Your Guide to the 5 Best Museums in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg
From theme parks to aquariums, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are home to a variety of things to do. If you’re looking for something both educational and fun, plan a trip to one of the popular museums in the area! You can uncover secrets from American crime history and take pictures with your favorite Hollywood stars. To help you plan your visit, we’ve put together a guide of the 5 best museums in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg:
1. Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge
The Titanic Museum Attraction is definitely a can’t-miss destination in Pigeon Forge. The museum features full-scale recreations of rooms on the RMS Titanic, as well as more than 400 artifacts from the actual ship! When you board the ship, you’ll receive a boarding pass of one of the passengers or crew members who were on the Titanic. You can discover the fate of the face on your boarding pass in the Memorial Room. This museum allows visitors to touch a real iceberg, reach their hands into 28-degree water, stand on sloping decks, walk a replica of the Grand Staircase, and truly feel what it was like to be a passenger on the ship.
2. Alcatraz East Crime Museum
The Alcatraz East Crime Museum is one of a kind! Located at The Island in Pigeon Forge, this museum allows visitors to explore American history from a different perspective through 5 unique galleries. The galleries dig deep into criminal profiles, the penal system, crime prevention, our justice system, and more. Some of the most famous artifacts in the museum is the White Ford Bronco from the televised O.J. Simpson car chase and Ted Bundy’s 1968 Volkswagen Beetle.
3. Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum
The Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum in Gatlinburg is one of the most unique attractions in the Smokies. When you visit, you’ll be able to see more than 20,000 sets of salt and pepper shakers from around the world in the world’s only salt and pepper shaker museum! There are a variety of shakers, from food items to animals. Admission for the museum is only $3 for adults, which goes toward any item you want to purchase in the gift shop.
4. Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
To see strange and unusual items from all across the world, visit Ripley’s Believe It or Not! The museum features 500 exhibits and artifacts that you have to see to believe. There are authentic shrunken heads, a 19th century vampire killing kit, an albino giraffe, and so much more. You’ll even get to see a car covered in crystals! Our favorite part of the museum is the tribute gallery to the Smoky Mountains, which has exhibits on the synchronized fireflies and the tallest underground waterfall.
5. Hollywood Wax Museum
To get pictures with all your favorite celebrities, visit the Hollywood Wax Museum! Walk the red carpet and see wax figures of TV and movie stars that are so detailed you’ll have to check twice to make sure they’re not real. Some celebrities you’ll have the chance to see include Michael Jackson and Sandra Bullock. While you’re there, you can also experience a 5D adventure, a mirror maze, and a zombie adventure! Learn more about all the fun things you can do at the Hollywood Wax Museum!
The museums in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are just some of the top attractions in the area! Check out all the fun things to do in the Smoky Mountains that you can try during your vacation.