Virtual Member Orientation
Updated March 2024
0:00 – Introduction and Agenda
Hello everyone, welcome to our virtual membership orientation. My name is Patrick. I’m a membership service representative here at Cheekwood.
And I’m Jenna, also a membership service representative.
During this presentation we will go over Cheekwood’s mission statement and history, we’ll highlight some of the exciting events and festivals that we host throughout the year, we’ll walk through the many benefits of being members, and we’ll explain the process of creating a password and reserving tickets at the member rate. We’ll talk about your digital membership card and how to use your reciprocal benefits at other gardens and museums. If you are not a member but want to become one, we’ll go through how to apply a portion of your daily ticket price towards a membership, which is called the Proof of Admission discount. We’ll go over gift memberships, we’ll explain our many volunteer opportunities and the benefits that come with that. And at the end, we’ll include our contact information in case you have any questions.
All of these sections will be time-stamped in case you’d like to skip to a specific topic.
1:00 – Mission Statement
Cheekwood’s mission is to “Celebrate and preserve Cheekwood as an historical landmark where beauty and excellence in art and horticulture nurture the spirit and serve as an inspiration for a diverse and broad audience.”
1:16 – Cheekwood History
Cheekwood’s history began in 1896 when businessman Leslie Cheek Sr. married Mabel Wood. The Cheeks had two children: a son, Leslie Jr., and a daughter, Huldah.
Leslie Sr. was a partner in his family’s wholesale grocery business, C.T. Cheek and Sons, and also invested in a company owned by his cousin called the Cheek-Neal Coffee Company. Cheek-Neal created and manufactured the world-famous coffee brand Maxwell House Coffee.
In 1928, Cheek-Neal was sold to Postum Company, leaving the Cheeks with substantial funds, which in part enabled the construction of Cheekwood.
They broke ground for the construction of the mansion in 1929, but it wasn’t until around Thanksgiving 1932 that they were able to move into their home.
The property was passed down to the Cheeks’ daughter, Huldah, in 1944.
Huldah and her husband Walter Sharp eventually donated the estate in 1957, and in 1960 Cheekwood was opened to the public.
Cheekwood is one of the finest examples of an American Country Place Era estate. This architectural movement emerged during the period of 1890-1930 with the onset of new wealth in America from the Industrial Revolution.
Both the interior and exterior of the mansion and surrounding gardens were designed entirely by prominent landscape architect Bryant Fleming.
The Cheeks had many European and Asian-inspired gardens throughout the grounds, just as we do today.
2:53 – Cheekwood Now
Today, we are a 55-acre botanical garden and art museum with an average of 400,000 visitors every year and nearly 20,000 member households.
We offer a diverse selection of education programming for all ages, and we have a year-round roster of different cultural festivals and exhibitions.
Cheekwood is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places.
3:24 – Gardens and Arboretum
Cheekwood has 13 distinct gardens, as well as a 1.5-mile wooded sculpture trail featuring over a dozen sculptures.
The Howe Garden was the first donated garden installation at Cheekwood, showcasing a variety of native species and wildflowers.
The Children’s Garden is our most recent addition, added in 2020.
The Color Garden features rotating seasonal displays of hundreds of thousands of plants annually.
Other notable gardens include the Blevins Japanese Garden, which connects eastern garden design with the native Tennessee landscape, and the Herb Study Garden, a project of the Herb Society of Nashville used to promote the knowledge and use of herbs.
Additionally, the Arboretum at Cheekwood is nationally accredited and has more than 2,100 trees.
4:15 -The Mansion and Frist Learning Center
The Mansion is the historic home of the Cheek family, and has period rooms restored to how they looked when the Cheeks lived here in the 1930s.
It also hosts our art galleries, where we feature Cheekwood’s permanent collection along with compelling temporary exhibitions.
In the Museum Shop we offer books, jewelry, and art-related merchandise.
Next to the Mansion is the Frist Learning Center, which houses education studios for our workshops and summer camps, the historic Cheek family Stable and Tack Room, and Café 29.
4:49 – Café 29
The eatery that we have on the property is called Café 29, and it is located in the Frist Learning Center. Its menu consists of soups, sandwiches, salads, smoothies, baked goods, children’s foods, coffee, and other delicious selections that you might find in a quick-fare café.
As members, you receive a 10% discount.
The Café is generally open 9:00 – 4:00, Tuesday through Sunday, and during nighttime special events such as Holiday LIGHTS and Thursday Night Out.
5:22 – Gift Shops
We have two shops on the premises.
The first is the Garden Shop which is located in Botanic Hall right next to the Admissions building.
The second is the Museum Shop which is located on the ground floor of the mansion.
In case you are not able to make it to one of the Gift Shops during your visit, we also have an online shop available to browse on our website at shop.cheekwood.org.
As a member, you will also receive a 10% discount both at the in-person shops and the online shop.
5:54 – Seasonal Festivals
There is always something exciting happening here at Cheekwood. We have year-round seasonal festivals, including related programming and events.
Cheekwood In Bloom is one of the best and most popular times of the year to visit because of the quarter million vibrant and stunning tulips and spring bulbs planted in the Color Garden and throughout the grounds.
Summertime at Cheekwood features lush gardens full of thousands of annual flowers in unique displays, as well as art and garden exhibitions.
Cheekwood Harvest is during the fall, and it includes the iconic pumpkin houses and the pumpkin patch, along with thousands of vibrant chrysanthemums.
