Best Museums in Nashville: The Short Version (2026)
- Best museum in Nashville overall: the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, $31.95 adults, open daily 9 AM–5 PM; allow 2–3 hours and add the RCA Studio B tour ($54.95 package) if you love the history.
- Best for all music fans: the National Museum of African American Music at Fifth + Broadway, $33.33 adults, with hands-on interactive stations.
- Best free museums: the Tennessee State Museum (free, closed Mondays), the State Capitol tours (weekdays) and the Vanderbilt and Fisk university galleries.
- Best value: Lane Motor Museum ($15 adults, $3 ages 6–17) and the Frist Art Museum ($20, free for ages 18 and under).
- Closed: the Patsy Cline Museum shut on May 15, 2025 and the George Jones Museum in December 2021, so ignore lists that still send you there.
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The best museums in Nashville are not all about country music, but the best one is. The Country Music Hall of Fame is the city’s essential stop; around it, within a 26-minute walk of Lower Broadway, sit the National Museum of African American Music, the Johnny Cash Museum, the Musicians Hall of Fame, the Frist Art Museum and the free Tennessee State Museum. Farther out are a car museum with propeller-driven vehicles, a full-size Parthenon and four historic estates.
Tickets add up quickly: the three big downtown music museums cost about $98 per adult before tax. This guide gives each major museum’s verified 2026 price, closed days and time needed, who it suits and who can skip it, plus the free options and combo tickets actually sold in 2026.
How we researched this: in November 2026 our editors checked admission, hours and holiday closures on each museum’s official website (Country Music Hall of Fame, NMAAM, Johnny Cash Museum, Musicians Hall of Fame, Ryman, Grand Ole Opry, Frist, Tennessee State Museum, Parthenon, Lane Motor Museum, Adventure Science Center, the Hermitage, Belle Meade, Belmont Mansion and Cheekwood), confirmed closures in local news (WSMV, Music Row) and took hotel facts from our hotel registry. Walk times are approximate, from map distances. Where a museum does not publish a price in text, we say so.
Nashville museums compared: 2026 prices, closed days and time needed
Adult tickets at Nashville’s major museums run from free to about $33, and the historic estates cost $18–$32. The most common trap is the closed day: five of the museums below close on Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Prices are adult admission as published in November 2026.
| Museum | Area | Adult ticket | Closed | Time needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country Music Hall of Fame | Downtown / SoBro | $31.95 ($21.95 ages 6–12) | Open daily 9–5 | 2–3 hours |
| National Museum of African American Music | Downtown | $33.33 | Thanksgiving, Christmas | 2 hours |
| Johnny Cash Museum | Downtown | $32.95 + tax | Thanksgiving, Christmas | 1–1.5 hours |
| Musicians Hall of Fame | Downtown | Posted at the box office, not in text online | Sundays; Thanksgiving, Dec 24–25, Jan 1 | 1.5–2 hours |
| Ryman Auditorium tour | Downtown | Guided backstage $42.52 + tax | Thanksgiving | 1–1.5 hours |
| Historic RCA Studio B | Music Row (tour bus from the Hall of Fame) | $54.95 with museum; $23 add-on | As Hall of Fame | 1 hour |
| Tennessee State Museum | Bicentennial Mall | Free | Mondays; Thanksgiving, Christmas, Jan 1, Easter | 2 hours |
| Frist Art Museum | Downtown / Gulch edge | $20; 18 and under free | Tuesdays, Wednesdays; Thanksgiving | 1.5 hours |
| The Parthenon | Centennial Park | $15 ($10 ages 4–17 and 62+) | Thursdays after noon; Nov 11, 26 and 27 | 1 hour |
| Lane Motor Museum | Southeast Nashville | $15 ($3 ages 6–17) | Tuesdays, Wednesdays; Thanksgiving | 1.5–2 hours |
| Adventure Science Center | Fort Negley | $22 ($18 ages 2–12) | Tuesdays, Wednesdays | 2–3 hours |
| Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage | Hermitage (east) | $29.95 | Thanksgiving, Dec 24–25 | 2–3 hours |
| Belle Meade Historic Site | Belle Meade | Mansion tour from $32 | Not published | 1.5–2 hours |
| Belmont Mansion | Belmont University | $18 self-guided; $22 guided | Thanksgiving, Dec 23–25 | 45–75 minutes |
| Cheekwood Estate and Gardens | West Nashville | Varies by date | Mondays; Thanksgiving | 2–3 hours |
Music museums in Nashville: which ones are worth it
If you see one music museum, make it the Country Music Hall of Fame; if you see two, add NMAAM, which covers far more than country. The Johnny Cash Museum suits Cash fans, and the Musicians Hall of Fame suits people who care about the players and the gear behind the records.
