See what’s going on at the Frist during the dates you are planning to visit.


Martin ArtQuest®

ArtQuest is the Frist’s inclusive and interactive art-making space where guests of all ages can get creative—draw, animate, make prints, paint, and more!

ArtQuest is open all hours the Frist is open and is included with gallery admission (youth 18 and under are always free).

Mom, dad and two young daughters smile and hold up paintings they just made


Exhibitions

Drawing of a black man in four different poses drawn in different colors.

Sole Study

Apr 10, 2025–Apr 10, 2026
Under the direction of Student Curator Gopal Pokharel (Sumiran) from Fisk University and Student Designer Myles Jones, a senior at Tennessee State University, Sole Study was created through Project Uplift, a program designed in partnership with Fisk and TSU to offer a student or recent graduate an opportunity to curate,… Read More
Rendering of a possible idea for the east bank in Nashville showing buildings and a park like setting with people milling about

Avenues to a Great City

Jul 4–Dec 14, 2025
The Civic Design Center and the Frist Art Museum have partnered to create Avenues to a Great City, on view in the Conte Community Arts Gallery from July 4 through December 14. Visitors are invited to consider the complex art of civic design through an exploration of the growth of Nashville… Read More
Man taking a photo of a masquerade ensemble

New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations

Oct 10, 2025–Jan 4, 2026
New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations highlights the stories of four contemporary masquerade artists, their motivations, artistic choices, and the patronage and economic networks with which they engage. Through the presentation of works of Chief Ekpenyong Bassey Nsa (Nigeria), David Sanou (Burkina Faso), Sheku “Goldenfinger” Fofanah (Sierra Leone), and Hervé… Read More
Black shirtless man facing right with a mesh material pulled over his face and chest on a light turquoise background

Fahamu Pecou: This Face Behind This Mask Behind This Skin

Oct 10, 2025–Jan 4, 2026
This Face Behind This Mask Behind This Skin presents the work of Atlanta-based artist and scholar Dr. Fahamu Pecou. The exhibition’s title reads like a mantra—an embodiment of being and becoming. Dr. Pecou’s work explores contemporary representations of Black masculinity and identity through painting, mixed-media sculpture, and critical theory. This exhibition brings… Read More
A young Paul McCartney holding a camera taking a photo of himself in a mirror

Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–64: Eyes of the Storm

Nov 6, 2025–Jan 26, 2026
Organized by the National Portrait Gallery, London, this exhibition presents selections from an extraordinary archive of recently discovered photographs taken by Paul McCartney between December 1963 and February 1964. Over the course of these three short months, The Beatles—Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr—were propelled from being… Read More
The architect’s black-and-white rendering of the Frist Art Museum. Groups of people are seen walking into the building.

A Landmark Repurposed: From Post Office to Art Museum

Dec 19, 2025–Aug 1, 2026
Celebrating the Frist Art Museum’s 20th anniversary, this reimagined exhibition highlights the landmark building’s role as a civic institution, from its creation as Nashville’s main post office in 1934 to its reopening as a museum on April 8, 2001. Read More
Abstract oil painting by Karen Seapker with pastel colors and leaves.

In Her Place: Nashville Artists in the Twenty-First Century

Jan 29–Apr 26, 2026
In Her Place draws attention to the prominent position of women artists in our region and beyond through the presentation of nearly 100 paintings, sculptures, textiles, and installation works made by an intergenerational group of 28 celebrated Nashville-based women artists. Read More
Black woman in a red dress holding a smaller Black woman in a purple dress as they look endearingly at each other

Sistah Griot: The Iconoclastic Art of Barbara Bullock

Jan 29–Apr 26, 2026
This exhibition showcases the incisive and still-timely work of Nashville-based artist Barbara Bullock (1949−1996). Bullock moved to Nashville in 1969 after being raised by her aunt and uncle in Buffalo, New York, and studied art at George Peabody College for Teachers (now a part of Vanderbilt University). Fifteen years later,… Read More

The Impressionist Revolution: Monet to Matisse from the Dallas Museum of Art

Feb 27–May 31, 2026
The Impressionist Revolution: Monet to Matisse from the Dallas Museum of Art explores the fascinating story of impressionism from its birth in 1874 to its legacy in the early 20th century. Through nearly 50 paintings and sculptures, this exhibition reveals the rebellious origins of the independent artist collective known as… Read More
Surrealist painting of a bird and a woman in the moonlight by Joan Miro.

