Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park in Tennessee, USA - map and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-10-27. Check linked official notices before travel.

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park in downtown Nashville presents Tennessee’s history through monuments, a granite state map, and landscaped walkways below the State Capitol. Tennessee State Parks manages this urban park. Plan a walking visit with flexibility: improvement work can temporarily close areas and affect nearby streets or parking.

Highlights

Use the Tennessee Map Plaza to orient yourself to the state, then connect the Pathway of History with the World War II Memorial and Court of Three Stars. The 95-bell carillon gives the north end of the park a musical focus.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Safety information

Follow construction signs and avoid closed work areas. Allow room for other people and groups at exhibits. Current improvement work can change the usable walking route, so do not assume every monument is accessible from your chosen parking space.

Visit responsibly

Stay on the established walkways, protect the memorials and plantings, and take litter with you. Event organizers may not place items within the Court of Three Stars, a restriction intended to protect the monument.

Reservations and permits

For organized events, contact the park directly about space reservations and conditions. The park venue information distinguishes rental areas and the amphitheater; renting a space is a separate decision from an ordinary walk through the park.

Maps, location, and access

The park lies north of the Capitol between James Robertson Parkway and Jefferson Street, bounded by 6th and 7th Avenues. The park office and visitor center are at 600 James Robertson Parkway, Nashville, TN 37243. Use the TDEC park brochure and map to orient your walk, then check current road and construction signs on arrival.

Nearby parks

Radnor Lake State Park is a nearby Nashville alternative reached through its Otter Creek Road entrances; the west entrance approach uses Granny White Pike. Park only in marked spaces and stay on trails. Long Hunter State Park lies farther out at 2910 Hobson Pike in Hermitage; its boat house and fishing pier are closed until further notice, so choose another feature for a visit.

Things to do

Follow a self-guided walk along the historical exhibits and compare the state map with the planted representations of Tennessee’s regions. The Pathway of History focuses on events, while the Walkway of the Counties offers another way to connect places across the state. View the river fountains as one feature of this commemorative landscape; current work may affect access.

Facilities and accessibility

The visitor center provides park information and a gift shop. Concrete sidewalks serve the Pathway of History and Walkway of the Counties. Accessible parking is at Harrison Street and 6th Avenue, and the park identifies accessible restrooms, picnic area, visitor center, and amphitheater. For interpretive assistance or accommodations, the accessibility page asks visitors to contact the office at least ten days ahead.

About the park

The park was designed as a lasting expression of Tennessee’s bicentennial and a place to read the state’s story in the landscape. Its location preserves the visual relationship between the open mall and the Capitol above it.

History

The park commemorates Tennessee’s 200th anniversary celebration on June 1, 1996. Memorials and the timeline make the grounds an outdoor interpretive setting rather than a collection of unrelated city lawns.

Wildlife and habitats

The Walkway of the Counties includes eleven planters featuring native plants from different regions of Tennessee. These plantings are part of the interpretation: look for how the garden changes as the walk moves through the state’s regions.

Contact

Park office: 615-741-5280, 600 James Robertson Parkway, Nashville, TN 37243. Check the official Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park website for current access notices before a special trip.