The Frist Art Museum fills a 1930s Art Deco post office on Broadway with rotating exhibitions and hands-on art spaces. It has no permanent collection, so every visit brings a different lineup, and guests 18 and younger always get in free.
Key Highlights
- A nonprofit art center in Nashville’s former main post office, an Art Deco landmark at 919 Broadway.
- No permanent collection: exhibitions rotate every six to eight weeks, so repeat visits always look different.
- Guests 18 and younger enter free, and adult admission is $20, with $16 rates for seniors, military, and college students.
- Martin ArtQuest, the interactive gallery upstairs, lets kids and families make art instead of only looking at it.
- Open Thursday through Monday, with late hours until 8:00 p.m. on Thursdays and free college admission Thursday evenings.
What to See
Start with the main galleries, where two or three exhibitions usually run at once. Recent lineups have ranged from contemporary collage and photography to design and craft shows, and the calendar for late 2026 includes Shimmer: Dreaming the Posthuman, Robin Vuchnich’s light-based installation In Search of Thoreau’s Flowers, and Beauty and Ritual: Judaica from the Jewish Museum, New York. If your group wants music history after visual art, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum sits a short walk east on Broadway. Because shows change every six to eight weeks, check the Frist’s calendar before your visit and pick the exhibition that interests you most.
Do not skip the building itself. The Frist opened in 2001 inside the former Nashville post office, and its marble halls, brass details, and tall windows are part of the visit. A small display tells the story of the conversion from post office to art museum, and the Turner Courtyard gives you a quiet spot to sit between galleries. The gift shop stocks art books, prints, and jewelry, and Cafe Cheeserie serves sandwiches, soups, and charcuterie boards.
Martin ArtQuest and Family Visits
Martin ArtQuest, the Frist’s interactive gallery, is the reason many families return. Kids can draw, build, and try printmaking at staffed stations, and the activities change with the exhibitions. It works best as a break between quiet galleries: let kids make something, then walk the next show with fresh patience. Children under 13 need adult supervision throughout the museum.
Plan about two hours for a full visit, or three if your group lingers in ArtQuest. The museum is compact compared with big-city art museums, which makes it a good fit for a morning or afternoon rather than a whole day. Wheelchair users and strollers can use all galleries, and the museum asks visitors to keep 18 inches from the art and to leave large bags at the self-serve coat check.
One more date deserves a place on your calendar: Frist Friday. On select Friday evenings the museum stays open late with live performances, art-making, food vendors, and a costume contest, and advance tickets are required since these nights sell out. General admission for Frist Friday runs higher than a daytime ticket, with a discount for members, and the theme changes each time, from spooky fall nights to summer celebrations. If your trip covers a Frist Friday, it is the liveliest way to see the building, and it pairs well with dinner in the Gulch afterward.
Tickets and Hours
According to the Frist’s official tickets page, adult admission is $20. Seniors aged 65 and older, military members with ID, and college students with ID pay $16, but those discounts apply only to tickets bought in person. Members enter free, guests 18 and younger enter free, and EBT, SNAP, or WIC cardholders enter free for up to four adults with photo ID. Membership covers unlimited visits and discounts on Frist Friday nights, so it suits locals and repeat visitors. Groups of 10 or more pay $16 with advance reservations.
Hours are Monday 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The museum is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, and closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day, with a 3:00 p.m. close on Christmas Eve. Through October 26, 2026, adult admission is half price at $10 while galleries change over, so a late October visit costs less than usual.
How to Get There
The Frist sits at 919 Broadway, on the western edge of downtown, mapped in our downtown Nashville guide, about a 10-minute walk from the honky tonks on Lower Broadway. If you drive, use the museum’s lots or nearby downtown garages; the museum notes that lots can fill up on event nights, so rideshare is a safe backup. Ask at Guest Services about parking validation when you arrive.
From most downtown hotels, walking is the easiest option, and the route along Broadway is flat and well lit. If you pair the museum with other downtown sights, go in the morning, when the galleries are quietest, and save Broadway’s music venues for the evening. The museum is also a short ride from the Gulch, where restaurants and shops fill the streets south of Broadway.
Best Time to Visit
Thursday evenings are the best value. College students with ID enter free from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., and the late hours suit visitors who spend the day elsewhere. Sunday afternoons run family-heavy, so if you want quiet galleries, pick a Monday or Friday morning instead. Weekday mornings are the quietest time in the galleries, while Saturday afternoons draw the biggest family crowds, especially when a popular exhibition is running.
Bank of America cardholders get free general admission on the first full weekend of each month through the Museums on Us program, which makes those weekends worth planning around. If you are building a full itinerary, our Nashville Tourism visitor guide ranks the city’s top attractions. Whatever date you pick, check the exhibition calendar first: since shows rotate every six to eight weeks, a visit timed to an exhibition you care about beats a visit timed to a discount.
Nearby Things to Do
The Frist anchors a strong downtown arts day. After the museum, walk to the Ryman Auditorium for a daytime tour, then spend the evening on Lower Broadway, where live music starts in the afternoon.
Lower Broadway’s honky tonks pair naturally with a museum morning, so plan the galleries first and the music second for an easy downtown day.
Practical Tips
Photography rules change by gallery because lenders set their own terms, so read the signs in each room before you shoot. Food, drink, gum, and tobacco are not allowed in the galleries, and only pencils are allowed for sketching. The gift shop near the entrance stocks exhibition catalogs and prints, which make good souvenirs from galleries where photography is restricted. If a gallery is crowded, step into the courtyard or the shop and come back; timed tickets can still mean a short wait on weekends.
Tickets bought online are non-refundable, so buy at the door if your plans might shift. If you have not booked a hotel yet, our Nashville Neighborhoods guide compares downtown stays within walking distance of the museum. If the museum must close for bad weather, online ticket holders can use their tickets within three weeks of the original date. Members get the best deal if you plan two or more visits, since membership also cuts the price of Frist Friday evening events.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the Frist Art Museum have no permanent collection?
The Frist is a nonprofit exhibition center, not a collecting museum, so it borrows shows from other museums and organizes its own. Exhibitions rotate every six to eight weeks across about 24,000 square feet of gallery space. That model keeps the lineup fresh but means you should check what is on before you go.
How much time should I plan at the Frist Art Museum?
Plan about two hours for the galleries, or three if your group spends time in Martin ArtQuest. The museum is compact, so most visitors see every open exhibition in one visit. Arrive by mid-afternoon if you want the full two hours, since most galleries close at 5:30 p.m.
Is the Frist Art Museum good for kids?
Yes, especially because of Martin ArtQuest, the hands-on gallery where kids make art at staffed stations. Guests 18 and younger always enter free, which makes a family visit cheap. Children under 13 need adult supervision, and strollers are welcome in the galleries.
Can I take photos inside the Frist Art Museum?
It depends on the gallery. Photography is often allowed, but lenders sometimes restrict it, so each gallery posts its own rules. Read the signs before you shoot, and never touch the art or cross stanchions. Phone calls belong outside the galleries.
When is the Frist Art Museum free or discounted?
Guests 18 and younger and members always enter free. College students with ID enter free on Thursdays from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Bank of America cardholders enter free on the first full weekend of each month. Seniors, military, and college students pay $16, but only for tickets bought in person.
Is the Frist Art Museum open every day?
No, it is closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Hours are Monday, Friday, and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. It is also closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Bottom Line
Go for the exhibitions, stay for the building, and let kids loose in Martin ArtQuest. Check the Frist’s calendar before you go, since the rotating lineup is the whole point of the visit.