Visit the Emporium

Admission is always free.

Upcoming hours: The Emporium is open to the public Monday-Friday 9 AM – 5 PM and Saturday 10 AM – 1 PM (through May 11). Please also see the Upcoming Exhibitions page for additional hours!

In addition, join us every First Friday of the month in 2023 from 5-9 PM for gallery receptions for our upcoming exhibitions: Jun 7, Jul 5, Aug 2, Sep 6, Oct 4, Nov 1 and Dec 6, 2024. The Emporium will be closed on Mon May 27 for the holiday.

Learn more about our tenant organizations and artists.

Our street address is 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. We are located on the corner of Gay Street & Jackson Avenue in downtown Knoxville. Please stop by for a self-guided visit! Admission is free, and exhibitions are generally appropriate for all ages.

Our neighborhood offers hundreds of parking spaces within a couple of blocks! Options include:

If you receive a parking ticket in error, please call City of Knoxville 311 (865-215-4311). Do not attempt to park at a broken parking meter – you may receive a ticket!

Jackson Ave Lot (caddy-corner from the Emporium on the same level as the railroad tracks, 401 W. Jackson Avenue). Payment required Mon-Fri 8 AM – 6 PM via coins, bills & credit cards at $1/hour or $7/max for a day; FREE NIGHTS AFTER 6 PM and WEEKENDS
Crowne Plaza Garage (one block south from the Emporium, 401 W. Summit Hill Drive). Payment required 24/7 at $10/day, $15/day for valet.
Back-in metered parking spots on the Gay Street viaduct just beyond the Emporium. Maximum purchase is for 10 hours’ time, payment required Mon-Sat 8 AM – 6 PM via coins & credit card; FREE NIGHTS AFTER 6 PM and SUNDAYS
Metered parking spots along the 100 block of Gay Street and small surface lot on the 200 block (across from where W. Vine Ave connects to Gay St). Maximum purchase is for 2 hours’ time, payment required Mon-Sat 8 AM – 6 PM via coins & credit card; FREE NIGHTS AFTER 6 PM and SUNDAYS. Vehicles must be moved after 2 hours, as time on meters cannot be reloaded.
OTHER: Free Parking is available on the street along Magnolia Avenue (two blocks north of the Emporium) and in the lot at the corner of Gay Street and Magnolia Avenue (under the I-40 overpass).

See www.downtownknoxville.org/parking for other parking options in downtown Knoxville.

Loading/Accommodations
Currently, there are three options for loading in items to the Emporium (artwork for exhibitions, items for private events, equipment, etc.):

Through the front doors (60” wide) – requires carrying items either down two flights of stairs or up one flight of stairs. If parking spots are unavailable, vehicles can pull up near the intersection of Gay/Jackson, put on hazard lights, and unload through the front doors if person intends to unload for fewer than five minutes. If the person needs to stay longer, they should unload the items inside the Emporium and then park their car elsewhere before returning to the Emporium.
Through the lower side entrance on Jackson Avenue (standard door width) – requires carrying items down approximately eight steps and navigating two 90-degree turns. This side door is an exit-only door with no outside handle, so someone will need to be on hand to open the doors from the inside. Cars can pull up to the curb to unload.
Via the passenger elevator on the opposite side of the Emporium. About 100 feet south of the Emporium front doors is a metal catwalk on the left adjacent to the courtyard, and a staff person would need to help you enter the building this way. You would ride the elevator down one floor to enter the Emporium Gallery.

If you need help accessing any of our programs, please contact us at 865-523-7543 or info@knoxalliance.com.