Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum

In Tennessee visiting family and decided to stop by and give the Hall of Fame in Nashville a look around. It was quite a bit of fun to get to take a stroll down memory lane and see all manner of music history. There is a huge hallway dedicated exclusively to Johnny Cash. As a massive fan of his works, that was incredible to witness. Guitars, drums, pianos, clothing, and so much more. All donated to the Hall of Fame from different sources. It was cool to see switch boards from back in the day on display as well.

An expansive educational museum showing not just the popular music legends but the songwriters, producers, and others that are behind the scenes who normally do not get much attention. It is a great place to pay tribute to the thousands of behind the scenes people. Allow for a few hours to truly appreciate all the various instruments and writeups. A place to must see along with the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Great exhibit. Be prepared for a good portion of the museum to be focused on studio musicians. There is a good mix of top bands and musicians along with the recording studio musicians. Lots of great stories and instruments and other interactive exhibits.

One of the best museum experiences we’ve ever had. So much great musical history with plenty of real artifacts across a wide spectrum of musical genres and artists. Not just a country story. Loved it.

I attended a private party here. Nice spot but too small for the crowd that attended the party. The museum is ok. Needed more information on Motown.

This is a fantastic destination or a fantastic spur of the moment stop in. A fascinating display of all sorts of memorabilia and history from musicians that help form our musical American past. I can't say enough about how nice this experience was and how wonderful the venue is. Don't hesitate to stop in when you're close.

I didn't know this existed until someone we were talking to on a different tour mentioned it. This was awesome, so much more in depth and has a much wider genre range than the country music hall of fame (also a great place to visit). The Christine McVee exhibit was very sad, but they had her perfume in the exhibit, so I guess it smells like she used to. The Jimmy Hendrix exhibit was an awesome surprise. If you love music history, this is a must see.

The atmosphere and staff were fantastic. The introduction video was great. There was so much to see. The displays were fantastic. The interactive music section was one of our favorites. We paid a few extra dollars for the audio tour but it was a little too much info for us. We only had two hours. We were there for the entire 2 hours though. We felt the souvenir prices were too high. If you are a musician or love music history then this place is for you.

Just arrived in Nashville and went for a walk and stumbled upon this museum. Quality/Quantity - So many museum options. We chose to not go into this one. See all the other reviews of the good ones we visited. The team was welcoming. I think they were also having an event today...? Atmosphere - Good size, but we decided to not go in. Open 6 days a week from 10am to 5pm. Service - 5 stars. Everyone was welcoming and inviting. Price - $28 an adult. Discounts available, see picture. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 2005. Maybe we will visit on our next trip.

My wife and I were on an open bus tour and it stopped at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum. I said, let's check it out and jump back on the bus when we're finished. Sounds easy peasy right? Nashville is a music town so it was worth the price of admission, $28 dollars per person and $26 for military, students and teachers. We bought two tickets and walked inside. Starting with a terrific movie that was on a loop, I highly suggest starting with the short movie, it gets you primed for the exhibit. What impressed me the most was the Grammy Gallery. Just watching the musical achievements throughout the years was incredible. If your a Jimi Hendrix fan then you have to spend time at his exhibit. We spent close to two hours taking it all in. Once we were completed with the exhibit, the bus came and we were on our way. That's how you Rock N Roll baby!

This is such a great museum. Not only did we learn a lot, but the activities such as recording with Nelly or recording Friends in Low Places were so fun. We ended up spending almost 3 hrs at the museum and prob could have spent more time.

I enjoyed all the exhibits. There is a lot of history to see and read about. I paid extra for the audio tour, but the headphones/display did not work all of the time. When they did work, the voice was very monotone. I would not recommend paying the extra money for it.

