Discovery Park of America

Discovery Park of America grew out of the vision and generosity of a local family foundation that wanted to create a first-rate educational destination in rural West Tennessee, a place to inspire children and adults alike to see beyond their everyday world. The result was an ambitious museum and park built on a scale rarely seen in a town of Union City's size.

When it opened in the 2010s, the park immediately stood out for the quality and breadth of its exhibits, more like an institution you might expect in a major city. It quickly became a regional draw and a point of pride for the community, proof that a bold idea and a committed donor could plant a world-class attraction in the countryside.

The main building is organized into themed galleries that let visitors roam across an enormous range of subjects. Science and space exhibits sit near natural history displays with fossils and a dinosaur, while other halls explore energy, transportation, weapons and war, regional history, and the arts. A striking feature is a large model of the human body that visitors can walk through and even slide down.

At the center rises a soaring atrium topped by an observation tower, reached by elevator, which opens onto wide views over the flat West Tennessee landscape. The combination of depth in each subject and sheer variety across them makes the museum feel almost inexhaustible in a single visit.

Beyond the main building, the grounds unfold into a large heritage park designed to bring history and nature outdoors. Historic buildings moved to the site, gardens, a chapel, a covered bridge, water features, military aircraft and vehicles, a train, and interpretive exhibits are scattered across the landscaped acreage, inviting a long, wandering exploration.

The outdoor park effectively doubles the experience, so on a pleasant day visitors can spend as much time outside as in. It gives families room to roam and turns a museum trip into something closer to a full day out.

Discovery Park sits in a quiet corner of the state near the Kentucky line and the Mississippi River, in the flat, fertile country of the Tennessee lowlands. Union City is a small hub for the surrounding farm communities, and the park has become its most famous landmark.

The region holds another remarkable attraction nearby in Reelfoot Lake, a cypress-filled lake formed by great earthquakes and famous for its bald eagles and bird life, so a Discovery Park visit pairs well with a trip out to that watery wilderness.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.