COVID-19 Closings at ETHS: Museum of East Tennessee History

UPDATED:

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., March 31, 2020 – As part of the ongoing battle to contain COVID-19, ETHS is doing its part to help keep our community as safe as possible. ETHS—its offices and the Museum—will remain closed until further noticeas part of the State of Tennessee’s and Knox County’s “Safer at Home” directive. The re-opening date for the East Tennessee History Center will be shared as soon as it is known.

To stay informed of further plans and to access information and resources about “all things history,” we urge ETHS members, patrons, and friends to regularly check our website www.eastTNhistory.org and follow us on Facebook, Pinterest,and Instagram. We look forward to the time when the History Center is open and public programming is resumed. 

ETHS voluntarily closed the Museum of East Tennessee History and the Auditorium on March 18 with the initial hope of re-opening by April 3, 2020, but had to be extended with the exact date unknown. To date, all public programming through the first of May has been cancelled or postponed. 

 

ETHS staff can be reached via the Society’s email address at eths@easttnhistory.org or the main phone number is 865-215-8824.  Staff members are working remotely and checking their work emails and office direct phone lines for messages throughout the day.  Staff’s direct contact information is also listed on the ETHS website http://www.easttnhistory.org/about/staff-members

 

UPDATED:

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., March 20, 2020 – As the COVID-19 Pandemic environment continues to evolve the East Tennessee Historical Society (ETHS) reports today that the staff will begin working remotely from home effective Monday, March 23, 2020, until further notice as their building has been closed to protect both the public and employees.  

The East Tennessee History Center is a Knox County owned building that houses the ETHS offices and Museum of East Tennessee History, The McClung Collection, Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound, and Knox County Archive, all of which are now closed as of 3/20/20.  

ETHS staff can be reached via the Society’s email address at eths@eastTNhistory.orgor the main phone number  is 865-215-8824.  Staff members will also be checking their work emails and office direct phone lines for messages daily.  Staff’s direct contact information is also listed on the ETHS website http://www.easttnhistory.org/about/staff-members.   

ETHS staff will keep you apprised of further plans, new developments via e-news messages to our members, patrons and friends, via our website www.eastTNhistory.organd by following us on Facebook during this time of crisis.  We look forward to the time we can re-open the History Center and resume our public programming.  

 

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., March 18, 2020 – “The East Tennessee Historical Society (ETHS) values the well-being of its members, patrons and visitors from East Tennessee and throughout the world, and we are committed to do our part to keep our communities safe from the spread of the CoronaVirus (COVID-19),” said Executive Director Cherel Henderson.

“In accordance with the guidance from the CDC, Governor Lee, Knox County Mayor Jacobs, and Knoxville City Mayor Kincannon, we are announcing today that the Museum of East Tennessee History, located in the East Tennessee History Center at 601 S. Gay St. in downtown Knoxville, will be closed as of Thursday, March 19, 2020, through Friday, April 3, 2020. We will continue to monitor the situation and re-evaluate as needed going forward.”

All ETHS public programming – Brown Bags, lectures, genealogy classes, teacher workshops, and student museum tours- have been postponed for dates to be determined when it is deemed to be safe for public gatherings. The ETHS Annual Meeting and Awards scheduled for May 5, 2020, has been cancelled and will be rescheduled for later in the summer.

Our Education staff is creating a Facebook page with online curriculum resources for students, parents and teachers that they can access to assist with their online coursework. That page can be accessed at http://www.eastTNhistory.org or on the ETHS Facebook page.

In addition the auditorium located in the History Center will be closed for usage by outside groups from March 15-May 9, 2020. ETHS staff are currently contacting all parties who had bookings to use the auditorium during that time period to let them know that it will not be available. ETHS staff will continue to work with groups for future scheduling.

The Knox County Library’s McClung Collection and the Knox County Archives located in the East Tennessee History Center currently remain open as of this date, however, services are limited. No public programming, computer or microfilm usage is available; however, staff will continue to be available to assist patrons. More information is available on the Knox County Library’s website
https://www.knoxlib.org/about/news-and-publications/press-releases/state...

During this time ETHS staff will be working behind the scenes with rescheduling and planning new programs, exhibitions, and events, and will continue to be available by phone or email, at www.eastTNhistory.org and via our e-news for members, patrons and the general public.