City: Nashville, TN

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (615) 356-8000

Address: 1200 Forrest Park Dr.

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Description: This magnificent 1929 mansion, surrounded by 55 acres of botanical gardens, lawns, and fountains, is one of Nashville’s favorite attractions. It was once the private estate of the Leslie Cheek family. Cheek was the cousin and business associate of Joel Cheek, founder of Maxwell House coffee. In 1960 the family gave the estate to the nonprofit Tennessee Botanical Gardens and Fine Arts Center. Today the mansion houses the Museum of Art, a prestigious collection of 19th- and 20th-century American art as well as major traveling art exhibits. The 3-story neo-Georgian mansion was built with Tennessee limestone quarried on the property. The house sits atop a hill surrounded by formal gardens designed by Cheekwood architect Bryant Fleming. A walk through these lovely gardens is a must. They feature marble sculptures, water gardens, and bubbling streams. The design includes an award-winning wildflower garden, an herb garden, a perennial garden, a traditional Japanese garden, and a dogwood trail. Along the border of the property is the Woodland Sculpture Trail, a mile-long trail featuring more than a dozen sculptures by artists from around the world.Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall features horticultural exhibits, flower shows, and the annual Season of Celebration holiday show. Inside the main gate are the Pineapple Room Restaurant, offering regional cuisine, and the Cheekwood Museum Gift Shop, where you’ll find a selection of books, Tennessee crafts, and nice gift items. The Frist Learning Center offers classes, lectures, workshops, and special events for all ages relating to horticulture and art. Cheekwood is 8 miles southwest of downtown, off Belle Meade Boulevard and Highway 100. Cheekwood is open Tues through Sun. It is closed Mon, except for Memorial Day and Labor Day, and is also closed the second Sat in June, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and on several days in Jan.