The Museum of East Tennessee History in Knoxville will be open this Fourth of July weekend with exhibits "Voices of the Land: The People of East Tennessee" and "Pennies for the Park: The Grassroots Campaign to Establish the Great Smoky Mountains National Park."

Special holiday hours will be from 10 a.m to 4 p.m. today, and from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The museum normally is open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This Sunday will be "family day" with free museum admission and also the last day to view the Pennies for the Park exhibit.

The 8,500-square-foot "Voices of the Land" exhibition tells the story of more than three centuries of life in the region and is the only exhibition to encompass the entire history of East Tennessee.

The museum features more than 500 important historical artifacts, and includes more than 350 stories of individual East Tennesseans, as well as 25 media programs, including touch-screen interactives and three feature videos.

Since its opeing in late-August of last year, more than 33,000 visitors have enjoyed the exhibition, a spokesman said.

The exhibit has also won more than 10 awards on the state and national level.

"Pennies for the Park: The Campaign to Establish the Great Smoky Mountains National Park" tells the story of the grass-roots efforts to establish the park.

In addition, the exhibit documents, through stories and artifacts, life in the mountain communities just prior to the establishment of the park.

The exhibit covers the 20 years prior to the dedication of the park in 1940. This exhibit is an official event of the 75th anniversary of the Smoky Mountain National Park. It is sponsored by Friends of the Smoky Mountain National park and will be on display until July 5, 2009.

The East Tennessee History Center is located at 601 S. Gay Street in downtown Knoxville across from the Tennessee Theater.

The Center houses the staff and programs of the East Tennessee Historical Society, the Museum of East Tennessee History, the Calvin M. McClung Collection and the Knox County Archives.