Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Ticket Nashville

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum building

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has stood at the southern end of downtown Nashville since 2001, in a landmark building whose windows echo piano keys and whose rooflines recall a vintage car fin. It is run by a non-profit organisation that has collected, studied and displayed country music since the 1960s, and it holds one of the largest collections of its kind in the world.

The museum is a good answer to what to do in Nashville on a rainy day, but it is worth a visit in any weather. Inside, galleries on several floors follow the story of country music from its roots in folk, blues and gospel to the artists of today. The Country Music Hall of Fame ticket is for one day, so you can plan your pace and take a break during the visit.

The main exhibition and the American Currents gallery

The main exhibition tells country music's story in order, using instruments, handwritten lyrics, stage costumes, photographs, films and recordings of the performers and songwriters who shaped it. Original guitars and fiddles sit beside costumes and personal items, and listening stations let you hear the songs behind each period. Allow at least an hour for it.

The American Currents exhibit follows the way country music is changing today, with artists whose work crosses genres and tells new stories. Together the two spaces give you both the history and the present, so the visit does not feel like a trip through a museum of the past only. Visitors often say the highlights are the costumes and the instruments, so plan time to look closely.

The Rotunda and the Hatch Show Print Haley Gallery

The Hall of Fame Rotunda is the quiet heart of the building. In a circular room, bronze plaques honour the performers, writers and industry figures inducted over the years, and it is a good place to find your favourite artist's name. The space is calm and often moving, and it makes a fitting end to the visit.

The Hatch Show Print Haley Gallery shows the work of a letterpress print shop founded in 1879 that made posters for Nashville shows, and its bold colourful designs have become a symbol of the city. If you search for what to see in Nashville besides the music, these posters, printed with wooden type and carved blocks, are a favourite with design lovers.

Planning your visit: tickets, hours and the surroundings

Your entry ticket is for one day, and opening hours are generally from morning until late afternoon, though they change by season and on holidays. Weekday mornings are usually calmer than weekends. The museum is in downtown Nashville on Rep. John Lewis Way South; getting there on foot from Broadway or the Ryman Auditorium takes only a few minutes, and the nearby streets have paid parking.

Large bags, food and drinks are not allowed in the galleries. A guided tour is not part of this ticket, though the museum has a gift shop and a cafe. Close to the building are the Ryman Auditorium, Lower Broadway and the Music City Center, so you can combine the visit with a walk. The museum also offers separate tours of a historic recording studio, which are not included in this ticket.