The Surrealist International:
Fifty Years of Dreams

May 22–Aug 30, 2026
Drawn from the Tate’s collection in England, The Surrealist International: Fifty Years of Dreams focuses on the long trajectory and broad international reach of surrealism as a state of mind through a captivating selection of paintings, photographs, sculptures, and other art objects, as well as publications and archival material. The… Read More
A group of people surround an intricate light box that cast patterned shadows across the room.

Anila Quayyum Agha: Interwoven

May 22–Aug 30, 2026
Anila Quayyum Agha: Interwoven spans two decades of the Pakistani American artist’s multifaceted practice across media including immersive installations, works on paper, paintings, and sculptures. Read More
Acrylic painting with colorful shapes

An Indigenous Present

Jun 26–Sep 27, 2026
An Indigenous Present, a thematic exhibition spanning 100 years of modern and contemporary Indigenous art, includes new commissions and significant works by 15 artists who use strategies of abstraction to represent personal and collective narratives, describe specific and imagined places, and build upon cultural and aesthetic traditions. Read More
Kaleidoscope type image with human shaped figure in the center surrounded by many vibrant colors and shapes

Shimmer: Dreaming the Posthuman

Sep 25, 2026–Jan 3, 2027
Shimmer: Dreaming the Posthuman features 16 artists working with both analog and emergent technologies to visualize the interrelationship between humanity, other species, and the earth itself. Read More
An intricate Torah Crown made of silver form Rhodes, Greece

Beauty and Ritual: Judaica from The Jewish Museum, New York

Oct 30, 2026–Feb 7, 2027
Drawn from the world-renowned collection of the Jewish Museum in New York City, this exhibition presents more than 130 Jewish ceremonial objects (Judaica) from antiquity to the present, including books, silver, and textiles. Read More

Events

Watercolor of the East Bank of Nashville

Panel Discussion: “Food for Thought: Avenues to a Great City”

Thursday, November 13, 2025, 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

REGISTRATION CLOSED Auditorium Free; registration required; gallery admission and boxed lunch are included.

This conversation will highlight Avenues to a Great City, a collaborative exhibition organized by the Civic Design Center and the Frist Art Museum. Read More
Tim Gartland playing the harmonica

Music in the Café: Tim Gartland Three

Thursday, November 13, 2025, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

Join us for a special performance by Tim Gartland in Café Cheeserie. Read More
Bright colored African Masquerade with people walking around it.

Exploring Diasporic Masquerades

Thursday, November 13, 2025, 6:30–7:30 p.m.

Auditorium Gallery admission required

Join us for a special performance and talk presented in conjunction with the exhibition New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations. Read More
A woman leads a tour through a gallery with African Masquerades.

Thirty-Minute Exhibition Tour 

Thursday, November 13, 2025, 6:30–7:00 p.m.

Gallery admission required

Repeats every Thursday evening
Learn more about New African Masquerades on this informal thirty-minute tour with a Frist Art Museum docent. Tours meet at the Ingram Gallery Information Desk. Read More
Frist Friday promo graphic featuring images of Paul McCartney

Frist Fridays 2025

Friday, November 14, 2025, 7:00–10:00 p.m.

Ages 21+ Tickets required

Join us for the final Frist Friday of the year with a ’60s themed celebration of Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–1964: Eyes of the Storm, featuring DJ John Stamps. Let the exhibition inspire your attire for an evening full of art, music, art-making activities, and more. Read More
Register
Graphic for Warhol Society after party with a photo of photographers in the 60s.

Warhol Society Frist Friday After-Party

Friday, November 14, 2025, 9:00–11:00 p.m.

Ages 21+ Tickets required

As a signature benefit, Frist Warhol Society members receive exclusive free access to an on-site after-party hosted by the Warhol Society Board. Enjoy late-night bites and beverages provided by Roberta’s and Urban Cowboy, a ’60s-inspired DJ set along with acoustic performances by Annie DiRusso, Sam Hoffman, O.N.E. The Duo,… Read More
Register
Teens stand around a jewelry vendor

Teen Fest

Saturday, November 15, 2025, 2:00–5:00 p.m.