Had a couple hours to spare walking around Nashville and this came up within a short walk, so decided to check it out. In a town full of country music, this was a nice change of pace, as it was dedicated to ALL genres and includes displays on writing and producing as well. This is a place where if you wanted to get through quickly, you could, or you could stay for hours. I would say our visit lasted about an hour and a half; there were some exhibits we moved through a little faster and others that we took our time at. The only real disappointment was probably the cost. $28/regular adult admission feels about $8 too high for me, but it could be normal for the area (this was the only museum we went to in the area, so I don't have much for comparisons sake). Overall, worth a visit if you are into music and are in the area.

Loved the history that's within these walls! Everyone that works here is helpful and informative of everything! It was so much fun! Totally recommend coming to check it out!

Nice place to spend an hour or so if you have time. I like that it recognizes the people who actually make the music, but just the singers! Lots of interesting memorabilia and history wrapped up in this building! Take your time to go through the Grammy area-it's worth it!

Super fun experience especially when u can play and make music midway through museum I recommend 100000000 percent

We were looking around for something different in Nashville than what's down on Broadway and found this cool museum. It's fantastic! A lot of attention to the details of America's recorded music and the people who made it happen, not just the stars. Lots of musical instruments, photos, recordings, equipment, etc. Highly recommended!

What a fun experience. All kinds of displays...even a place where you can get a microphone and sing along to B.B King (at least that's who I think it was. There were studio replicas, famous persons awards and instruments and so much more. The cost was only about $25 and it was a cool respite from the heat of the day. You start with a short movie, then move along at your own pace. No crowd, which is always nice! My favorite display...Rolling Stones of course! Highly recommend. Great for fanmilies.

If you are a fan of music as all you need to make a visit to this museum when in town. So much to learn about musicianship, and some of those that changed the face of music as we know it today. My fave was the Jimi Hendrix exhibit. Super fun!

I brought my two teenage daughters and wasn't sure what to expect, I thought they would quickly get bored but not at all!! The interactive experiences were so fun!! Core memories definitely made!

The Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum is definitely one of those museums you should visit when coming to Nashville. Tickets cost $28/ per person and $26 for military, students/ teachers, seniors. There is a parking lot right next door to the museum (which you will have to pay). There is also street parking (metered) available as well. My husband and I came here on a Saturday around 11:45 am and surprisingly it wasn't too busy. We watched a movie that was 5-6 minutes long to introduce us to the museum and to some honored legends of music. Then we were free to roam the museum as we saw fit. The museum is organized by region and there is a lot of reading, so pace yourself. Some highlights of this museum included the Grammy museum gallery, which had a very fun interactive exhibit that allows for you to play instruments, learn how to record a record, mix your own music and so forth. There were plenty of disinfectant wipes available to wipe down equipment and trash cans to dispose of your used wipes when you are done. In this exhibit, I liked learning how the actual Grammy awards were made. The Jimi Hendrix exhibit, which was kind of hidden and had a very cool entrance once you go inside. You will see numerous of outfits he wore while he had preformed, his original drum set that has been featured in some of his recordings and guitars. The Johnny Cash exhibit, which is very close to the Jimi Hendrix exhibit, had a nice time line of his life, but you can of course learn even more in depth at the Johnny Cash Museum (which my husband and I also had visited during our trip to Nashville). Here at this exhibit, you may notice the large sign "CASH" that is up in lights, which is the original sign from one of his concerts. The founder of Crub Records, Mike Curb, actually had the opportunity to purchase as much of Johnny Cash's house of Cash Museum (which was in another city in Tennessee, as it was closing) to keep as much of his artifacts and items in Nashville, after he had passed away in 2003. Mike Curb ended up placing those items at Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum as a permanent exhibit. There really are a lot more exhibits but these were the ones that I really enjoyed the most. My husband and I ended up spending 2 hours but I think you can spend more time here if you really read through everything (to be honest, I kind of glossed over a few exhibits because I was a bit tired from reading so much). Overall, had a great time learning about so many great musicians and artists and learning about their talents and the behind the scenes stories.