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (222 Rep. John Lewis Way South). The deepest collection in Nashville, from costumes and instruments to the Hall of Fame rotunda, open daily 9 AM–5 PM. Adults pay $31.95 and ages 6–12 pay $21.95; the Museum + RCA Studio B and Museum + Hatch Show Print packages are $54.95 each, and the Experience It All package is $82.95. The museum says 11 AM–2 PM is its peak, so arrive at opening. Skip it only if you have no interest in country music at all. Our Hall of Fame and Hatch Show Print guide lists the must-see galleries.
National Museum of African American Music (598 Broadway, inside Fifth + Broadway). More than 50 genres, from spirituals and blues to gospel, R&B and hip-hop, with interactive stations throughout. Adults $33.33, seniors $31.33, ages 5–17 $29.33 (senior and youth tickets in person only). Open Tuesday–Saturday 10 AM–5 PM and Monday and Sunday noon–5 PM, last entry 4 PM. The price is the highest of the downtown three, but it is the best museum for mixed-taste groups and teenagers. See our NMAAM guide.
Johnny Cash Museum (119 3rd Avenue South). Open daily 9 AM–7 PM, the latest closing time of any Nashville museum, which makes it an easy pre-dinner visit. Adults $32.95 + tax, ages 6–15 $28.95 + tax, $1 off in person for AAA, military, seniors and students. It is compact, so allow 60–90 minutes. The Patsy Cline Museum that shared the building closed on May 15, 2025 to make room for a Cash expansion; our Johnny Cash Museum guide has the background.
Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum (401 Gay Street, in the Municipal Auditorium). Honors the session players behind hit records of every genre, and admission includes the GRAMMY Museum Gallery. Open Monday–Saturday 10 AM–5 PM, closed Sundays. The museum posts its prices as an image at the ticket booth and on its ticket site rather than in text, so check before you go. It is about 12–15 minutes on foot from Broadway, which keeps crowds lighter. Our Musicians Hall of Fame guide covers the exhibits.
Studio and stage tours: Ryman, RCA Studio B and the Opry
Three working music venues run museum-style tours. The Ryman tour is the best of them for most visitors; Studio B is for students of recording history; the Opry backstage tour suits fans who will also see a show.
- Ryman Auditorium (116 Rep. John Lewis Way North). Tours daily 9 AM–4 PM, with shorter hours on some dates, such as November 7 and 9, 2026, and closed Thanksgiving. The guided backstage tour is $42.52 + tax and the two-hour VIP tour $62.02 + tax; the self-guided tour was a $25 + tax fall offer through October 31, 2026, so check the current rate. See our Ryman tours guide.
- Historic RCA Studio B (Music Row). Where Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton and the Everly Brothers recorded; tours depart only from the Hall of Fame, $54.95 with museum admission or $23 as an add-on. Our Studio B guide explains the timing.
- Grand Ole Opry House (Music Valley). The 50-minute daytime backstage tour is $46.65 including taxes and fees; the 90-minute VIP tour is $88.34, and the post-show tour ($45) requires a show ticket.
