Statements
Mission
The Belmont Mansion Association's mission is to interpret, preserve, and restore Belmont Mansion and the story of those who lived and worked on the estate, including the Acklen and Cheatham families, and the enslaved, free Black and immigrant workers in the context of local, regional, and national history through tours, exhibitions, publications, restored period spaces, and the collecting of original materials.
Background
Begun in 1850, Belmont Mansion is the largest antebellum historic house museum in the State of Tennessee. Preservation of the house began in 1972 when members of the Belmont University community and members of the community-at-large came together to restore this significant Nashville landmark. The following year, work began on the exterior restoration and repair of the mansion. In 1973, the non-profit Belmont Mansion Association began acquiring furnishings and artwork to form a museum collection that would allow the house to be interpreted as the 19th century home of the Adelicia and Joseph Acklen family. The house opened for tours in 1976 with eight rooms available to the public, two days a week. Today the collection contains over one thousand pieces, and approximately 40% of the furniture and 45% of the art collection is original to the house. There are now 16 rooms restored and open to the public, seven days a week, year-round. Research on the history of the house, its construction and the people who lived and worked in it began in 1972 and is ongoing.
Impact
Constructed between 1850 and 1860, Belmont Mansion was the home of Adelicia and Joseph Acklen. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, this Victorian house provides a unique opportunity to explore one of the few 1850s era homes still standing in Nashville while learning about the people - enslaved, free Black and immigrant - whose stories make this site important to local, regional, and national history.
The Association's commitment to research is the foundation upon which an accurate interpretation and authentic restoration of the house's historic interiors rests. In this regard, the interpretation is continually updated to reflect current research, and rooms and spaces within the house continue to be restored allowing for a more complete story of all who lived and worked in the house . Currently the Billiard room and three service spaces used by enslaved and free Blacks and European immigrants are undergoing restoration. To ensure this history is shared, the museum offers personable, engaging tour experiences for visitors in a variety of formats to accommodate various learning styles and demographics.
As part of its mission of sharing the history of the house within a context of local, regional, and national history the Association offers evening events focused on local history topics, special weekend symposiums, and day-long trips to nearby historical sites. Belmont Mansion partnered with the Tennessee Historical Society to bring a series of public lectures prior to the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic. In time, the two organizations will return to this academic service to the larger Nashville community. The museum hosts visitors from around the world and has been a primary site for Nashville's booming tourism industry. The museum is now widely regarded as a 'must-see' for anyone interested in women's history, Tennessee history, Civil War history, Decorative Arts, or historic architecture.
Needs
Restoration and interpretation is an ongoing mission for the Belmont Mansion Association. As part of that mission, the current needs are financial support for the restoration of the Billiard room alongside the restoration of the food service pantry, dish pantry and service gallery used by the enslaved, free Black, and immigrant staff. Donations are sought from individuals, corporations, and foundations to continue the restoration of the interior to its original state and to reclaim artwork, furniture, and other pieces original to the Acklen family. An annual giving campaign held during the Christmas season helps underwrite the ongoing mission of education, restoration, and collecting of original objects. For 2023 the campaign is being held with the commemoration of the 170th anniversary of the family moving into the house.
CEO Statement
The growth of the tourism industry in Nashville provides opportunities for Belmont Mansion to expand its audience, and increase visitation and visibility beyond our traditional local audiences. We also embrace the challenge of telling the complete story of the White, Black, free, enslaved and immigrant families that lived and worked on the Belmont Mansion estate. We take on this challenge through guided tours, publications, online platforms and museum exhibitions.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Arts, Culture & Humanities - Historical Societies & Historic Preservation |
| Secondary Category: | Arts, Culture & Humanities - History Museums |
| Tertiary Category: | Arts, Culture & Humanities - Historical Organizations |
Areas Served
Belmont Mansion is located in Davidson County. Our events and public programming draw attendees from across the Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky region. People from around the country - and the world - visit the Mansion for guided tours.
| TN - Davidson |
