Traveling Storytelling Museum Coming to Knoxville, Chattanooga this August 

Traveling Storytelling Museum Coming to Knoxville, Chattanooga this August 

Knoxville, TN – Catholic Charities USA has launched a national tour with People of Hope Museum which is set to make stops across two East TN communities this August. The museum will make a stop in Knoxville at World’s Fair Park on Friday, August 7, 2026 – Saturday, August 8, 2026 and in Chattanooga at Miller Park on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 – Wednesday, August 12, 2026.

People of Hope: Faith-Filled Stories of Neighbors Helping Neighbors, a traveling storytelling museum celebrating the power of Christian service, began its two-and-a half-year journey around the United States earlier this year in March in New York City.

People of Hope Museum will visit more than 150 communities to promote empathy and inspire visitors to find ways to serve those in need in their local areas. The national tour will progress through 21 states in 2026, from Texas to Ohio and from Maine to Florida, mostly in the eastern half of the United States. It is set to make tour stops in Knoxville on August 7-8, 2026 from 9AM to 3PM and Chattanooga on August 11-12, 2026 from 9AM to 3PM.

“Filled with inspiring stories of neighbors helping neighbors, the People of Hope Museum will restore your faith in humanity,” CCUSA President and CEO Kerry Alys Robinson said. “The museum is a moving testament to the transformative power of simple acts of service, and we can’t wait for people all over the country to walk away inspired to love their neighbors and spread hope.”  

Housed in a digitally outfitted semi-truck, the People of Hope Museum features 42 original, authentic video stories told by Catholic Charities staff and volunteers from agencies around the country. In these brief, powerful videos, the storytellers share moving first-person accounts of what it means to serve someone in need in their darkest moment. 

“The People of Hope Museum reminds us that happiness is something we build together, and that it grows from love,” said Brooks, whose book Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier, co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, is featured in the museum’s learning library. “When we invest in our neighbors and strengthen the bonds between us, we create meaning—which in turn helps us solve big problems. Best of all, meaning is the surest path to a happier, more enriching life.” 

To learn more about the People of Hope Museum and to sign up to receive alerts about when the museum will be near you, visit PeopleofHope.US. To join the hundreds of thousands of people across the United States who serve their neighbors in need as volunteers every year, connect with your local Catholic Charities agency today.  

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About Catholic Charities USA  
Founded in 1910, CCUSA is a national membership organization that supports and represents 169 Catholic Charities agencies across the United States and in five territories. Collectively, the Catholic Charities network each year serves more than 16 million vulnerable people, regardless of their faith or background, through food and nutrition programs, affordable housing, disaster relief and a variety of other humanitarian services. 

About Catholic Charities of East Tennessee

Catholic Charities of East Tennessee (CCETN), a Diocese of Knoxville ministry provides assistance in emergencies through its operations network. With 14 programs offering emergency assistance, housing support, counseling, adoption services, immigration assistance, and senior support, CCETN empowers thousands of people each year to overcome adversity and achieve greater stability and independence. To learn more about our impact, get involved, or join our mission to serve with compassion, excellence, and faith across East Tennessee, visit ccetn.org.