Auditorium Free; gallery admission not required

The inaugural Teen Fest is a free event organized by teens for teens. The afternoon will include teen-led entertainment, hands-on activities, trivia, and a scavenger hunt in the galleries! Read More
Rising staircase in front of floor to ceiling window with metal detailing.

Architecture Tour

Saturday, November 15, 2025, 3:30–4:30 p.m.

Meet in the Grand Lobby Free; no reservations necessary

Offered every Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
When was the Frist Art Museum built? Who was the architect? Can you tell me about the floors in the galleries? Enjoy a guided tour of our landmark art deco building at 3:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. Read More
Musician Corey King stands with his guitar in front of a wooden door

Music in the Café: Corey King

Thursday, November 20, 2025, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

Join us for a special performance by Corey King, a Nashville-based singer and songwriter for The Ohio Weather Band. Read More
Man sketches painting in an art gallery

Drop-In Drawing

Thursday, November 20, 2025, 6:00–8:00 p.m.

Ingram Gallery Gallery admission required; materials included (first come, first served); all skill levels are welcome

Practice drawing techniques and skills, access technical guidance, and be inspired by the artworks in our galleries and the architecture of our building. Read More
A man guides a tour of African Masquerades in an art museum.

Thirty-Minute Exhibition Tour 

Thursday, November 20, 2025, 6:30–7:00 p.m.

Gallery admission required

Repeats every Thursday evening
Learn more about New African Masquerades on this informal thirty-minute tour with a Frist Art Museum docent. Tours meet at the Ingram Gallery Information Desk. Read More
Indigenash promotional poster

IndigeNash: Indigenous Arts Festival

Saturday, November 22, 2025, 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Auditorium Free; gallery admission not required

Join us for an Indigenous artisan market as part of the IndigeNash Festival presented by The Forge and IndigeNash. About IndigeNash Arts Festival Experience Nashville’s groundbreaking multimedia arts festival dedicated to the rich heritage and bold, contemporary contributions of Indigenous artists. Now in its second year, IndigeNash returns as a… Read More
Silver railing on ascending marble staircase

Architecture Tour

Sunday, November 23, 2025, 3:30–4:30 p.m.

Meet in the Grand Lobby Free; no reservations necessary

Offered every Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
When was the Frist Art Museum built? Who was the architect? Can you tell me about the floors in the galleries? Enjoy a guided tour of our landmark art deco building at 3:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. Read More
This is an image of architecture in the Frist building. The image depicts curves in the structure of the building, which include stars, ridges, and various textures. The image contains grays, blacks, and whites.

Architecture Tour

Saturday, November 29, 2025, 3:30–4:30 p.m.

Meet in the Grand Lobby Free; no reservations necessary

Offered every Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
When was the Frist Art Museum built? Who was the architect? Can you tell me about the floors in the galleries? Enjoy a guided tour of our landmark art deco building at 3:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. Read More
Museum Store Sunday sign and tote and a desk plate that reads

Museum Store Sunday

Sunday, November 30, 2025, 1:00–5:00 p.m.

Frist Gift Shop and Grand Lobby

Shop with purpose on Museum Store Sunday! We’re joining more than 2200 museums worldwide to participate in Museum Store Sunday, a global advocacy day to promote the value and importance of museum stores. In addition to all our gift shop favorites, we’re very excited to host several local vendors with… Read More
Four members of the Contrarian Ensemble standing and holding their instruments

Music in the Café: The Contrarian Ensemble

Thursday, December 4, 2025, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

The Contrarian Ensemble started as Contra-dance band and has been entertaining Nashville for over twenty five years with eclectic sets of acoustic music spanning centuries and genres. Flavors of bluegrass and jazz; traditional Irish, Italian, French music; and more are all on the menu. Read More
Woman views a pink painting by Fahamu Pecou.

Gallery Talk: “An Introspection on Identity”

Thursday, December 4, 2025, 6:30–7:00 p.m.

Gordon Contemporary Artists Project Gallery Gallery admission required

Join us for a gallery talk with Cayla Roach, the Frist’s summer Education and Engagement intern. Together, we’ll explore Fahamu Pecou’s work on display in the exhibition This Face Behind This Mask Behind This Skin. Read More
Promotional Graphic showing multiple hands showing different expressions with a map in the background.

