The original 1904 mansion, known as the Hunter House, was built for George Thomas Hunter, a local businessman and chairman of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company.
The 2005 expansion project was led by the architecture firm Randall Stout, a former protégé of Frank Gehry.
The museum's cantilevered glass bridge-like structure extends over the cliffside, providing unobstructed views of the river below.
The collection includes works by notable American artists such as Mary Cassatt, George Bellows, and Winslow Homer.
The museum site was once home to the Chattanooga glass company owned by the Hunter family.
The building's design incorporates copper and steel elements intended to weather and oxidize over time, mirroring the industrial history of the city.
The museum grounds serve as a permanent host to a significant collection of contemporary outdoor kinetic and bronze sculptures.
The Hunter Museum of American Art is situated on an 80-foot limestone bluff overlooking the Tennessee River in Chattanooga. The museum complex integrates three distinct architectural periods: a 1904 Classical Revival mansion, a 1975 brutalist structure, and a 2005 contemporary expansion. Its permanent collection features American art spanning from the colonial era to the present day, including paintings, sculptures, and contemporary craft. The site serves as the anchor of the Bluff View Art District. The museum grounds include an outdoor sculpture garden that connects directly to the Walnut Street Bridge. The collection emphasizes the evolution of American identity through visual media. Visitors can access the collection through rotating exhibitions and thematic galleries. The building design allows for panoramic views of the river gorge.
The glass-walled mezzanine area overlooking the river or the exterior balcony of the 2005 wing.
Combine your visit with a walk across the adjacent historic Walnut Street Bridge.
Check the museum website for the monthly 'First Thursday' community events which often feature extended access.
Use the outdoor terrace areas to view the Tennessee River bend and the Coolidge Park area below.
Visiting only the indoor galleries and neglecting the outdoor sculpture garden and cliffside walking paths.
Closed on Tuesdays.
No flash photography in galleries; large bags and backpacks must be checked at the admissions desk.
