James K. Polk Home and Museum – Museum Review | Condé Nast Traveler
"What’s this place all about? This rather modest home is where the 11th president lived as a teenager and young man and is the only house still standing, besides the White House, where James K. Polk ever lived. Because Columbia is off the beaten path and Polk is not the best-known president, it feels a little like a secret, but once you get inside you see that it is well researched and curated. This is not a Podunk museum with handwritten displays taped to the walls. This is the real deal. A museum's permanent collection is its defining feature: How was this one? The home has furnishings that belonged to President Polk and his wife, Sarah, while they lived at the White House. Other pieces come from Polk Place, the home that the couple planned and built in Nashville following the end of Polk’s presidency in 1849. Sadly, Polk died of cholera just five months after leaving office and so had little opportunity to enjoy the home. Do they feature rotating exhibits? Yes, there are changing exhibitions in both the home and the adjacent building. Past exhibits have included a beautiful display of dresses worn by first ladies and another featured Audubon sketches from Polk's era. The curation links back to Polk, his work, and his time. The exhibits are varied enough that people will want to make repeat visits to the museum. What did you make of the crowd? Despite the fact that this museum has top-level artifacts for a presidential museum, it doesn't get crazy crowded like Andrew Jackson's Hermitage. Other museum-goers tend to be history buffs who are seeking out this information and location. The museum is kid-friendly, and during the school year you might share the space with a field trip. On the practical tip, how were the facilities? The tour includes docent-led tours of the Polk Home and then self-guided looks through the Sisters’ House, Polk Presidential Exhibit Hall, Garden, and Kitchen, all of which have their own museum exhibits. The Polk Home itself has a few steps (three or four) and a second level that is not always open to the public. There are not ramps or elevator access to these areas. All the other rooms and exhibition halls are wheelchair accessible. Any guided tours worth trying? The main house is only available by docent-led tour included in the tour price and is chock full of information. The website has a ton of educational materials and information for those who want to go more in-depth than what is provided onsite. Gift shop: obligatory, inspiring—or skip it? Obligatory, for Polk fans anyway, but not a destination in and of itself. Any advice for the time- or attention-challenged? You'll need at least an hour, the length of the docent-led tour. But you should really plan to take the additional 30 minutes they give you to see the additional exhibits and halls and the exterior garden."