Continuing the Vision: A Design Charrette

Saturday, December 6, 2025, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Auditorium Free; registration required

To close the Avenues to a Great City exhibition at the Frist Art Museum, which celebrates the twentieth anniversary of The Plan of Nashville, we think to the future. On a Saturday morning, we will gather attendees of all ages and all levels of design experience to consider what comes next in fulfilling… Read More
Open room with tall ceilings surrounded by windows.

Architecture Tour

Saturday, December 6, 2025, 3:30–4:30 p.m.

Meet in the Grand Lobby Free; no reservations necessary

Offered every Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
When was the Frist Art Museum built? Who was the architect? Can you tell me about the floors in the galleries? Enjoy a guided tour of our landmark art deco building at 3:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. Read More
Father and two sons wearing cowboy hats watching a woman demonstrating an activity

Frist Arts Fest

Sunday, December 7, 2025, 1:00–5:30 p.m.

Free for members and guests aged 18 and younger $20 for adults* *Military, senior, and student discounts are not available during Frist Arts Fest.

Join us for a day of performances, art making, music, and more celebrating the exhibitions New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations, Fahamu Pecou: This Face Behind This Mask Behind This Skin, and Paul McCartney Photographs 1963−64: Eyes of the Storm. Schedule of Events 1:00–5:00 p.m. Read More
Musician Ronny Criss hold a guitar in a black and white photo.

Music in the Café: Ronny Criss

Thursday, December 11, 2025, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

Join us for a special performance by Nashville-based singer-songwriter, Ronny Criss, in Café Cheeserie.  Read More
Movie poster for the film

Frist Films: A Hard Day’s Night (1964)

Thursday, December 11, 2025, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Auditorium Free; first come, first seated Rated G; 1 hour, 27 minutes

Embrace the Beatlemania and join us for a screening of A Hard Day’s Night (1964)! This movie is presented in conjunction with Paul McCartney Photographs 1963−64: Eyes of the Storm. Read More
Three people look at an African Masquerade in an art museum.

Thirty-Minute Exhibition Tour 

Thursday, December 11, 2025, 6:30–7:00 p.m.

Gallery admission required

Repeats every Thursday evening
Learn more about New African Masquerades on this informal thirty-minute tour with a Frist Art Museum docent. Tours meet at the Ingram Gallery Information Desk. Read More
metal detail showing an emblem of a plane, train, boat, and car

Architecture Tour

Sunday, December 14, 2025, 3:30–4:30 p.m.

Meet in the Grand Lobby Free; no reservations necessary

Offered every Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
When was the Frist Art Museum built? Who was the architect? Can you tell me about the floors in the galleries? Enjoy a guided tour of our landmark art deco building at 3:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. Read More
Jeff Taylor

Music in the Café: Jeff Taylor

Thursday, December 18, 2025, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

Join us for a special performance by Jeff Taylor, a Grammy Award–winning musician who has played with The Time Jumpers for twenty-five years. Read More
Group of people look at African Masquerades on a tour.

Thirty-Minute Exhibition Tour 

Thursday, December 18, 2025, 6:30–7:00 p.m.

Gallery admission required

Repeats every Thursday evening
Learn more about New African Masquerades on this informal thirty-minute tour with a Frist Art Museum docent. Tours meet at the Ingram Gallery Information Desk. Read More
Detail of the handrail on the marble steps in the Frist building

Architecture Tour

Saturday, December 20, 2025, 3:30–4:30 p.m.

Meet in the Grand Lobby Free; no reservations necessary

Offered every Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
When was the Frist Art Museum built? Who was the architect? Can you tell me about the floors in the galleries? Enjoy a guided tour of our landmark art deco building at 3:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. Read More
Bare-breasted woman sculpted out of metal found in the entrance to the Frist building

Architecture Tour

Sunday, December 28, 2025, 3:30–4:30 p.m.

Meet in the Grand Lobby Free; no reservations necessary

Offered every Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 p.m.
When was the Frist Art Museum built? Who was the architect? Can you tell me about the floors in the galleries? Enjoy a guided tour of our landmark art deco building at 3:30 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. Read More
Roadie band member

Music in the Café: Roadie

Thursday, January 8, 2026, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

Join us for a special performance by Roadie, a band that combines East-Coast flare with a Western Americana flair. Read More
Photo of Adam Paul in a jean jacket and sunglasses.

