June 2026: Visiting the Beck Cultural Exchange Center

When I travel, I like to find things to do that aren’t typically touristy. When I was deciding what to do for June’s post, I thought about things I haven’t done yet in Knoxville—and also the kinds of things I’d want to do if I were visiting Knoxville as a traveler, looking at it through a different lens, if you will.

I love museums. I love finding small, out-of-the-way museums, big museums, art museums—all the museums. Knoxville is home to some great ones too: the Knoxville Museum of Art, MUSE Knoxville, McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture, and the East Tennessee Historical Society. The list goes on and on. But one really stood out to me as I was considering where we should go for our next stop: the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, located at 1927 Dandridge Avenue in East Knoxville.

I chose this museum because I hadn’t been there before, but also because it felt especially fitting with the upcoming Juneteenth celebration on June 19. I went in expecting a quick tour—take some photos, learn some history about African American culture in Knoxville—but what I found went far beyond that.

First, you should know that the cultural center is currently under construction. They’ve added the Delaney House, located next door to the museum, as part of the campus. Because construction is ongoing, the front driveway is closed. You’ll need to enter through the back entrance on Saxton Avenue. Once you park, you’ll go in through the Archives entrance.

But what a warm and welcoming entrance it is. I was greeted by Theresa, one of four employees at the center. She was warm, inviting, and generous with her time as she showed me around. We started in the main exhibit hall, the Margaret Carson Library, which is dedicated in large part to Nikki Giovanni. There are some amazing items that belonged to Nikki, including copies of her books, along with books from her personal collection. Throughout the tour, you’ll also see many artifacts that have been donated to Beck over the years.

Next, we walked through replica rooms dedicated to preserving the history of not only Knoxville’s African American community, but also the history of African people more broadly. Theresa and I had a long conversation about some of the artifacts—items connected to the transatlantic slave trade, including a ball and chain and a replica slave ship, all authentic pieces donated to the cultural center. It was incredibly powerful.

All of this led into one of the community rooms, where there was a 30-minute video introducing the cultural center and the heart of its work, including a discussion of Knoxville’s urban renewal project.

I’ll admit—I didn’t know much about urban renewal before visiting, either here in Knoxville or elsewhere. The video is an important part of the tour and absolutely shouldn’t be missed. It explains what happened across the country, but also what happened here in our own backyard. It also helps put so much of Knoxville’s history into context. Growing up here, I was familiar with places like “The Bottom” and Vine Street, but the video helped me better understand how East Knoxville was divided during urban renewal and how those changes shaped the city. It may surprise you to learn that the new baseball stadium sits on land that was once part of that urban renewal project.

There is, of course, so much history within the center itself, but one of Beck’s newer additions—aside from the Delaney House, which I’ll get to in a moment—is the “Cultural Corridor” section of their website. It serves as a guide to African American history and culture throughout downtown Knoxville. It’s easy to find online, and there are QR codes placed throughout the experience that you can scan to take yourself on a tour.

As for the Delaney House: the Beck Cultural Exchange Center acquired the home—once the residence of renowned artist Beauford Delaney—and is currently renovating it into an art gallery, community education center, and artist-in-residence space. They have big plans for it, and it’s going to be an incredible addition not only to the cultural center, but to Knoxville as a whole.

One last stop on the tour was the archives. I got to meet the archivist, Brianna, and take a behind-the-scenes tour. She understood my librarian tendencies immediately—and my awe at the work they’re doing, especially in the archives. I got a glimpse into what happens behind the scenes: all donated or acquired materials come through the archives first, then are processed and distributed throughout the center depending on the item and where it will ultimately live.

The vision of the center is “to be the desired place that people go to learn, discover, and experience the rich legacy of African Americans inside a vibrant Cultural Corridor, the Beck Cultural Corridor.” And I, for one, think they are doing an amazing job of bringing that vision to life.

The Beck Cultural Exchange Center is funded through private donations, as well as state and federal funding, and through donations from visitors. Tours are free, but I recommend allowing up to two hours for the full experience. You can even become a member of the Beck Cultural Exchange Center!

And if you can’t make it for the Juneteenth celebration, they also celebrate the Eighth of August at the new stadium. What is the Eighth of August? It marks the day enslaved people in Tennessee were emancipated in 1863.

I left with far more than a few photos and a quick history lesson—I left with a deeper appreciation for Knoxville, its stories, and the work being done to preserve them for the next generation. And you don’t have to live in Knoxville or visit Knoxville in order to learn more about the Beck Cultural Exchange Center. Their website is full of history and information. They are always happy to answer questions or help with your research needs.

You can find Beck online via their website, Facebook, and Instagram pages. Please note:  all photos are Courtesy of the Dr. Robert J. Booker Archive Studio at Beck Cultural Exchange Center, Knoxville, TN

About the Author:

Kristin is the founder of Chicken Librarian (and Yarn & Sundries Mobile Antiques), where she shares real-life stories, seasonal living inspiration, and her love for all things local. A freelance blogger and storyteller since 2017, Kristin chronicles her journey at chickenlibrarian.com, celebrating slower living, community, and the beauty in everyday moments. From exploring small-town bakeries and local shops to life on her farmstead, her writing invites readers to notice, savor, and connect with the world around them.