Photography in Tennessee: Early Studios and the Medium's First Century

Photography in Tennessee: Early Studios and the Medium's First Century looks at the first century of Tennessee photography from Daguerre’s invention to the mid-1900s. Early photography and the stories of the men and women behind and in front of the camera can reveal the powerful roles these images played in their original contexts and today.

This exhibition explores the origins and impact of photography in the state, highlighting social and political history through the medium's early development. Featured is a selection of photographs from the Tennessee State Museum’s collection – among them tintypes, ambrotypes, and daguerreotypes – that include some of the earliest surviving images from Tennessee.