The History of the Museum
On March 9, 1992, a committee was created to study the feasibility of establishing a museum in Cleveland. The group defined the museum as: An organized and permanent non-profit institution, essentially educational or aesthetic in purpose, with professional staff, which owns and utilizes tangible objects, cares for them and exhibits them to the public on some regular schedule.
The committee then created a mission statement, "The purpose of the Museum is to preserve and interpret the history and culture of the Ocoee District of Southeast Tennessee by highlighting the adventures of its people."
The Museum Center at 5ive Points opened to the public on September 11, 1999, after breaking ground nearly a year and a half earlier on May 29, 1998. The Museum Center is both a museum and cultural center. The Museum houses exhibits and artifacts relating to the history of the Ocoee Region of Tennessee, which includes Bradley and Polk Counties .
The Museum features a permanent exhibit, The River of Time, which traces the history of Bradley county. In addition, five to six changing exhibitions are held each year that focus on aspects of the history or art of the region.
The Museum Store is a gallery that sells the arts and crafts made by craftspeople living within a 200-mile-radius of Cleveland. The Museum also houses a Cultural Center, which is rented for private and community events.
