There is no better place for a country music lover than the Country Music Hall of Fame, so here’s what you need to know about tours and schedules.
For fans of Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton and John Denver, visiting the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is a must in Nashville. Let country roads bring home to where country listeners belong: Tennessee.
Today, it is one of the largest museums in the world and is dedicated to the preservation and performance of American vernacular music. They have many tours and exhibitions, this is just the institution the Country Music Capital deserves. While in Nashville, learn 10 things to know when planning your trip here.
About the Pantheon and Country Music Museum
In 2021, there were 146 Hall of Fame inductees (counting groups as a single inductee). There are 14 female solo performers (including Dolly Parton but not Taylor Swift). Roy Rogers is unique in that he has been inducted twice – once in 1980 (as a member of the Sons of the Pioneers), and again in 1988 as a solo artist. The first inductees were Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers and Fred Rose.
The greatest honor country singers can earn is membership in the Country Music Hall of Fame (an honor also bestowed on songwriters, broadcasters and others). 1 to 12 new members were inducted each year.
- The classic joke: Thirty years ago we had Steve Jobs, Johnny Cash and Bob Hope. Today we have no job, no money and no hope. But we have Kevin Bacon!
The goal of the Hall of Fame and Museum is to preserve, celebrate and share the contributions of country music. It is located in downtown Nashville and has been dubbed the “Smithsonian of Country Music” according to their website.
The museum was launched in 1967 and the museum opened in its current location in 2001. In 2014, it unveiled a $ 100 million expansion doubling its size.
Notable collections
- The Bod Pinson Recorded Sound Collection: Over 250,000 records and approximately 98% of all pre-WWII commercial country recordings
- 500,000: Photographic prints, negatives, digital images and transparencies
- Animated images: Over 30,000 film, video and digital formats
- Musical instruments: Over 900
- Iconic vehicles: Limousine Cadillac 1960 “Solid Gold” from Elvis Presley, Pontiac Trans Am 1980 from Jerry Reed from Smokey and the Bandit II, and more
Exhibitions
The main exhibition is Sing Me Back Home: a journey through country music. This exhibition records and traces the origins, traditions and honored architects of country music.
There are a number of supporting exhibits, including aAmerican Currents: State of the Music, Martina McBride: The Power Of Her Voice, Outlaws & Armadillos: Country’s Roading ’70s, The Station Inn, Bluegrass Beacon and Kacey Musgraves: All of The Colors. In addition, they also have two online exhibitions, Dylan, Cash and the Nashville Cats: A New Town of Music and Sound: the rodeo tailors who made country stars shine.
Martina McBride: the power of her voice
What: Find out how the exhibition explores the music and legacy of this influential singer. Learn about the music and legacy of this influential singer, retrace her journey, from performing in her family band to becoming a chart-topping music artist who changed perspectives.
- Adult: $ 27.95
- Youth: $ 17.95 (6 to 12 years old)
Outlaws & Armadillos: Country roading from the 70s
What: See how forty years ago they started a musical revolution. See untold stories and never-before-seen artifacts, see the complicated relationship between Nashville and Austin
- Adult: $ 27.95
- Youth: $ 17.95 (6 to 12 years old)
- Open: From May 25, 2018 to June 5, 2022:
Sing me home
What: A self-guided tour through great topics such as “the countryside during the war yearsâ€, a permanent exhibition, which tells the history of country music from its pre-commercial roots to today
- Adult: $ 27.95
- Youth: $ 17.95 (6 to 12 years old)
To see their two current online exhibitions, see their website.
Entrance tickets
Here are some of their admission ticket offers and prices. To see all of their available tickets, what’s going on, and any impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, check out their website.
Experience it all
What: See the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the Hatch Show Print Tour, and RCA Studio B Historic Tour
- Adult: $ 67.95
- Youth: $ 52.95
Experience it all, plus a songwriter session
What: All of the above and the songwriters session
- Adult: $ 67.95
- Youth: $ 52.95
Studio B experience
What: See the Country Music Hall of Fame and Historic RCA A Tour Museum and Studio
- Adult: $ 47.95
- Youth: $ 37.95
Hatching experience
What: See the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Hatch Print Show Museum and Print Tour
- Adult: $ 47.95
- Youth: $ 32.95
Entrance to the museum only
What: Explore the galleries of the museum and learn who country music has shaped the history of music. See artifacts, instruments, stage clothing, and more
- Adult: $ 27.95
- Youth: $ 17.95
Tennessee is also home to the Lost Sea, the largest underground lake in the United States and can be visited. It is a state that has much more to offer than country music!
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