore are $10. According to the release, if the 2 p.m. performance sells out, a second performance at 4 p.m. will be added.
Admission to the Cookeville History Museum, Becoming America: Voices of 1776, the Declaration of Independence Walk and the Declaration Discovery History Hike is free.
The Cookeville History Museum, located at 40 E. Broad St., is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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