Not at all what I expected. There is a lot of cool memorabilia here but for the size of the place and all the empty space, so much more could have been done. We didn't even see a Rolling Stones exhibit or Pink Floyd. The Jimi Hendrix exhibit was awesome though. Not horrible but definitely needs more work

A must see place in Nashville! So much to see and do in the museum. We ended up spending about 4 hours in the museum without realizing it.

Had an amazing time here. Very clean facilities and a super fun place to explore! Very glad I took the time to stop by during my trip to Nashville.

Fun experience! Definitely a place to visit in Nashville! If you love music and the history of music... this is the place! So informational, interactive and so so much fun!

This is a hidden gem in Nashville. Some excellent exhibits celebrating the behind the scenes musicians who made American music great. Especially cool if you enjoy looking at old guitars and music relics. This would have been entirely over my kids' heads but our group of adults (all music lovers) enjoyed it white a bit.

If you love music, you will enjoy this museum! There's a little bit of everything. It is part of the pick 4 option on the Total Access Pass. I didn't realize the museum is located in the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. One of my favorites was the Hendrix exhibit. Make sure you watch the entire intro, because it's really cool! I also enjoyed the Grammy exhibit. It was hard to not jam out during the video performances lol. There's a lot to see in the museum so give yourself enough time. I'm not even sure how long we were in there, but it was probably close to two hours. I enjoyed this museum much more than the Country Music HOF.

Kids had a blast playing the instruments at this museum. Cool seeing lots of memorabilia for many different artists. They even have a mini Jimi Hendrix and Johnny Cash museums. A little disappointed some of the exhibits in the interactive area weren't working but like I said- kids loved the main stage with all the instruments and played them for almost an hour! Fun times and a great way to introduce your kids to the music scene of Nashville.

This is the perfect place that guides you through the History of Music. Super Fantastic and the Exhibits were carefully thought out and put together. My favorite was the Jimmy Hendricks and the Motown Exhibit.

This museum was right down the street from our hotel so we decided to kill some time one day and check it out. Very glad we did! This museum is packed with all KINDS of cool memorabilia spanning several decades that once belonged to various musicians. The tour is self-guided, which I prefer. The focus of the museum isn't so much on the "big stars" who became famous for singing and playing the music we love, but the musicians in the background who played various instruments in their bands, or who wrote their songs for them. But there are plenty of artifacts from the big stars as well. As you move through the museum you get to hear all the famous music that the artifacts represent, which is a great touch. I would highly recommend this museum if you are music lovers like us!

The museum is full of great memories. Well done but not for children. Be aware that parking will be $40 . There is no street parking and the underground lot is your one and only option. If you don't mind an extra $40 then by all means partake. Staff are very helpful, the shear number and quality will take 3 hours to do just the museum.

This museum is mostly about the people & band behind the main singer, artist. There were a lot of names I did not recognize. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it wasn't what I expected. Definitely recommend if you know music history from 50-60's, I think you'll enjoy it more. Johnny Cash section was most interesting. There are a lot of guitars, drum sets, recording sets. Seems like they've got a lot of space to grow into, so maybe that'll help expand the museum.

What an amazing museum! A true tribute to the musicians in every genre of music! I love the intro film at the beginning of the museum. I also love the "neighborhoods" that highlight the different contributions to music that came across the country. You'll be able to learn the how Nashville, Detroit, Atlanta, Memphis, Muscle Shoals, and Los Angeles contributed to our current music scene. There are a lot of interactive exhibits that will be of interest to child and adults, alike. Staff were very friendly and there was a lot of great music and information to take in. If you like music and are interested in learning more about the everything that goes on "behind the scenes" as well as some great music history, I highly recommend a visit!

