Free in Nashville: the Tennessee State Museum, State Capitol tours, Fort Negley, 99 miles of greenways, 14 dog parks, spraygrounds and nature center programs.

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. Each item comes from the operator’s own page, linked below: the Tennessee State Museum, the State Capitol visitor page, Fort Negley and Metro Parks. “Free” means free admission; parking may cost extra.

Two of downtown Nashville’s best history stops cost nothing: the Tennessee State Museum, where admission is free, and the Tennessee State Capitol, which runs free guided tours on weekdays. Beyond them, Metro Parks offers more than 99 miles of greenways, 14 fenced dog parks, free spraygrounds in summer and free open swim at most city pools. Metro Parks: 615-862-8400.

Free at a glance

  • Tennessee State Museum: free; closed Monday.
  • State Capitol tours: free; weekdays, six guided tours a day.
  • Fort Negley: park open dawn to dusk for self-guided tours.
  • Outdoors: greenways, dog parks, spraygrounds (Memorial Day to Labor Day).

Museums and history

  • Tennessee State Museum, 1000 Rosa L. Parks Blvd.: free admission. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday.
  • Tennessee State Capitol, 600 Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Blvd., at the top of Capitol Hill: admission and tours are free. Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, closed on state holidays. Guided 45-minute tours start at 9, 10 and 11 a.m. and 1, 2 and 3 p.m. at the first-floor information desk; self-guided visits are also allowed. Parking is in paid lots or at meters.
  • Fort Negley Park: the Civil War fort’s park is open dawn to dusk for self-guided walking tours, with maps at the visitors center porch kiosk and education panels along paved paths. Metro Parks also runs a half-mile guided walking tour on several mornings a week; times are on the Parks events calendar. During construction the half-mile trail stays open but the fort structure at the top of the hill is closed; parking is very limited.

Parks and trails

  • Greenways: more than 99 miles of paved, off-street trails, plus 42 miles of hiking and 26 of mountain biking, open dawn to dusk. Distances and trailheads: walking and biking trails.
  • Shelby Park: playgrounds, Sevier Lake for casual fishing and the Shelby Park Community Center’s free programs; open dawn to 11 p.m. (Metro Parks).
  • Centennial Park: 132 acres on West End Avenue with a one-mile walking trail, Lake Watauga and a sunken garden (Metro Parks).
  • Dog parks: 14 fenced Metro dog parks, free (dog-friendly Nashville).

Water play

  • Spraygrounds at Kirkpatrick and Watkins parks: free, Memorial Day through Labor Day.
  • Metro pools: free during open swim and lap swim, except Wave Country and the Centennial Sportsplex.

Nature centers and programs

Metro’s four nature centers (Warner Park, Shelby Bottoms, Beaman Park and Bells Bend) run hikes, bird banding, story times, star parties and craft sessions. Some need registration by email; check each event page for any fee. Coming up on the Parks events calendar:

  • Star Party, Bells Bend Outdoor Center, 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14.
  • “Leave the Leaves” Day, Shelby Bottoms Nature Center, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14.
  • Full Moon Hikes, Bells Bend and Beaman Park, evening of Tuesday, Nov. 24.

Library

Nashville Public Library branches offer free story times for children of all ages, Spanish Story Time and drop-in programs.

What this means for you

  • A free downtown day: pair the State Museum with a Capitol tour on a Tuesday to Friday; the Capitol tours run weekdays only, and the museum is closed Mondays.
  • Families: see kids’ activities for playgrounds, story times and rainy-day picks.

Related guides: kids’ activities, walking and biking trails, Lower Broadway and history and landmarks.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Tennessee State Museum free?

Yes. Admission is free. The museum, 1000 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, and closed Monday.

Can you tour the Tennessee State Capitol for free?

Yes. Admission and tours are free. Guided 45-minute tours run weekdays at 9, 10 and 11 a.m. and 1, 2 and 3 p.m. from the first-floor information desk. The Capitol is closed on state holidays.

Is Fort Negley free?

The park is open dawn to dusk for self-guided walking tours, with maps at the visitors center kiosk. Metro Parks also runs guided half-mile walking tours. The fort structure at the top of the hill is closed during construction.

What can kids do for free in Nashville?

Metro’s spraygrounds (summer), open swim at most Metro pools, Shelby Park’s playgrounds, library story times and many Metro nature center programs are free.

Are Nashville greenways free?

Yes. More than 99 miles of paved greenways are open dawn to dusk at no charge, along with 42 miles of hiking trails and 26 miles of mountain bike trails.