Art, history and science museums: Frist, State Museum, Parthenon and Lane
The Frist is Nashville’s major art museum, the Tennessee State Museum is the best free museum in the city, and Lane Motor Museum is the surprise hit with families. Check closed days carefully: the Frist and Lane both close Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Frist Art Museum (919 Broadway). A non-collecting museum in the 1934 Art Deco post office, so what you see depends on the dates. In November 2026 the headline show is “Beauty and Ritual: Judaica from the Jewish Museum, New York” (to February 7, 2027). Adults $20, seniors, students and military $16 in person, ages 18 and under free; college students are free on Thursdays 5–8 PM. Hours are Monday, Friday and Saturday 10 AM–5:30 PM, Thursday to 8 PM and Sunday 1–5:30 PM. Validated parking is $3 an hour for up to three hours.
Tennessee State Museum (1000 Rosa L. Parks Boulevard). Free, open Tuesday–Saturday 10 AM–5 PM and Sunday 1–5 PM, with Tennessee’s story from the earliest inhabitants to the present plus temporary shows that in November 2026 include “The Tennessee Playlist.” Parking is free in the lot shared with the Farmers’ Market, which fills on weekends. Pair it with a free weekday guided tour of the State Capitol. Details in our State Museum guide.
The Parthenon (Centennial Park, 2500 West End Avenue). A full-scale replica housing the city’s art museum and the 42-foot gilded Athena. Adults $15, seniors 62+ and ages 4–17 $10, sold on site only, with a 2.3% card fee. Open 9 AM–4:30 PM most days, but only 9 AM–noon on Thursdays and 12:30–4:30 PM on Sundays; closed November 11, 26 and 27, 2026. See our Parthenon guide.
Lane Motor Museum (702 Murfreesboro Pike). Quirky, mostly European cars, from microcars to amphibious and propeller-driven vehicles, with free vehicle demonstrations at 11 AM on weekends. Adults $15, seniors $10, ages 6–17 $3, free parking; open Thursday–Monday 10 AM–5 PM. It is the best-value museum in Nashville and a 10-minute drive from downtown. Our Lane Motor Museum guide picks the stand-out cars.
Adventure Science Center (800 Fort Negley Boulevard). Hands-on science for children, $22 adults and $18 ages 2–12, planetarium shows $10 extra, free parking. Open Monday, Thursday and Friday 9 AM–3 PM and weekends 9 AM–5 PM; closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Adults without children can skip it.
Historic homes and estates: the Hermitage, Belle Meade, Belmont and Cheekwood
Nashville’s historic estates need a car or rideshare and half a day. Choose the Hermitage for presidential history, Belle Meade for its horse-farm story, Belmont Mansion for a short Gilded Age tour near Music Row, and Cheekwood if gardens matter more than period rooms.
- Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage (4580 Rachel’s Lane, about 20 minutes east). Adults $29.95, seniors and veterans $26.95, ages 5–12 $19.95, family pass $93.80. Open 9 AM–4 PM with the last mansion tour at 4 PM and grounds closing at 5; closed Thanksgiving, December 24 and 25. Our Hermitage guide covers the tours.
- Belle Meade Historic Site (arrival at 110 Leake Avenue). Mansion tours from $32 run every 30–45 minutes from 9:30 AM to 4 PM; the site is open daily 9–5, and its wine and bourbon experiences are sold separately. A free Holiday Open House is planned for November 12, 2026.
- Belmont Mansion (Belmont University campus). The self-guided tour is $18 and the 75-minute guided tour $22; last admission 3:30 PM. Free parking requires online vehicle registration. See our Belmont Mansion guide.
- Cheekwood Estate and Gardens. A 1930s mansion with an art collection and 55 acres of gardens. From November 3, 2026 to January 29, 2027 daytime hours are Tuesday–Sunday 9 AM–3:30 PM, and Holiday LIGHTS runs nightly November 20, 2026–January 3, 2027; ticket prices vary by date and timed entry is required.
- Two Rivers Mansion (Donelson). An 1859 house open for scheduled tours run by the Friends of Two Rivers rather than daily hours, including holiday tours in late November 2026; see our Two Rivers guide.
Free museums in Nashville and ways to save on tickets
The free museums are the Tennessee State Museum, the State Capitol tours, the Vanderbilt University Museum of Art and Fisk University’s Carl Van Vechten Gallery. The biggest paid saving is the Frist’s free admission for everyone 18 and under; the Hall of Fame’s packages are the only official multi-attraction tickets we could confirm.