Being short on time we wanted to experience multiple exhibits without going to multiple museums. We are so happy we made this decision. We bought our tickets ahead of time, but the museum was not that busy so I highly doubt you couldn't buy them right there. We spent about $50 for two tickets, which was not bad considering we opted out of going to multiple for just this one. When we arrived the experience starts with a little short film, about 5 minutes and it talks a little bit about the history of the museum than the rest of the tour is self-guided. There is a section within the museum that is dedicated to Grammy's and you can actually go and perform on drum sets, sing, or a piano if that is something you are into. They provide wipes and hand sanitizer around the whole section too, which I really appreciated. The most interesting thing about this museum is that it truly hones in on the artists behind those mainstream acts, so the bands that played on records. In addition, there was so many exhibits what had real artifacts of some big name artists such as Elton John, Michael Jackson, and Ringo Starr. There is a whole separate little walk through exhibit dedicated to Jimi Hendrix, which we really enjoyed. My partner's favorite part and one of the biggest reasons we went is that they have a whole room dedicated to Johnny Cash. Overall, we really enjoyed our experience and recommend to anyone who may not be 100% on country music or 100% on one specific artist!

This is a museum devoted or focused on musicians that recorded or played in Nashville. A fair percentage is older musicians from the 50s, 60s or 70s and seemed a bit dated for me. Given that, I would have liked to see more information/displays on some more recent musicians. (ie 80s, 90s 00s,10s.) it's still a great collection, it's put together very well and all of us enjoyed it. I'm glad we came. It gets a recommend!

My teenagers and I had a lot of fun with the interactive displays. We spent most of our time in the Grammy section messing around in the studios and playing all of the instruments. We had a great afternoon at the museum and were glad that we went!

For the musician or music lover, this place is a close 2nd to the R&R Hall of Fame in Cleveland. The big difference is, there is so much more to do in Music City. This place is a great way to spend a few hours away from Broadway and immerse yourself in the musical history of not only the area, but every genre of music that touches us all. This is a great way to learn about the unsung heroes behind the music. You'll be surprised at who wrote the songs you only though were written by the performers! The day I went (September 12th) was a weekday, midday and the place was uncrowded. You start with a video presentation and are then set free to roam around the facility, taking in the sites and sounds of music past and present. Lots of memorabilia: instruments, clothing, recording equipment as well as mock ups of places like the famous Sun Studio in Memphis. There are a number of interactive displays that let you try your hand at drumming, playing guitar, bass and even sing. There's even a mixing display for you to try your hand at. There is a cool set of rooms that provide background on every facet of the recording process. Educational, interactive, entertaining. A great way to learn and play for kids of all ages!

When I first walked in after I purchased my ticket we were shown a short video to start. It talked about the musicians behind the famous songs that you hear and the famous artists that sing them. The adult price is $25/person but they have discounts for students, military, seniors, youth, etc. After the video finished I walked through the museum which was grouped by city/section. These different cities all had their own history in terms of how music started there and each area's own flair/addition to what makes music their own. One section that they had was a history of the Grammys all the way from when it first started to present day and the history of the trophies themselves and the change over the years. There was a recording studio area where you could sing your favorite tracks as well as learn about the history of certain bands. When I went there was also a Johnny Cash exhibit as well as a Jimi Hendrix experience. Going through all this could take about two to three hours depending on your pace but it's really worth to go through it all. Overall it's a great museum to see what happens behind the scenes. I didn't know most people I was reading about but that's kind of the whole point right? You get to see and appreciate the hard work that musicians put in the studio to fine tune songs that become the hits that we all know and love. This museum highlights the achievements and successes of those people who work behind the scenes. Very cool museum and experience!

If you're a fan of music, not just of country music, then definitely visit. Devote a good 2 hours to get through all of the exhibits, which are organized not by decade but by region. The box office staff and the museum staff are young, friendly, and energetic. The museum was vacant and parts were being painted and other areas under construction when we visited on a Monday afternoon. The typical Spring Breakers don't go to museums, evidently. There are interactive exhibits including where you can record yourself singing, get onstage and pretend to rock out, or be a electronic music deejay in a deejay box. I'm a dilettante when it comes to music legends, so it wasn't the most exhilarating experience for me. Good experience overall, though, very informative and educational. We had the Nashville Total Access Attraction Pass that allowed us, for $75, to experience several attractions including this one. Definitely consider that or a Groupon before visiting. Don't pay full price if you don't have to. One big complaint I had was that it was like 80 degrees inside so we were sweltering.

