Free & Cheap Things to Do in Oak Ridge

Science & Discovery

The nation's oldest science-and-energy museum (opened 1949) tells how Oak Ridge enriched uranium for the Manhattan Project and went on to shape modern science at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Hands-on exhibits cover atomic history, nuclear energy, and STEM, and AMSE is the gateway for the city's Department of Energy public bus tour.

Address: 115 E Main St, Oak Ridge, TN 37830

Tip: Open Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 1-5 p.m. AMSE is also where you book the free DOE public bus tour of the Manhattan Project sites (seasonal, photo ID required for ages 18+). Combine with the K-25 History Center on one ticket day.

History & Heritage

Oak Ridge is one of three cities in this NPS park commemorating the secret WWII effort to build the atomic bomb. The free experience links sites across town — the Chapel on the Hill, Jackson Square, the Friendship Bell, and the seasonal ranger and DOE tours that reach the X-10 Graphite Reactor, a National Historic Landmark.

Address: Visitor contact at AMSE, 115 E Main St, Oak Ridge, TN 37830

Tip: There's no single park building — start at AMSE for maps and ranger info. The free DOE public bus tour (typically spring-fall) is the only way to reach the Graphite Reactor; reserve ahead through AMSE and bring a photo ID.

History & Heritage

Built beside the foundation of the mile-long K-25 plant, this center tells how 12,000 workers ran the gaseous-diffusion process that enriched uranium for the world's first atomic bombs. Over 250 artifacts, immersive displays, and an overlook of the original site fill a 7,500-square-foot space — a powerful companion to AMSE.

Address: 652 Enrichment St, Oak Ridge, TN 37830

Tip: Open Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 1-5 p.m. Run by AMSE, so ask about combo visits. The rooftop-style viewing platform over the K-25 footprint is the highlight — allow time for the oral-history stations.

Family Fun

A sprawling, old-school children's museum with 20+ interactive exhibits and more than 20,000 artifacts — a coal mine, a Mars rocket room, an Appalachian heritage area, a world-of-trains layout, and a doll collection. Quirky, hands-on, and a reliable rainy-day stop for families in the Secret City.

Address: 461 W Outer Dr, Oak Ridge, TN 37830

Tip: Open Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday 1-4 p.m. The $7 group rate kicks in for organized groups, and active-duty military families are free mid-May to early September through Blue Star Museums.

Arts & Culture

A free fine-art museum and gallery operating since 1952, with a permanent collection spanning 2,000 years and including works by Renoir and Dalí. Three galleries rotate five to six shows a year — regional, national, and international — plus the popular juried annual Open Show. Admission to the galleries is always free.

Address: 201 Badger Ave, Oak Ridge, TN 37830

Tip: Galleries are open seven days a week (Tue-Fri 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Mon, Sat & Sun 1-4 p.m.) at no charge — donations welcome. Studio tours are available; check the site for the current exhibition before you go.

Historic Districts

The original 1940s town center of the Secret City, where wartime workers once shopped, ate, and gathered around the clock. Today the National Register district is a free, walkable cluster of historic storefronts, local shops and cafes, the Chapel on the Hill, and the Oak Ridge History Museum, with interpretive markers throughout.

Address: Jackson Square, Oak Ridge, TN 37830

Tip: Free to wander; park and stroll. The Secret City Farmers Market sets up here seasonally. Pair it with the Chapel on the Hill (the city's original Manhattan Project-era church) just across the square.

Parks & Plazas

A 38-acre downtown park with a 1.25-mile paved loop, a performance pavilion, and two of Oak Ridge's most meaningful free landmarks: the 8,000-pound bronze International Friendship Bell (cast in Japan, the first monument between a Manhattan Project city and Japan) and the Secret City Commemorative Walk with ten plaques honoring wartime workers.

Address: 1401 Oak Ridge Tpke, Oak Ridge, TN 37830

Tip: Visitors are welcome to ring the Friendship Bell. The park adjoins the public library and the Children's Museum, so it's easy to combine. Free parking and open lawns make it a good picnic stop.

Parks & Nature

A free 250-acre research arboretum with more than 2,500 woody-plant specimens representing 800 species and several miles of trails through forest, gardens, and a heritage trace. An official Wildlife Observation Area and holly test garden, it's a peaceful outdoor classroom open daily — and a favorite for fall color and spring blooms.

Address: 901 S Illinois Ave, Oak Ridge, TN 37830

Tip: Trails and grounds are open daily 8 a.m. to an hour before sunset; the visitor center is open weekdays. No entry fee — donations welcome at the kiosk. The August Butterfly Festival is a popular free-to-low-cost family event.

Trails & Biking

A 780-acre park on a scenic peninsula along the Clinch River with more than 30 miles of single-track and dirt trails — one of East Tennessee's best-known free spots for mountain biking, trail running, and hiking, with water access for kayaking and fishing. Rugged, hilly, and uncrowded just minutes from town.

Address: Edgemoor Rd, Oak Ridge, TN 37830

Tip: Trails range from beginner to expert and can be muddy after rain — check conditions. There's no fee and no facilities, so bring water. Download a trail map before you go; cell service is spotty in the back sections.

Parks & Waterfront

A free waterfront park on Melton Hill Lake whose flat-water shoreline is a nationally known rowing and dragon-boat venue that hosts regattas all season. Beyond the racing, there's a paved greenway for walking and biking, sand volleyball, picnic areas, and calm water for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding.

Address: Melton Lake Dr, Oak Ridge, TN 37830

Tip: The Melton Lake Greenway runs along the shore for an easy, scenic walk or ride. Spring and fall weekends often have rowing regattas worth watching. Bring your own kayak/SUP or rent from a local outfitter.