September’s issue of Nfocus features the new “In Their Footsteps” tour at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage, which reexamines the legacy of the seventh U.S. President with a focus on generations of enslaved people who lived on his family’s property.  Even more recently, on Sept. 21, the Andrew Jackson Foundation voted to approve plans for a $132 million investment in the 1,120-acre historic site.

Updates — including a new visitor and education center, outdoor amphitheater, expanded interpretation, restored historic spaces, and new amenities and walkways — would restore views to what they were when the Jacksons lived there, in an effort to bring visitors into the story of the Hermitage before they reach the mansion.

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The proposed “Held by the Land” concept by architects Perkins&Will incorporates a new tree-lined approach and walking paths to create stronger connection between visitors and the historic landscape. New structures will follow contours of the landscape, with much of the new space below grade to avoid blocking vistas.

The new Visitor and Education Center will replace the existing 1989 facility, which can only display a fraction of the Hermitage’s collection of approximately 800,000 objects. Gallagher & Associates design firm will collaborate on the interpretation of the museum collection.

The project will be funded by private donations as well as by some public support, including $6 million from the State of Tennessee specifically designated for capital improvements.

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Construction planning is already underway with the new outdoor amphitheater and Visitor Comfort Facility, a climate-controlled facility will include seating, snacks, new restrooms, and staff support space. Initial groundbreaking is expected in 2027, with future construction schedules still in development.

In ongoing efforts to update and raise the profile of the presidential home, which opened to visitors in 1889 and hosts approximately 170,000 guests per year, the Hermitage has launched a satellite location in Marathon Village. Located at 1200 Clinton Street, Suite 38, Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage Tickets and Tours offers merchandise, an education film, site tickets and more information to connect visitors to the historic site 13 miles east of downtown.

Read more about the “In Their Footsteps” tour in our September issue.