This place is interesting because it celebrates not only the musicians but the people in the background. I appreciated that they acknowledge the people that help the musicians get to where they are today.

What a great museum.... paying homage to those musicians who backed the most famous singers in the country.... Joe (CEO), has on display, items from all recording studios and states. This is a must see when in Nashville! A little off the beaten path, but well worth the .5 mile walk up the hill from downtown Nashville. DO NOT miss this!!!!! Thanks Joe for taking some time to chat!

When I bought the Groupon and even when I walked through the doors I was not expecting a great experience. But after watching the introductory video, which had some heavy hitters in the industry, my attitude quickly changed. We loved seeing the instruments from some of our favorite performers and the stories associated with them. We got to play on actual instruments which I think was my favorite part of the tour. I'm not a fan of the Grammys but it was still cool to see that part of the exhibit. Overall any fan of music should stop here.

Great place to visit if your a musician, recording or mixing engineer. Lots of vintage recoding equipment and instruments.

The Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum is an homage to all musicians, regardless of genre. As someone who has a solid understanding/appreciation of different types of music and musicians throughout history I really wanted to love the Musicians Hall of Fame. However, I left with a "meh" feeling of indifference which really shouldn't have been the case. I do think it is cool that the museum recognizes musicians that aren't necessarily famous but are behind hit songs. However, the exhibits felt disjointed and to me and they didn't follow any chronological timeline or era of music which would feel like you are taking a journey through music history. The exhibits also seem to cater to an older clientele since there aren't any big exhibits to artists that are still relevant, with the exception of the Garth Brooks exhibit. The highlight for me was the Grammy Museum Gallery. The main hallway has a video playing of past Grammy performances and even grammy's on display. There are different recording spaces to involve patron's with the recording/mixing process. Another highlight was that one of the staff members let us go behind the scenes to a new Jimi Hendrix exhibit that is yet to be unveiled. If you do decide to visit then purchase a Groupon ($15/one person, $29/two people, $55/four people). In my humble opinion it is not worth $24/person. The Country Music Hall of Fame is bigger, more interesting, and costs the same amount.

This place is an amazing experience. I enjoyed viewing all the exhibits and being able to read and listen to stories about the evolution of music. There is a part in the Museum where you can actually play music, sing, "be in the studio" and learn how to make a "hit" song. It was so much fun and we spent at least 2 hours in that area. Overall: I give this place 5 stars and believe if you are a music lover or a history person. I would recommend this place because you learn so much about music (both producing and performing) and about different artists in the industry. Highly recommend this place!

Fun place to spend your afternoon! There's always so much to learn. So I'm glad you can take your own self guided tour at your own pace and explore the evolution of music through regions and time. The best part of the museum hands down is the interactive sections where you can make your own music, take music lessons, record your own songs/beats. Etc. it's a very fun way to be engaged with history and see how music has evolved up to today. My musician husband was loving every second, and myself not having a musical background, still had a great time!

We visited Nashville for our 20th wedding anniversary and this is a must visit for anyone into rock and roll history. So many amazing and historical things to see. Much better than the Country Music Hall of Fame in my opinion! Will definitely visit again next time we are in Nashville!