- Free every day it is open: Tennessee State Museum; State Capitol guided tours, weekdays at 9, 10 and 11 AM and 1, 2 and 3 PM; Vanderbilt University Museum of Art (closed Mondays and November 22–29, 2026); Fisk’s Van Vechten Gallery, weekdays 10 AM–4 PM. Our free things to do in Nashville guide has hours for each.
- Free for some visitors: the Frist for ages 18 and under and for college students on Thursday evenings; EBT, SNAP and WIC cardholders get in free with up to four adults.
- Bundles: the Hall of Fame’s $54.95 packages cost the same as admission plus a $23 tour add-on, so buy whichever has availability. We found no current official listing for the Music City Total Access pass in November 2026, so we do not recommend relying on it.
Build a museum day that avoids closed days
A Thursday to Monday museum day works best: start at the Hall of Fame at 9 AM, walk to NMAAM after lunch and finish at the Johnny Cash Museum, which stays open until 7 PM. Avoid Tuesdays and Wednesdays for the Frist and Lane, Mondays for the State Museum and Sundays for the Musicians Hall of Fame.
Closed Nashville museums: what older lists get wrong
Two museums still appear on many lists but are closed. Both buildings are open as something else, so you will not find the exhibits you expect.
- Patsy Cline Museum: closed May 15, 2025; the space at 119 3rd Avenue South became part of the Johnny Cash Museum, and no new location had been announced by November 2026.
- George Jones Museum: closed in December 2021; the 2nd Avenue building now houses the Nashville Live! entertainment venue, so our George Jones on 2nd Avenue page is useful as history only.
Where to stay near Nashville’s museums
For the downtown music museums, stay within a few blocks of the Hall of Fame: Hilton Nashville Downtown is about 3 minutes away and charges no resort fee. Choose the Capitol-area hotels for the State Museum and Capitol, and Conrad Nashville in Midtown for the Parthenon, the Frist and Belmont Mansion.
The Joseph, about 5 minutes from the Hall of Fame, has its own contemporary art collection but adds a $35 + tax fee and $58 valet. Sheraton Grand and The Hermitage Hotel charge no resort fee and sit about 5 minutes from the Capitol. Conrad’s $30 + tax fee is waived on Hilton points stays. Every bill carries 16.75% tax plus $2.50 per night.
| Hotel | Area | Price level | Walk to Broadway | Pool | Resort fee | Parking | Booking.com |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Nashville Downtown | Core Downtown (1 Block off Lower Broadway) | Upscale | Half a block (100 yards) from Lower Broadway Honky Tonks (1-minute walk) | No pool — 100% all-suite hotel right behind Bridgestone Arena & Country Music Hall of Fame | None ($0 mandatory resort fee) | Valet only: $65/night with in-and-out privileges (no self-parking) | Check prices |
| The Joseph, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nashville | SoBro / Downtown Nashville | Luxury | 4 blocks south of Lower Broadway (6-minute walk) | 21st-floor heated rooftop pool with skyline views & Denim rooftop bar | $35 + tax per night (Destination Amenity Fee) | Valet $58/night | Check prices |
| Sheraton Grand Nashville Downtown | Downtown Arts District / Capitol View | Mid-range | 4 blocks north of Lower Broadway (7-minute walk; 1 block from TPAC) | No pool; atrium lobby and the 28th-floor Skye Lounge | $25 + tax per night destination fee (per group-booking pages and booking sites) | Self-parking $70/day; valet $75/day (per Marriott's listing; Library Garage 1 block south closed since the June 2025 fire) | Check prices |
| The Hermitage Hotel | Downtown / Capitol District | Luxury | 4 blocks north of Lower Broadway & Ryman Auditorium (7-minute walk) | No pool — historic 1910 Beaux-Arts National Historic Landmark | None ($0 mandatory resort fee) | Valet $58/night + tax (per the hotel’s FAQ, October 2026) | Check prices |
| Conrad Nashville | Midtown / Music Row (Broadwest) | Luxury | 4-minute Uber (1 mile) straight down Broadway to Lower Broadway | 3rd-floor heated outdoor pool terrace with cabanas & Thistle & Rye bar | $30 + tax per night (waived on Hilton Honors points stays) | Valet $56/night (Broadwest underground self-parking garage available) | Check prices |
Hilton Nashville Downtown
- 100% Two-Room Suites (separate living room + bedroom)
- NO Resort Fee ($0/night)
- About 4 min on foot to Bridgestone Arena, 5 min to the Ryman
- Soaring sunlit atrium
The closest all-suite hotel to Honky Tonk Highway—located half a block off Lower Broadway across from Bridgestone Arena and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Prices vary according to travel dates and availability.
