Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, commonly known as Bicentennial Mall, is an urban linear park in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, United States. The park is located on 19 acres (77,000 m²) north-northwest of the Tennessee State Capitol, and is considered an extension of the capitol grounds. It is modeled on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and incorporates Classical Greek, Baroque, and Beaux-Arts architecture. It functions as an outdoor museum that uses symbolism to showcase the history, geography, culture, and musical heritage of Tennessee through a series of monuments, walkways, and interpretive displays. It is also landscaped with plants that are native to Tennessee. Receiving more than 2.5 million visitors annually, it is the most visited of the 57 state parks in Tennessee, and one of the most visited public spaces in Nashville.

The French Lick Creek passes through the site of the mall, which contained springs that attracted game wildlife and was an important hunting ground for Native Americans. These springs were later utilized by the first European explorers and settlers to the area in the 18th century. The site was prone to flooding from the nearby Cumberland River, and was not permanently settled until the arrival of German immigrants in the 1830s. When Nashville became the permanent state capital, the capitol building was constructed on the hill south of the site. The French Lick Creek became contaminated with garbage and raw sewage, and was later channelized and buried in a brick sewer tunnel. The area fell into disrepair in the early 20th century, and many structures on and around the site were subsequently demolished as part of a large-scale urban renewal project funded by the Housing Act of 1949.

Beginning in the mid-20th century, several tall buildings were constructed around the capitol, and some people began advocating for preserving the view from the capitol to the north. A large office complex was initially planned for the site to accommodate the enlarged Tennessee government. Plans subsequently shifted to construct a linear park for the state of Tennessee's bicentennial commemoration, although this plan faced skepticism from state planners at first. The park was designed by Tuck Hinton Architects in 1992 and 1993, and required coordination with several state agencies. Groundbreaking occurred on June 27, 1994, and the park was dedicated on June 1, 1996, the 200th anniversary of Tennessee's statehood. Additional features that were planned for the park, including a carillon and a walkway recognizing donors, were initially delayed due to funding constraints, but were added in the succeeding years. The park struggled with maintenance difficulties and underuse in its early years. Since then, it has been recognized as a cultural and historical landmark. In 2018, the Tennessee State Museum moved to the northwest corner of the park, followed in 2021 by the Tennessee State Library and Archives, which moved to the northeast corner of the park. The incorporation of these entities into the mall complex fulfilled design concepts that were first envisioned during the initial planning of the park.