Holiday LIGHTS is Nashville’s classic holiday tradition with over one million lights sparkling throughout the gardens, festive music, s’mores pits, and more. It is truly an event not to be missed.
6:48 – Annual Programming
Cheekwood hosts a wide variety of programs and activities throughout the year. There is truly something for everyone to enjoy.
These include garden and art exhibitions and workshops, and garden and mansion tours.
For children, we host TOTS!, which is an arts, crafts, and story time activity, and we host summer camps led by our education department.
We have many nighttime events as well. Among these are Thursday Night Out, which includes live music and food trucks, as well as other various concerts and musical programs.
There are many other exciting special events that are discounted for members, like the Exposition of Elegance, a classic car show held during Father’s Day weekend. In the spring, we have the Great Spring Art Hop, which has many fun activities like egg hunts, arts, crafts, entertainment and food trucks.
There are specially designated dog days throughout the year where guests can bring their pups for some fun in the gardens.
Please check the Cheekwood website often for a complete listing of all Cheekwood Events:
7:52 – Member Benefits
Cheekwood members enjoy a variety of benefits. Members get complimentary daytime general admission to Cheekwood throughout the year, as well as discounts on special events, classes, and workshops.
We are part of two reciprocal benefit networks, allowing discounted or free admission to over 345 gardens across the country and over 150 museums in the Southeast.
Members get 10% off purchases at the Gift Shops and Café 29.
Members can access exclusive exhibition previews, Member-Only events, and early purchase periods for certain special events.
Members get priority registration for our popular children’s camps, and Family level memberships get discounts on camps.
Members receive the quarterly Member Newsletter or mailer and weekly emails highlighting upcoming programs and events, so you’ll always be informed of events at Cheekwood.
Members also enjoy additional giveaways and discounts during Member Appreciation events.
8:54 – Creating Member Account
In order to receive member benefits on tickets, you will need to create an account on our website associated with your email address.
Please visit this link and follow the instructions to create a password and set up your account:
Create Account
9:09 – Visiting Cheekwood
Cheekwood operates on an advance ticketing system. Reserved ticketing helps us to ensure adequate parking when you arrive. Tickets can be pre-reserved on our website:
You’ll select whether you want Gardens Only or Gardens and Mansion tickets, and once you’ve chosen your desired date and arrival time, you’ll be prompted to log in with your email address and password. Your member discounts will be applied on the payment page, after you add the tickets to your cart.
You will receive your tickets by email. When you arrive at Cheekwood you can either show us those tickets, or give us your name and ID and we can pull up your order.
If you reserve tickets but are not able to make it to Cheekwood, please let us know by cancelling your order online or contacting the Membership Department. Cancelling your reservation allows those tickets to be reserved by other members.
Parking Lot A is closest to Cheekwood’s entrance, and on busy days it is reserved for accessible parking and ride share drop off or pickup, while other guests will be directed to our overflow lots.
We have a limited number of wheelchairs available for guests to borrow upon request.
Picnics are welcome at Cheekwood, but please do not bring in glass containers or outside alcohol. We also do not allow bicycles, scooters, frisbees, sports balls, or weapons on our property.
Pets are prohibited at Cheekwood except during special events like Dogs and Dogwoods or the Halloween Pooch Party. ADA-certified service animals are of course always welcome.
10:41 – Digital Cards and Reciprocity
Cheekwood utilizes convenient and environmentally friendly digital membership cards. You should receive your membership card via email within seven days of your membership purchase. The email will have instructions to help you print, download, or save your card to a digital wallet app like Apple Wallet or Google Pay Wallet.
Cards can be shown in the Gift Shops and Café 29 to get your discount, at the Admissions building to help us look up your membership, or at participating organizations for reciprocal benefits. Links to participants in our reciprocal networks are on our website:
Guests who are members of reciprocal organizations can request tickets to Cheekwood from the Tickets page on our website:
11:26 – Proof of Admission Discount
If you are not yet a member and are interested in becoming a member and you have purchased daily admission tickets, you can use a portion of your ticket price towards your membership purchase.
The discount ranges depending on which level of membership you purchase. This can be applied at the Membership Window in the Admissions building. Present the membership service representative with your ticket receipt to redeem the discount.
Please note that this is only applicable on the day that you use your ticket.
11:56 – Gift Memberships
Cheekwood Memberships also make excellent gifts for holidays, birthdays, weddings, housewarmings, to show your appreciation, or for any occasion!
Gift memberships can be purchased on our website, in person, or by calling the Membership Department:
12:14 – Volunteers and Docents
Cheekwood’s operations are enriched by our volunteers and docents, who lead art and garden tours, help care for our gardens, assist with events, and more. Cheekwood offers flexible scheduling for volunteers with both short and long-term assignments in various positions for individuals, families, and groups. Volunteers gain benefits such as discounted membership, and free admission on the days you are volunteering.
12:42 – Contact Information
If you have any questions or ever need assistance with your membership, you can contact the Membership Department at [email protected], 615-353-6984, or through the live chat feature on our website.
13:01 – Thank You and Sign-off
Thank you for being a Cheekwood Member – we’re so excited to have you! Your support helps Cheekwood provide inspiring art exhibitions, soothing natural environments, valuable educational programs, and unforgettable events to visitors from Tennessee and across the globe. We look forward to seeing you at Cheekwood soon!