I will concede to the fact that most people do not visit Nashville for its cultural institutes or fancy museums. From my experience in visiting a few times, most people go to wear little shorty shorts and pretend that they’re cowgirls before they get married. Which is…absurd because WHERE ELSE do you travel in the world and then dress like a parody of the people who live there? OH GOD I HATE IT.
Anyway, after you ride around in a big stupid tractor and do the peddle tavern thing — maybe, just maybe, you’ll want to learn a little something about the city you’re terrorizing with your “girl gang.”
Enter: This guide.
There’s no shortage of cultural institutions in Nashville, but these are the big five that I think visitors should see on their first or first few visits. I ran the gamut here from musical to historical, so there’s really something for everyone. Enjoy!
Country Music Hall of Fame
I think that no matter where you stand on enjoying country music, this should be a stop on your list. If you’re an enthusiast of the genre, then this will be your version of dying and going to heaven. If you know nothing about country music, then there’s no better place to learn. And if you hate country music, well, Dolly Parton narrates the audio tour and nobody is allowed to hate Dolly Parton.
Personally, I like seeing the artifacts that belong to the well known and original country artists. Seeing Elvis’ Cadillac, for instance, is really exciting. We all know what kind of life The King lived and therefore we can imagine what kinds of wild goings on may have happened in that Cadillac!
There’s a bunch of rotating exhibitions on newer country musicians. Personally…I could live without that. It feels sometimes like everyone with a beard or anyone who has made love to their pick up truck (no judgement) becomes a country “sensation.” But, that’s just one girl’s opinion. For people who have found themselves attached to a new country artist for any number of reasons…you might want to see if your favorite has an exhibition here when you go.
For history buffs, I definitely recommend the Folk Roots to Present permanent exhibition. You’ll see the beginnings of the country music genre and how it got its start before it became commercialized in the nineteenth century. You’ll love seeing the old instruments that people used to play!
I would not just decide to go here on a whim and think that you’ll be able to skidaddle inside. There’s a timed ticketing system at this museum and you need to arrive 15 minutes early. Also, most people spend an average of two to three hours here, but I guarantee you’re going to be exhausted after touring this place. I would suggest that you make this the only “touristy” thing that you do for the day!
Johnny Cash Museum
Since childhood I’ve heard stories about the infamous, “man in black.” He was something of a working class hero to many people in my family. Rumors of his serving time in jail and even murdering someone whipped fast and loose around the dinner table.
Therefore, I was surprised when I visited the Johnny Cash Museum to learn that as flawed as he may have been during periods of his life, he was actually quite pious and generous with his time and money. And he never killed anyone!
I think that’s kind of the important reason to visit this place. You get to learn about the man and not just the musician. Seeing artifacts like Cash’s report cards, military records, and yearbook photos makes him human in the visitor’s eyes when so many of us hold him to an almost mythical status. I don’t know Johnny Cash personally, especially since he’s dead. But, there’s a part of me that feels he would have wanted visitors to see the “human” side of him.
You’ll follow his rise to fame and at the peak, see costumes that he wore on tour and a dizzying wall of album covers. You can even take a photo with ol’ Johnny! (Ah, modern technology!) Definitely slow down when you get the chance to read his diary entries and letters. It’s cool to see what kinds of doubts and dreams that the man of legendary proportions held throughout his life.
For lunch, grab a bite at the Johnny Cash’s Bar & BBQ. Of course, it’s right next door to the museum.
The Parthenon
This is hand’s down my favorite museum in Nashville and I always make sure to visit when I’m in town!
For starters, it’s surrounded by impeccably manicured green space which is ideal for walking off a hangover, running, enjoying breakfast, or letting your kids run wild on the playground.
But beyond that, it’s just straight up cool. There’s a Parthenon in Athens Greece built a looooong time ago, and this is an exact replica in terms of size. The scale is really impressive and I’ve never seen anyone not gawk when they stand outside waiting to get in.
On the first floor, there’s a bunch of exhibits that showcase the building of the Parthenon and its history through the years. But the real show stopper is the larger than life Athena statue. It’s 42 feet tall and impossible to take your eyes off her. I promise you’ll find yourself examining the colossal giant from every conceivable angle. Athena isn’t exactly a hidden gem at that size, but I don’t think a lot of visitors take advantage of coming to see her. That’s a shame because she’s memorable!
The second floor of the Parthenon is one of my favorite art galleries, and I say that as someone who lives in New York City. The theme of the exhibit is always really evocative and interesting, this summer it was full of photographs entitled The Looking Glass by the Lynn Gold Smith Gallery. It was circus/fairy tale/Tim Burton-esque heaven for anyone who likes that kind of vibe — I definitely do. In short, whether you like looking at art or not, the art here is engaging, you won’t be bored!
Ryman Auditorium
This place feels like hallowed ground. I think especially if you know some of the history of country music, or at the very least, have ever seen Walk the Line, you’ll pick up on the same vibe.
The Ryman has seen so much history throughout its years, all of the greats have played here and they continue to play at the Ryman. As you walk through its halls you’ll see various places in which country artists talk about the feeling the “spirits” of those who’ve played there. The walls of the Ryman have seen so much, and although I’m not sure why, the residual energy of those moments does seem to kind of linger.
We took a guided tour and when the doors opened up to the actual auditorium, you could hear a pin drop. Our tour group went silent, as if we’d stepped into a church during mass or something. The place somehow inherently commands that level of respect and decorum. Generations of singers have performed there, and generations of Americans have watched them perform. You feel like you’re a part of something historical and uniquely American just by being there.
You might forget exactly what you see at the Ryman years after you visit, but you’ll never forget how you felt a the Ryman.
National Museum of African American Music
Man…there is such a cognitive disconnect in the United States. Much of the popular music of the south, actually, probably all of it, has African American roots. At this museum you can learn about the more than fifty styles of music that were inspired or created by African Americans.
There’s some really fun exhibits here including Wade in the Water which showcases the history of religious music from African roots and how it survives today. Another exhibit, A Love Supreme, takes visitors through the evolution of jazz and how it became popular and uniquely American. The Crossroads exhibit is probably the most interesting as it traces the evolution of blues from being a survival mechanism as work song during Slavery up until the genre became mainstream. And, if you’re my mom, you’re going to camp out in the One Nation Under Groove and relive your youthful disco days.
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