Nashville Unscripted · Dolly Parton
Centennial Park dedicated a bench to Dolly Parton on August 29 — the same bench style where she was photographed in 1975. A few yards away sits the Taylor Swift bench. Free to visit, open every day.
Nashville’s Centennial Park now has a permanent Dolly Parton memorial bench near the Sunken Garden — dedicated on August 29, 2026, just four days after her death. The bench sits a short distance from a separate bench honoring Taylor Swift, making this corner of Centennial Park one of the most meaningful music landmarks in Nashville right now.
The Bench Plaque
“Turn a page
Sing a song
And imagine
For Dolly,
We will always love you.”
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The Centennial Park bench is in the Vanderbilt/West End neighborhood — walking distance from several great Nashville hotels.
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Location & Details
Centennial Park, near the Sunken Garden
2500 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203
Free to visit · Open daily · No ticket required
Distance from Broadway: ~2 miles west (10 min rideshare, 40 min walk)
The bench was dedicated on August 29, 2026 — one day after Dolly was laid to rest privately, and four days after her death — during the grand opening of the revitalized north side of Centennial Park. Metro Parks and the Centennial Park Conservancy chose this moment deliberately: the park reopening as a celebration of community, with a permanent tribute to one of Nashville’s most beloved figures at its center.
Why This Bench — The 1975 Connection
The bench isn’t just a memorial — it’s a homecoming. In 1975, acclaimed photographer Raeanne Rubenstein photographed a young Dolly Parton in Centennial Park’s Sunken Garden, capturing approximately 60 images of the rising star reclining on one of the park’s historic conversation benches.
Those photographs — taken when Dolly was 29 years old and becoming one of the biggest names in country music — are among the most beloved images of her early career. The image of Dolly on that Centennial Park bench is iconic.
The 2026 memorial bench sits near the same Sunken Garden where those photographs were taken. A print of the original 1975 photograph will be placed on permanent display in the Parthenon — the full-scale replica of the Greek Parthenon that is Centennial Park’s centerpiece — when its Athens of the South exhibition reopens.
The Taylor Swift Bench — Two Icons, One Park
Just a few yards from the Dolly Parton bench sits a separate bench honoring Taylor Swift — another monument to a Nashville music icon in the same corner of Centennial Park. The two benches sit near each other in a way that feels both accidental and completely inevitable: two of the most significant women in the history of popular music, honoring each other’s city with their presence.
The juxtaposition has gone viral since Dolly’s bench was dedicated — the TikTok from Nashville Musical History Tours showing both benches has garnered thousands of likes and shares. It is genuinely one of the most photographed spots in Nashville right now.
What Else Is New at Centennial Park
The Dolly bench dedication coincided with the grand opening of the revitalized north side of Centennial Park — a significant improvement to Nashville’s most beloved park. The revitalization includes:
- New event pavilion — a covered community gathering space on the north side of the park
- Croquet Cafe — the first restaurant inside a Nashville park. Located on the north side near the new pavilion.
- Dolly Parton bench — near the Sunken Garden, with plaque and permanent connection to the 1975 photos
- The Parthenon — Dolly’s 1975 photo will go on permanent display inside when the Athens of the South exhibition reopens
Dolly & Centennial Park — The Imagination Library Connection
For eight years before her death, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library partnered with the Centennial Park Conservancy’s Kidsville program to promote childhood literacy through programming at the Parthenon and Musicians Corner. The bench honors not just her music but this ongoing community connection — the library partnership that brought her back to Centennial Park year after year.
How to Find the Dolly Parton Bench
- Address: Centennial Park, 2500 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203
- From Broadway: ~2 miles west. 10-minute rideshare, 40-minute walk along West End Ave
- From Vanderbilt: 5-minute walk west along West End Ave — the park borders campus
- Parking: Street parking on West End Ave and surrounding streets — meters free after 6pm weekdays and all day Sunday
- The bench: Near the Sunken Garden on the north side of the park — the same general area as the new event pavilion and Croquet Cafe
- Taylor Swift bench: A few yards away — you’ll see both on the same visit
Plan Your Centennial Park Visit
Centennial Park is Nashville’s most beautiful park — 132 acres in the Vanderbilt/West End neighborhood with the Parthenon replica at its center. The Dolly bench visit pairs naturally with:
- The Parthenon — Nashville’s full-scale Parthenon replica. Dolly’s 1975 photo goes on display inside when the Athens of the South exhibit reopens.
- Musicians Corner — the free outdoor concert series at Centennial Park, fall series just wrapped September 25. Spring series returns May 2027. See our Musicians Corner guide.
- Hotels Near Vanderbilt — walking distance from the park. See our Hotels Near Vanderbilt guide — the Kimpton Aertson is the best dog-friendly option nearby.
- West End Ave restaurants — Frothy Monkey, Fido, and several excellent independent restaurants within walking distance of the park.
→ Dolly Parton Nashville: Her Full Legacy in Music City
→ Where to Pay Your Respects: Dolly Parton Nashville Memorials
→ Musicians Corner Nashville: Free Concerts at Centennial Park
→ Hotels Near Vanderbilt and Centennial Park
→ DollyFest Nashville 2027: Everything We Know
Centennial Park is free and open to the public daily. The Dolly Parton bench location near the Sunken Garden is subject to park maps — check with Metro Parks or the Centennial Park Conservancy for exact directions within the park. This post contains affiliate links.