New Factory Museum Opens at The Factory at Franklin
A new museum inside The Factory at Franklin is giving visitors a closer look at the property’s past, focusing on the decades when it operated as a working industrial campus. While the space has been accessible as part of guided tours since early April, it officially opened to the public on April 22, 2026.
We attended the opening of The Factory Museum and spoke with Carris Campbell, historian for The Factory, about the museum’s development and what visitors can expect.
About The Factory at Franklin
The Factory at Franklin is a multi-building campus just outside downtown Franklin that houses a mix of shops, restaurants, offices, and event space. It is home to a range of local businesses and regularly hosts events, markets, and community gatherings throughout the week.
Before its redevelopment in the 1990s, the site operated for decades as a working factory, with multiple companies producing goods ranging from stoves to bedding. Much of the original structure remains in place today, with the historic buildings adapted for modern use.
In 2021, Holladay Properties purchased the campus and has continued efforts to preserve the site while expanding its role as a destination.
The new Factory Museum focuses on that earlier period, offering context for how the property was used long before it evolved into what it is today.
Inside The Factory Museum at The Factory at Franklin
Located in Building 8 next to Fork of the South General Store, The Factory Museum introduces the companies, products, and people that shaped the site from 1929 until manufacturing operations ended in the early 1990s. The exhibits center on manufacturing, with displays that include stoves and furnaces made on-site, historic photographs, and vintage advertising that shows how the campus functioned during its industrial years.
The opening exhibit highlights several of the major companies that operated at The Factory, including Allen Manufacturing Company, Dortch Stove Works, Magic Chef Inc., and Jamison Bedding Company. Together, these businesses played a key role in Franklin’s economy, producing goods that were distributed across the country.
Many of the items on display were sourced over time through a mix of research, donations, and community connections.
“We’ve just been slowly expanding that collection to give a more complete picture,” said Campbell, who noted that the process has been ongoing and often depends on unexpected connections. “It’s scattershot. We’ve found some pieces through eBay, some through Facebook Marketplace, and some where people just reached out to us.”
In some cases, those connections happen when individuals recognize the historical value of what they have.
“We had someone moving to the area from Texas who had a vintage Magic Chef range,” Campbell said. “She saw that we were an old Magic Chef site and reached out to see if we needed another one for the collection.”
The goal, Campbell said, is to represent multiple eras of production and give visitors a clearer understanding of how the site operated over time.
“We’re excited that we can get pieces from all those different eras in one place to give that complete picture of the industrial history.”
How The Factory Museum Connects Past and Present
While the museum focuses on the industrial years, one feature reflects a more recent chapter in the building’s history.
A large chandelier now hangs above the museum, returning to public view after several years in storage. The fixture dates to the early 2000s, when developer Calvin LeHew accepted it as rent from a tenant during the property’s transition from an industrial site to a mixed-use destination.
The chandelier originally hung in the Grand Hall before being removed during renovations. It was recently restored and reinstalled in Building 8 as part of the museum’s development. The fixture was partially disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled with the help of a local electrical team, with each of its more than 2,000 crystal pieces cleaned by hand.
“It was a labor of love,” Campbell said. “It brings back some of the more recent past.”
Now positioned above the museum, the chandelier connects the site’s industrial history with its later transformation and reflects the museum’s goal of telling the full story of the property.
“It helps tie in the different eras,” Campbell said. “It gives a preview of what we’ll talk about next, including the renovation of The Factory and its transition into the space it is today.”
What’s Coming to The Factory Museum
The current exhibit is the first of several planned phases for the museum, with additional installations already in development.
“We know we also want to tell the story about the renovations, and then what’s happening today and what’s ahead,” said Campbell.
Future exhibits will shift the focus to the 1990s renovation of The Factory, when the property transitioned from an aging industrial site to a mixed-use destination. That phase will highlight the work of Calvin and Marilyn LeHew and the effort to preserve the buildings while introducing new uses that keep the space active.
A final phase will look at the campus today, including its role as a place for shopping, dining, and events, as well as what is planned for the future. The goal is to complete all three phases within about a year, though some elements may extend into early next year depending on the pace of development.
In addition to the main exhibit in Building 8, smaller displays will rotate through other parts of The Factory, including the Grand Hall and the Visitor Center. These installations will feature artifacts, photographs, and stories that expand on specific aspects of The Factory’s history and allow visitors to encounter pieces of that history throughout the property.
“It’ll permeate through campus, but this will be the main hub,” Campbell said.
The Role of Community in The Factory’s History
As the museum expands, one of the larger themes will be the role the community has played in shaping the site over time. Local leaders and residents helped bring manufacturing to Franklin in the early 20th century, supporting the development of the factory. Decades later, the city stepped in to purchase the property in an effort to preserve jobs. That pattern continued with the private redevelopment that saved the buildings from demolition and reintroduced them as a local gathering space.
That history continues to shape how the site is experienced today. Campbell said those connections often come up when visitors to The Factory recognize the history as part of their own family story. In some cases, guests have shared that parents or relatives worked at the factory, with staff able to connect those roles to specific buildings within the complex.
“We still have deep roots,” Campbell said. “We haven’t made a stove in a while, but we still have the stories to tell.”
Plan Your Visit to The Factory Museum
The Factory Museum is located in Building 8 next to Fork of the South General Store at The Factory at Franklin, 230 Franklin Rd, Franklin, TN 37064.
Visitors can stop in without a reservation for a self-guided visit, and admission is free. A typical visit takes about 10 to 15 minutes.
“It’s a good way to get a snapshot of The Factory,” Campbell said.
The museum is also included as a stop on guided Factory Tours. Historic walking tours are offered most Wednesdays and Fridays, while a Sips & Stories happy hour tour takes place on Tuesdays. Both tours last about an hour and include a mix of indoor and outdoor stops, covering the site’s industrial past as well as its present-day use.
Whether visiting for shopping, dining, or events, the museum adds context to the buildings and the history behind them, offering a fuller understanding of how the site has evolved over time.
More Things to Do at The Factory at Franklin
Planning more time at The Factory at Franklin? These related guides highlight different ways to experience the campus:
- 10 Things to Do at The Factory at Franklin Beyond Shopping & Dining – a look at activities, events, and experiences across the property, from live entertainment to hands-on attractions.
- Outdoor Dining at The Factory at Franklin: Where to Eat Al Fresco – a guide to patios and outdoor seating options around the campus.
- Happy Hour at The Factory at Franklin: Where to Sip, Snack, and Unwind – a roundup of spots offering drinks and small bites during happy hour.
