Visit six museums for the price of one at Museum Hop

Since Songbirds Guitar Museum opened in February, General Manager Irv Berner has already noticed a pattern among its visitors.

"We have found that the majority of our visitors are from out of town and also that many locals are still unaware that we even exist," he says.

For that reason, Berner is hoping that the first Museum Hop on Friday, Aug. 25, will raise awareness and interest in the new museum on the campus of the Chattanooga Choo Choo.

Songbirds is one of six area museums participating in this self-guided tour for tourists and locals. Museum Hop will last from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $10 for all six stops, a savings of more than $50; however, registration is required to get that price.

Mary Gregory glass is displayed at the Houston Museum of Decorative Arts.

An M-47 Patton tank is displayed at the 6th Cavalry Museum in Fort Oglethorpe, Ga.

Museum Hop was the idea of Amy Autenreith, executive director of Houston Museum. She says the idea was inspired by a Free Museum Day sponsored by Smithsonian Magazine. She has included venues of interest to men, women and all ages.

In addition to Songbirds, the other Hop stops are Houston Museum of Decorative Arts, Charles H. Coolidge Medal of Honor Heritage Center, Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, Bessie Smith Cultural Center and the 6th Cavalry Museum in Fort Oglethorpe, Ga.

"Chattanooga is known for its museums and great tourism offerings ... Fort Oglethorpe is not nearly as well known and there are lots of people who don't know the history of the Army Post or that we even have a museum here," says Chris McKeever, executive director of the 6th Cavalry Museum.

"People who are taking the Museum Hop are interested in history, so we get to showcase 45 years of military history," she says of the years the Army post was in Fort Oglethorpe.

In addition to preserving the history of the Fighting 6th Cavalry with exhibits such as a 1944 Willys Jeep and M-47 Patton Tank, the museum staff will serve oatmeal cookies made from a World War II recipe and tell the history of candy during the years of the war.

"So we'll have a hospitality station for our visitors to enjoy," adds McKeever.

Berner says it's his hope this promotion will get the word out to local residents that Chattanooga has numerous great museums and attractions right in their own backyard.

Register for Museum Hop at www.tvrail.com or call 423-894-8028.

Then pick up your "passport" at any of the participating museums. Get it stamped at each stop and when it's filled you will receive a T-shirt boasting "I Hopped Them All."

Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.