There is an excellent museum about the history of East Tennessee at the East Tennessee History Center (601 S. Gay St., 865/215-8830, www.east-tennessee-history.org, Mon.–Sat. 9 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 1–5 p.m., adults $5, seniors $4, children $3). The permanent exhibit, titled “Voices of the Land: The People of East Tennessee,” offers a sweeping survey of East Tennessee history, from its early Native American inhabitants to the beginnings of the modern-day tourist trade in the Great Smoky Mountains.

In between, you learn about the region’s groundbreaking abolitionists, its writers and musicians, and the everyday lives of residents during tumultuous periods like the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement. The voices of some 350 people are used to bring the tale to life, as are artifacts such as Davy Crockett’s rifle, a ring once belonging to Cherokee “Beloved Woman” Nancy Ward, and the painting Hauling of Marble by Lloyd Branson. The underlying message is that East Tennessee’s story cannot be lumped into that of the entire state; the region is unique.

The exhibit includes several audio and video presentations and hundreds of panels to read and examine. Plan on spending at least two hours here.

The History Center is located in the city’s old customs house, a handsome white marble structure built in 1874. For most of its life, the building housed federal offices and a U.S. post office. Later, it was a headquarters for the Tennessee Valley Authority.