Buttons, Barbie dolls, and books, oh my! The Christmas trees at the Cookeville History Museum sparkle with the delightful and unexpected.
The trees are for the museum’s eighth annual Christmas Forest exhibit.
“Stepping into the Christmas Forest at the Cookeville History Museum is magical in more ways than one,” says Beth Thompson, Museums Manager for Cookeville’s Leisure Services.
“Of course, the plethora of beautifully decorated trees sweeps you off your feet right away. But then, taking a closer look, you realize each tree is themed in alignment with its organization’s mission—bringing more public awareness to the group and the work it does.”
There are more than 30 trees in this year’s exhibit, which opens Nov. 30. Each tree is decorated by a different nonprofit or civic organization from the local area. The ornaments chosen by the organization can be incredibly creative. The Button Society’s tree is adorned with button garlands and gingerbread men with button eyes. The Putnam County library’s tree is made from actual books, and the Doll Museum is sure to delight Barbie fans.
Participating organizations include Cookeville’s Leisure Services Department, the Putnam County Fair Board, Tennessee Tech Department of Computer Science, Faeryland's Farm Menagerie, Imagination Library, the Embroiderers’ Guild Iris Chapter, and Putnam County Master Gardeners.
The Christmas Forest exhibit is free to the public, and begins with an opening reception on Nov. 30 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The exhibit continues until Jan. 2
The Cookeville History Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and is located at 40 E. Broad St. For more information, call 931-520-5455.