Chickasaw state park

Discovery Park of America

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Spark your spirit of creativity and exploration at this must-see in West Tennessee — Discovery Park of America! Its impressive, state-of-the-art 100,000-square-foot museum sits on a beautifully landscaped heritage park in Union City, Tennessee.

Take advantage of a variety of programs, exhibits and hands-on activities both inside and out to See Beyond. With more than 70,000 square feet of exhibits focused on nature, science, technology, history and art, the centerpiece of the park is a 100,000-square-foot building that showcases 10 exhibit galleries: Children’s Exploration, Energy, Enlightenment, Military, Native Americans, Natural History, Regional History, Science/Space/Technology, and Transportation. You’ll also find changing traveling exhibits in the Special Exhibit Gallery.

The center’s multi-story atrium is filled with exhibits that invite you to open your mind to a greater understanding and appreciation of our world… past, present and future. Highlights include:

  • a theater simulation of the 1811-12 earthquakes that shaped the land in this region;
  • a planetary tour in the starship theater;
  • a 20,000-gallon aquarium, revealing the underwater life of Reelfoot Lake;
  • a 60-foot replica of a human body with a 30-foot slide;
  • dinosaurs, fossils and Native American artifacts;
  • military equipment;
  • vintage automobiles;
  • and dozens more hands-on experiences, whatever your age.

 

While exploring Discovery Park’s 50 acres, you’ll find a water feature that bisects the site. Stroll by the circa-1800s gristmill, waterfalls and bridges, and connect with nature in Japanese, European and American gardens.

Step back in time by walking among log cabins, farm equipment and family items that provide you with a glimpse of rural life in the 1800s. Take in a 100-year-old church, as well as a train station with a locomotive and various cars, and a replica of the Liberty Bell.

Since its doors opened in 2013, millions of children and adults have benefited from the vision, generosity and hospitality of the Robert Kirkland family and the community of Union City. We invite you to be our honored guest and See Beyond.


A black signpost with “Chapel” and “Discovery Center” stands among green leaves; a white, modern building with a U.S. flag is visible in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
A dinosaur skeleton is displayed in a museum with large glass windows, allowing natural light to illuminate the bones. Green plants are visible in the foreground.
A red caboose and wooden pavilion sit beside a pond, surrounded by green grass and trees, with a church steeple visible in the background under a cloudy sky.
A modern white building with curved roofs stands by a calm pond, reflecting in the water. A smaller church-like structure with a steeple is on the right. Green grass and trees surround the scene under a blue sky.
A family of five looks closely at a detailed miniature model of a historical camp display inside a museum, with tents and small figures under glass.
Large mammoth skeleton on display in a museum exhibit, with two people standing nearby observing. Museum lights illuminate the skeleton, and various informational panels and displays are visible in the background.
Three people, including a young boy, closely observe animals or exhibits inside a glass enclosure at a dimly lit museum or science center.
A child looks into an aquarium from a clear bubble in the wall, surrounded by fish and underwater plants in a dimly lit, immersive exhibit.
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