I'm not a huge fan of country music; and with all the country music museums & exhibits in Nashville I wasn't super excited about this one. It was one of the attractions on my multi attraction pass; so I figured I might as well give it a try. First of all I was pleasantly surprised to see that it had exhibits from all genres of music including rock, pop, country, jazz and more. There was so many great items of memorabilia and vintage clothing and instruments; it's almost impossible to read all the facts that are displayed throughout the museum. I especially enjoyed seeing displays from Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Roy Orbison and Jimmy Hendrix. The jimmy Hendrix exhibit had music playing and a fog machine so you could get a better "concert" feel. The best thing about this museum is all the interactive exhibits! I loved playing the instruments with my friends and singing backup to Ray Charles with actual working microphones. There are so many cool things to see & fo....you could spend a whole day here! (Even the ladies room has a cool vintage vibe!)

Expect to spend at least 1.5-2 hours here if you want enough time to explore every section. They have timelines and background of the artists, many instruments and recoding set ups that aren't all behind glass windows. My favorite section that I enjoyed was behind the Grammy area. There's a stage to play with the instruments and listen to yourself, along with many other rooms. Tickets are $25 there and allow senior, military or school discount but it's cheaper on the Groupon.

This was an amazing historical journey through music history. The displays and the interactive exhibits are well done. The museum really tells a story if the artists behind the hits and the development of pop culture. For a music buff this is a must. For a young musician this is a needed education of influence. Thanks to Derrick and Linda for making our day out so special. I will definitely come back again. Reggie I would love to see a Texas section and a Jazz section.

I really enjoyed this museum! I would give the actual museum 4 stars but the price is $25 per person which I think is steep. So I'm only giving 3 stars. The museum is self guided and not massive by any means. The premise of the museum is the musicians behind the famous performers, the incredible musicians who played on all the records we know and love. This featured some country, but mostly was other genres of music. I also really liked the Grammy section of the museum. I'm glad we went, but $50 to spend 2 hours in a museum seemed really steep to me.

I was visiting Nashville from SF, and my sister suggested we go here. There was a cute little coffee truck right outside with some of the best coffee I have ever had, and immediately upon entering, the staff was incredibly nice. The tour video was a little old and outdated, but the walking tour did not disappoint. There was so much information, so many cool things to see and read and to learn about. There was also great options for merch so we all purchased something to take home!

Incredible exhibits dedicated to many of the greatest artists in music history! My personal favorites were the Jimi Hendrix exhibit and the Grammy Awards exhibit where you could play instruments and learn about recording and producing. Must visit if in Nashville!

Very nice, lots of interactive displays, instruments galore. Laid out very nicely. If you're a fan of any kind of music you will enjoy this museums.

I bought a Groupon for two and my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There's lots to see and learn and I was a bit surprised with Nashville being known for Country music that this hall of fame had lots of classic rock musicians that I love, especially Jimi Hendrix. We spent a couple hours here and it was a nice way to spend a morning. If you're into music then I definitely recommend coming here. So much history it's amazing.

Lots of good history here, many good displays, but I can't get past the fact that Charlie Daniels' only mention is in a pic of a Bob Dylan recording session. Charlie loved Nashville and it was his home for decades. He was a highly respected musician in more than one genre. Charlie gets nothing, while drugged-out Jimi Hendrix (who was in Nashville for 2-3 years) gets an entire room? And about the Grammys display. All fine vocalists, but it's the MUSICIANS HALL OF FAME. Pay attention to what Neil Young says at the beginning of the tour: "Being a star and famous is all good, but to be called a musician by another musician is an honor" (paraphrased, of course). No thanks, I wont be back.

The museum is good but not great. The museum has an app to take a self guided tour but the app did not work well as you could not skip or move to the next section without having to quit the app and start over. There are some wonderful stories of song writers and musicians but apart from the audio about them (that didn't work well) there were the instruments used on certain recordings to look at and that was mostly it. It would be great to actually get to hear a snippet of the songs via the app to make stronger connections. (The music instrument museum in Phoenix does a wonderful job of this.) Also it would have been really cool to be able to listen to some interviews with studio musicians about their influences to help create sounds or their experiences working on different albums. There was some of this but not near enough in my opinion.