Music in the Café: Adam Paul

Thursday, January 15, 2026, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

Join us for a special performance by Adam Paul in Café Cheeserie. This guitar performance will focus on jazz and pop selections. Read More
Band members have a jam session in a recording studio

Music in the Café: AJ Huang Collective

Thursday, January 22, 2026, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

Join us for a special performance by the AJ Huang Collective in Café Cheeserie. Read More
Musician Corey King stands with his guitar in front of a wooden door

Music in the Café: Corey King

Thursday, January 29, 2026, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

Join us for a special performance by Corey King, a Nashville-based singer and songwriter for The Ohio Weather Band. Read More
Black and white photo of a band playing music surrounded by jack-o-lanterns

Music in the Café: Parker James, Paul DeFiglia, and Anson Hohne

Thursday, February 5, 2026, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Frist Art Museum Café Free; cash bar

Join us for a special performance by Parker James, Paul DeFiglia, and Anson Hohne Three in Café Cheeserie. Read More
The band Tramaine Arte'Mis & The 17 Jazz Band perform on a stage.

Music in the Café: Tramaine Arte’Mis & The I7 Jazz Band

Thursday, February 12, 2026, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

Join us for a special performance by Tramaine Arte’Mis & The I7 Jazz Band—making waves and turning heads with their authentic and eclectic smooth jazz sound. Read More
Musician, Bobby Frank, plays the handpan

Music in the Café: Bobby Frank

Thursday, February 19, 2026, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

Join us for a special performance by Bobby Frank in Café Cheeserie. Read More
A man plays piano and sings with a band behind him.

Music in the Café: Chip Greene

Thursday, February 26, 2026, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

Join us for a special performance by Chip Greene in Café Cheeserie. Listen to live music while enjoying a delicious dinner, light bites, or glass of wine or beer. Read More
The two men in Duo Sudeste play guitars with a green, yellow, and red striped overlay.

Music in the Café: Duo Sudeste

Thursday, March 5, 2026, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

Join us for a special performance by Duo Sudeste in Café Cheeserie.  Read More
Tim Gartland playing the harmonica

Music in the Café: Tim Gartland Three

Thursday, March 12, 2026, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

Join us for a special performance by Tim Gartland in Café Cheeserie. Read More
Singer Claire Kelly holds a guitar in a field

Music in the Café: Claire Kelly

Thursday, March 19, 2026, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

Join us for a special performance by Claire Kelly in Café Cheeserie. Read More
Musician Ronny Criss hold a guitar in a black and white photo.

Music in the Café: Ronny Criss

Thursday, March 26, 2026, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

Join us for a special performance by Nashville-based singer-songwriter, Ronny Criss, in Café Cheeserie.  Read More
Four members of the Contrarian Ensemble standing and holding their instruments

Music in the Café: The Contrarian Ensemble

Thursday, April 2, 2026, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

The Contrarian Ensemble started as Contra-dance band and has been entertaining Nashville for over twenty five years with eclectic sets of acoustic music spanning centuries and genres. Flavors of bluegrass and jazz; traditional Irish, Italian, French music; and more are all on the menu. Read More
Jeff Taylor

Music in the Café: Jeff Taylor

Thursday, April 9, 2026, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

Join us for a special performance by Jeff Taylor, a Grammy Award–winning musician who has played with The Time Jumpers for twenty-five years. Read More
A woman plays the cello and a man plays the guitar on a stage.

Music in the Café: Wil Maring and Robert Bowlin

Thursday, April 16, 2026, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

Award-winning singer-songwriter Wil Maring and virtuose guitarist and fiddler Robert Bowlin combine their talents, smoothly blending elements from old-time and bluegrass, jazz and blues, Celtic and country, to create an original acoustic music all their own. Read More
Raihanna Estrada poses on a couch with her guitar

Music in the Café: Raihanna Estrada

Thursday, April 30, 2026, 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Café Cheeserie Free

Join us for a special performance by Raihanna Estrada, a country artist and songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee with a voice that is vulnerable, powerful, and undeniably country. Read More
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