Even though we have been to Nashville on several occasions, we had never visited the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. There are three ticket options detailed below. We chose the basic Museum experience which allowed us to tour the museum’s two floors of exhibits. There was plenty there to keep us enthralled for several hours.
Country’s Roots
The museum has both permanent and feature exhibitions. You will begin on the 3rd floor with the exhibit “Sing Me Back Home: Folk Roots to the 1960’s.” This exhibit takes up the vast majority of the floor. You can see instruments, clothes and playbills from as far back as the 1890’s. The exhibit does an excellent job of taking you through the early years and the evolution of country music. As you reach the end of this portion, you encounter two iconic automobiles from the county music scene, Elvis’s limousine and Webb Pierce’s Pontiac Bonneville. If you aren’t familiar with Webb Pierce you are not alone. I had never heard of him either. After seeing this ostentatious car, I had to learn more about the man. He was part of the honky tonk 1950’s era of country music. If you would like to hear a sample of his music here is a link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKuTeDUPljQ) of him singing one of his hits “There Stands the Glass.”) If you aren’t quite that intrigued, my description would be Bob Dylan meets Lawrence Welk. While he certainly did not have the greatest voice in country music, he surrounded himself with very talented musicians and created a persona not unlike that of Elton John or Liberace. He had a guitar shaped pool at this home and the car speaks for itself.
As promised here are both an exterior and an interior photo of Elvis’s limousine. Check out the size of the tv mounted on the back of the front seat.
From Hee Haw to Tim and Faith
Also on the third floor when we visited are feature exhibits of Shania Twain and Lynn Anderson. The exhibits are very well done and take you through not only the professional part of the artist’s life but their upbringing as well. Country music really does tell a story and knowing about the artist’s life, adds another level of appreciation for their music. You also get a feel for how the lives of these musicians intertwined and for their impact on society as whole. I know it brought a smile to my face to see the film clip of Lynn Anderson singing “Rose Garden” on the Lawrence Welk show!
One last picture of something that made me remember summer nights at the drive-in watching “Smoky and the Bandit” movies. The car from the movies is housed at the museum. Seeing that made me smile and brought a spring to my step.
Ticket Options
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has three ticket options. The Hatch Experience which includes admission to the museum as well as an interactive experience where you learn about letterpress printing. This includes a souvenir Hatch Show Print to take home with you. The cost is $40.95 for adults, anyone 13 and over, and $30.95 for children between the ages of 6 – 12. Another option is the Studio B Experience. Like the Hatch Experience it includes admission to the museum. It also includes a tour of Elvis’s favorite studio, Music Row and stories about other country artist’s such as Dolly Parton. The Studio B tour takes 2 hours. You will be provided transportation to Studio B as part of the tour. The cost is $40.95 for adults and $30.95 for children between 6 – 12. We opted for the Museum experience which provides you with access to two floors of exhibits covering country music from its roots to today. The cost is $27.95 for adults and $18.95 for youth. Regardless of which option you choose, you will thoroughly enjoy your time at the museum. I wouldn’t be surprised if we visited again the next time we are in Nashville.
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