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Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Get up close with the iconic instruments, lyrics, and fringe-tastic fashion that has shaped country music to date.

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum: Our most recommended tours and activities

Nashville: Hop-on Hop-off Trolley Tour

1. Nashville: Hop-on Hop-off Trolley Tour

Journey through the top sights of Nashville, the "Home of Country Music", with a hop-on hop-off trolley tour. Head through 'The District,' a downtown area featuring opportunities for world-class shopping, dining, and entertainment. Learn about Nashville's rich history. Hop aboard the Old Town Trolley to view popular attractions like the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the Parthenon, and the Bicentennial Capitol Mall. More than just a sightseeing tour, it's a fun and educational adventure as your trolley conductor provides an entertaining narration that includes little-known facts, behind-the-scenes tips and video clips. Avoid city traffic and costly parking with an option that leaves you free to concentrate on taking in the sights. When you're finished, just hop aboard the next Old Town Trolley to continue discovering all that Nashville has to offer. A combination of transportation and entertainment, the Old Town Trolley is the best way to see the city. Offering 13 convenient stops: 1) 1200 Clinton St: Marathon Motor Works 2) 27th Ave. North: Centennial Park, The Parthenon 3) 1901 Broadway: Hot Chicken 4) 1900 Belmont Blvd: Belmont Mansion 5) 404 12th Ave. S.: The Gulch 6) 1037 Broadway: Frist Art Museum, Union Station Hotel 7) 472 Domonbreun St.: Country Music Hall of Fame 8) 201 Broadway: Live Music Bars 9) 116 Rep. John Lewis Way: Ryman Auditorium 10) 6th & Deadrick: Legislative Plaza, State Capitol 11) 401 Gay St: Musicians Hall of Fame 12) 7th Ave North: Farmers' Market 13) 1018 Nelson Merry Street: Capitol View

Nashville: Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

2. Nashville: Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Explore the riveting history of one of the most significant developments in 20th-century American music at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. After entering through the ornate Hall of Fame rotunda, styled after musical notations and the black keys of a piano, head into the museum’s core exhibition, Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music. Immerse yourself in the history and sounds of country music, its origins and traditions, and the stories and voices of many of its honored architects. Explore an array of photographs, artifacts, text panels, recordings, and archival footage as you move through the museum’s collection. Don’t miss limited-engagement exhibitions, chronicling the thrilling period of country music in the 1970’s, or technologically-enhanced exhibitions focusing on contemporary trends in the genre. Stop by the Taylor Swift Education center to take part in instrument and songwriting programs on the weekends, or catch a panel discussion. The walkthrough of the museum concludes in the esteemed Hall of Fame Rotunda to view the artists' plaques who have earned Country Music's highest honor. Upgrade to the Hatch Experience to go behind the scenes at Hatch Show Print. Learn all about the history of this iconic letterpress poster shop. Listen to the presses run, and see 150 years worth of brilliantly colored posters printed for your favorite entertainers. Handle the tools of the trade to print your own keepsake poster!

Nashville: RCA Studio B & Country Music Hall of Fame Combo

3. Nashville: RCA Studio B & Country Music Hall of Fame Combo

Step back in time to share the room with your favorite musicians and go behind the scenes of the most famous recording sessions in country music history. Check in at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and be assigned your tour time of RCA Studio B. Hop on a bus there with your guide, then learn about Dolly's "first big break", a fateful Christmas recording session with Elvis, and much more. Stand in the room and feel the magic as famous songs pump through the speakers. After your guided tour of the studio, hop back on the bus to return to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum where you can explore the riveting history of one of the most significant developments in 20th-century American music on a self-guided tour. Enter through the ornate Hall of Fame rotunda, styled after musical notations and the black keys of a piano, before heading into the museum’s core exhibition, Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music. Immerse yourself in the history and sounds of country music, its origins and traditions, and the stories and voices of many of its honored architects. Discover an array of photographs, artifacts, text panels, recordings, and archival footage as you move through the museum’s collection. Don’t miss limited-engagement exhibitions chronicling the thrilling period of country music in the 1970’s, or technologically-enhanced exhibitions focusing on contemporary trends in the genre. Stop by the Taylor Swift Education center to take part in instrument and songwriting programs on the weekends, or catch a panel discussion. The walk through the museum concludes in the esteemed Hall of Fame Rotunda to view the artists' plaques who have earned Country Music's highest honor. The whole family will come away with a new-found interest and respect in the artistry of the famous musicians that make Nashville famous.

Nashville: Downtown Helicopter Tour

4. Nashville: Downtown Helicopter Tour

Make your trip to Nashville truly memorable with a helicopter flight over the city's rapidly-growing skyline. Sit back in comfortable leather seats and take in the views. Choose from 2 different options and admire the skyline of 'Music City' and the beautiful rolling hills of Tennessee. Fly over the Parthenon at Centennial Park, the state capitol building, and look straight down at the 50-yard line of the Nissan Stadium. Take in views of the Ryman Auditorium, Bridgestone Arena, the Country Music Hall of Fame, the AT&T building, and more. Make your way downtown along Broadway, hovering lower than the tops of the buildings. See if you can spot the legendary Tootsies Lounge from this unique vantage point.

