August 19, 2026
Johnson Architecture has been selected as Architect of Record for the Women’s Suffrage Museum – Events & Cultural Center, joining the team working to create what will become the world’s largest museum dedicated solely to women’s suffrage.
Planned for 706 and 708 S. Gay Street in downtown Knoxville, the museum will transform two historic properties into an immersive destination centered on history, storytelling, and community.
JAI’s role on the project was announced during the 16th Annual Febb Burn Banquet on August 18—a fitting date in the history the museum will preserve and share. On August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th and deciding state to ratify the 19th Amendment, securing women’s right to vote.
Tennessee’s role in that historic vote is inseparable from the story of Febb Burn. In the days leading up to the vote, Burn wrote to her son, Tennessee legislator Harry T. Burn, urging him to support ratification. Her words helped influence his deciding vote, bringing a 72-year movement for women’s suffrage to a defining milestone.
The Women’s Suffrage Museum will bring that history to life through more than 1,000 historic artifacts collected over three decades. Spanning approximately 30,000 square feet across four floors, the museum will offer an immersive visitor experience exploring the people, events, and ideas that shaped the suffrage movement.
Beyond its exhibitions and galleries, the Events & Cultural Center will extend the building’s role within the community. Dining and event spaces, a library, and a bridal suite will create opportunities for weddings, special events, educational programming, and community gatherings—allowing the historic properties to serve as both a place of reflection and an active part of downtown Knoxville.
“Our work at Johnson Architecture has always been deeply rooted in community,” said Jeff Williamson, president of Johnson Architecture. “With this project, we are repurposing historic structures to bring a key moment in history to life. We are honored to help connect people with this story and create another meaningful destination in our vibrant downtown.”
The project brings together several areas of JAI’s work: adaptive reuse, themed entertainment, and the creation of memorable visitor experiences. From immersive environments at Dollywood and Zoo Knoxville to the thoughtful reuse of significant places including Marble Hall, Historic Kern’s Bakery, and RT Lodge, our approach begins with understanding what makes a place distinctive and finding ways for its next chapter to build upon that identity.
For the Women’s Suffrage Museum, that means creating an environment where architecture supports the story—preserving the character of the historic buildings while adapting them to welcome new generations of visitors and new ways of gathering.
JAI will work alongside museum founder Wanda Sobieski, executive producer Mary Kellogg-Joslyn, Haines Structural Group, and creative designer Robert Fleming of Idletime Network, Inc. as the project moves into the design phase.
