Nashville Unscripted · Things to Do
The Smithsonian of country music. 2.5 million artifacts, three floors, the Hall of Fame Rotunda, and the Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker exhibit through September 2026.
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is Nashville’s most important cultural institution — the world’s largest repository of country music history, housing over 2.5 million artifacts across three floors in the heart of downtown. It’s the #1 rated attraction in Nashville on TripAdvisor and one of the best music museums in the world.
⚠ Visit Now — Dolly Parton Exhibit Closes September 2026
The Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker exhibit runs through September 2026. Following her death on August 25, 2026, this exhibit has taken on profound new meaning. If you’re visiting Nashville before the end of September, this is the most meaningful cultural experience in the city right now.
Address
222 Rep. John Lewis Way S, Nashville TN 37203
Hours
Daily 9am–5pm
Adult Admission
$31.95
Children Under 5
Free
Duration
2–4 hours
Location
Downtown Nashville · Walking distance to Broadway
Staying in Nashville?
Book Your Hotel or VRBO Downtown
The Country Music Hall of Fame is in the heart of downtown — walking distance from Broadway and most downtown Nashville hotels.
Browse Nashville Hotels → Browse Nashville VRBOs →Ticket Prices 2026
General Admission — Adult (ages 13+)
$31.95
Full access to all three floors, all permanent and rotating exhibits, and the Hall of Fame Rotunda. Buy online in advance — same price as the box office but faster entry.
General Admission — Child (ages 6–12)
$21.95
Full museum access. Children under 5 are free with a paying adult.
RCA Studio B Combo — Adult
From $50–$55
Museum admission plus a guided tour of Historic RCA Studio B on Music Row — where Elvis, Dolly Parton, and hundreds of country legends recorded. The best value add-on for serious music fans.
Hatch Show Print Tour
$23.00 adult · $18.00 child
Guided tour of the legendary letterpress print shop inside the museum that has created Nashville concert posters since 1879. Add-on to museum admission.
Full Combo — Museum + Studio B + Hatch Show Print
From $72 adult
The complete experience. A full half-day in the world’s best country music institution. Worth every dollar for dedicated music fans.
Nashville Locals: Free Admission Available
Nashville-Davidson County residents and those in bordering counties can borrow a Community Counts Passport at participating public libraries for free museum admission for up to two adults. Check countrymusichalloffame.org for participating library locations.
Current Exhibits 2026
Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker
Through September 2026 · Do Not Miss
The definitive Dolly Parton exhibit — tracing her journey from Locust Ridge, Tennessee to global icon through costumes, instruments, handwritten lyrics, and personal artifacts. Following her death on August 25, 2026, this exhibit is now the most emotionally significant thing you can experience in Nashville. It closes in September — visit before it’s gone.
Sing Me Back Home
Permanent — The Essential Starting Point
The museum’s sweeping multi-floor permanent timeline tracing country music from its 19th-century Appalachian folk roots through the honky-tonk era, the Urban Cowboy movement, the 1990s boom, and today. Over 2.5 million artifacts. Start here — plan at least 90 minutes for this floor alone.
The Hall of Fame Rotunda
Permanent · The Emotional Core of the Museum
Bronze plaques honoring every Country Music Hall of Fame inductee line the walls of a dedicated rotunda. Dolly Parton was inducted in 1999. Standing in this room after her passing carries a weight that is hard to describe — it is genuinely one of the most moving rooms in any museum in America right now.
American Currents: State of the Music
Permanent — Annual Update
The museum’s annual exhibit highlighting the past year in country music. Updated yearly to reflect the current state of the genre — artists, trends, cultural moments.
RCA Studio B: The Add-On Worth Getting
Historic RCA Studio B at 1611 Roy Acuff Place on Music Row is where Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, and hundreds of other artists recorded some of the most important songs in American music history.
The guided tour runs from the museum and takes you inside the actual recording studio — you stand on the floor where Elvis recorded over 200 songs, where Dolly recorded her early catalog. The studio equipment is preserved from the era. The tour guide provides context that makes the music you know feel completely new.
Add it to your museum ticket for $18–$23 more per person. Worth every dollar for anyone who loves the music.
Parking at the Country Music Hall of Fame
The museum offers validated parking in the adjacent garage at 222 Rep. John Lewis Way for $15 (up to 3 hours) or $25 (up to 6 hours). Museum members get $5 off. Validation codes are available at the museum Info Desk until 5pm daily.
Alternatively, the Music City Center Garage across the street offers public parking. Downtown Nashville street meters go free after 6pm on weekdays — but the museum closes at 5pm, so street parking isn’t a practical option for most visits.
For the full Nashville parking picture, see our Nashville Parking Guide and Broadway parking guide.
Tips for Your Visit
- Visit the Dolly Parton exhibit first. It closes in September 2026 and is the most emotionally significant thing in Nashville right now. Don’t save it for last.
- Plan 2–4 hours minimum. The museum is massive. Rushing it means missing things you’d regret. A full morning or afternoon is ideal.
- Buy tickets online in advance. Same price as the box office, faster entry, and you’re guaranteed admission on busy days.
- Add the RCA Studio B tour if you’re a music fan. It runs select days — check availability when you buy your museum ticket.
- The museum opens at 9am. Arrive early to beat crowds — the museum gets busy by late morning on weekends and event weeks.
- The gift shop is genuinely excellent. Not the typical tourist junk — real music memorabilia, books, and Nashville-specific items worth browsing.
Plan Your Nashville Visit
Book Your Downtown Nashville Hotel or VRBO
The Country Music Hall of Fame is walking distance from Broadway and most downtown Nashville hotels. Stay downtown and walk to everything.
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Country Music Hall of Fame ticket prices, exhibit schedules, and hours are subject to change. Always verify current information at countrymusichalloffame.org before your visit. This post contains affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.