Discover Nashville: Fully Narrated Half-Day City Tour

5. Discover Nashville: Fully Narrated Half-Day City Tour

Discover Nashville on a guided tour of the city's hottest sites aboard a comfortable van. Enjoy admission and self-guided tours of the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum and the Ryman Auditorium. Be picked up near the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge and begin your tour through the city's landmarks. Ride through the historic downtown area and take in the vibe at Honk Tonk Row. Pass by Riverfront Park, Fort Nashborough, and the State Capitol.  Drive by the Bicentennial Mall, the Parthenon, Vanderbilt University, and Music Row where the historic Studio B is located. Take a self-guided tour of the Ryman Auditorium, known as the Mother Church of Country Music. Complete your experience with entry to the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum. Engage with the music as you make your way through this 37-million dollar interactive musical experience and a tribute to Nashville's country music.

Nashville: Sightseeing Cart Tour

6. Nashville: Sightseeing Cart Tour

Experience Nashville from a local’s perspective while you zip around town in a golf cart, seeing, touching, and smelling your way through the music city. On this tour, hit 35 of the major sightseeing destinations of the city like the Ryman Auditorium, where the Grand Ole Opry, the longest-running American radio broadcast in history, is staged, the Gulch, Midtown, Music Row, and many more. After you hit all the sights, pick up some recommendations from your local guide for nightlife and restaurants in Nashville so you can make the most of your time in the vibrant city. During the tour grab the opportunities to stop for priceless photos.

Nashville: Music City Self-Guided Walking Tour w/ Audio App

7. Nashville: Music City Self-Guided Walking Tour w/ Audio App

Explore the past and present of Nashville's music scene on this self-guided walking tour. Download the GPS-navigated audio guide app with music and narration. Cross Printers Alley and Broadway as you see Legends Corner, The Johnny Cash Museum, Ryman Auditorium, Skull's Rainbow Room, and more. The experience is powered by your smartphone and created to be hands-free. Discover the best spots and historic sites from old Skull’s rainbow room in Printer’s Alley, the line dancing over at the Wild Horse to Johnny Cash’s history at the Ryman. Uncover the rich history of Nashville at your own pace and learn how a lot of country music’s biggest stars including Rascal Flatts and Tim McGraw got their start. Get step-by-step navigation to local sites, back alleys, and country music locations.

Nashville: Hatch Show Print Shop Guided Tour

8. Nashville: Hatch Show Print Shop Guided Tour

Take the tour of Hatch Show Print Shop and learn all about the history of the iconic letterpress poster. Listen to the presses run and see a century-and-a-half’s worth of brilliantly colored posters printed for some of the most iconic musical entertainers. Handle the tools of the trade to print your own keepsake poster in a print shop-within-a-print shop, the UMG Space for Design. Create your own one-of-a-kind print to take home as a souvenir.

Downtown Nashville: A Self-Guided Audio Tour

9. Downtown Nashville: A Self-Guided Audio Tour

Explore Nashville with an audio tour that takes you through the heart of downtown Nashville. The guide in your ear, Ed Owen, shares the history of the Ryman Auditorium and Grand Ole Opry while you walk down ‘Honky Tonk Row’ on Lower Broadway. Begin your tour at Ryman Auditorium and pass by numerous venues owned by well-known names like Blake Shelton, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Kid Rock, Miranda Lambert, and Glen Campbell. Along the way, listen for recommendations on where to grab a bite or drink. Get a chance to take pictures from the Siegenthaler Walking Bridge, visit the Nashville Walk of Fame, and hear stories about the Country Music Hall of Fame. Ed will even teach you to talk like a genuine Tennessean. Wind up at Nudie’s Honky Tonk, where you can hear fantastic music and feast your eyes on some of the genre’s greatest outfits of the past, including Elvis Presley’s gold lame suit. By the end of the tour, you will know something about the city’s earliest settlers at Fort Nashborough, and understand how Nashville became the Music City.

Downtown Nashville Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour

10. Downtown Nashville Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour

Start by downloading the Action Tour Guide app, which will function as your personal tour guide, audio tour, and map all in one. Note: This 1.5+ miles-long tour covers the essentials of Nashville in 1-2 hours. Once downloaded, your tour of Nashville begins at the Cumberland Riverfront near 105 1st Ave South. From there, you’ll stroll down 1st Ave and hear all about Johnny Cash, the Fisk Jubilee Singers, and how one school’s desperate bid to secure funding started Nashville on the journey to becoming Music City. Then you’ll head into Walk of Fame Park, adorned with Hollywood-style plaques dedicated to the biggest-ever names in country music. After that, where else but the Country Music Hall of Fame! Here, you’ll also get a glimpse into one of the most recognizable names celebrated within that hallowed hall. Next, pass the arena that’s seen everyone from Elton John to Metallica. Your route brings you next to the ever-changing Legends Corner Mural as you hear what an insurance company has to do with Nashville’s country music history. Following that is the historic Ryman Auditorium, once the home to the famous Grand Ole Opry. Then, find out just what people mean when they talk about the “Nashville sound” and the unique system of writing music that makes this city’s live performances really stand out from the rest. Up next is Printer’s Alley, chock full of fascinating Prohibition and country music history. On your way to the famous Wildhorse Saloon, you’ll get a look at the shadier side of the music industry and untangle the country music controversy around superstar Taylor Swift. Finally, you’ll reach the bustling Honky Tonk Highway, where your tour will conclude.

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What people are saying about Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 1,065 reviews

Such a great Nashville experience! The RCA studio tour was so interesting and lots of fun learning about all the artists etc that have been there.

Excellent, comprehensive, informative audio tour, well worth the expenditure.

Gives you a good overview of what is around the area and the history.

Best way to see downtown Nashville in a short amount of time!

All the guides were knowledgeable and entertaining