The Joseph, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nashville
- 21st-floor rooftop pool, Rose Spa & Denim bar
- Yolan Italian restaurant by Chef Tony Mantuano
- Museum-caliber Pizzuti contemporary art collection
- Quiet southern SoBro corner
Art-centric Marriott Luxury Collection hotel in SoBro pairing Chef Tony Mantuano’s Yolan restaurant with a 21st-floor rooftop pool and Rose Spa.
Prices vary according to travel dates and availability.
Sheraton Grand Nashville Downtown
- Quieter Union Street location 4 blocks off Broadway
- 28th-floor Skye Lounge panoramic views
- Atrium-style tower renovated in 2024
- Sheraton Club Lounge
Large, quieter downtown Marriott tower four blocks north of Broadway, with an atrium lobby, a Club Lounge and the 28th-floor Skye Lounge.
Prices vary according to travel dates and availability.
The Hermitage Hotel
- NO Resort Fee ($0/night)
- Oversized 500+ sq ft guest rooms
- Drusie & Darr by Jean-Georges Vongerichten
- 1910 Beaux-Arts National Historic Landmark
Nashville’s original 1910 Five-Star Beaux-Arts landmark offering oversized 500-square-foot rooms, Jean-Georges dining at Drusie & Darr, and zero resort fees.
Prices vary according to travel dates and availability.
Conrad Nashville
- Hilton’s flagship 5-star luxury hotel in Nashville
- Champalimaud-designed rooms (425+ sq ft)
- Heated outdoor pool terrace & Thistle & Rye rooftop lounge
- Peaceful Midtown location 1 mile from Broadway
Hilton’s five-star flagship in Midtown’s Broadwest complex, offering Champalimaud-designed 425-square-foot rooms, Blue Aster dining and a heated pool terrace.
Prices vary according to travel dates and availability.
Sources and How We Verified This
- Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum: 2026 admission and package prices, hours and peak times.
- National Museum of African American Music: prices, hours, last entry and holiday closures.
- Johnny Cash Museum: admission, discounts and hours.
- Musicians Hall of Fame FAQ: hours, holiday closures and the included GRAMMY Museum Gallery.
- Frist Art Museum: hours, admission, parking and current exhibitions.
- Tennessee State Museum: free admission, hours and parking.
- The Parthenon: 2026 prices, Thursday hours and holiday closures.
- WSMV: the Patsy Cline Museum closure.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the best museum in Nashville?
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is the best overall: the largest collection, open daily 9 AM to 5 PM, $31.95 for adults. For visitors who are not country fans, the National Museum of African American Music ($33.33) is the stronger pick because it covers more than 50 genres with interactive exhibits.
Which museums in Nashville are free?
The Tennessee State Museum is free (closed Mondays), as are weekday guided tours of the State Capitol, the Vanderbilt University Museum of Art and Fisk University’s Carl Van Vechten Gallery. The Frist Art Museum is free for anyone 18 and under, and college students get in free on Thursday evenings from 5 to 8 PM.
Is the Country Music Hall of Fame worth the money?
Yes for anyone with even a passing interest in country music: $31.95 buys two to three hours in the city’s deepest collection, and the Hatch Show Print shop is in the same building. Arrive at 9 AM, because the museum says 11 AM to 2 PM is its busiest window. Add the $23 Studio B tour only if recording history appeals.
How much is the Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville?
General admission is $32.95 plus tax for adults and $28.95 plus tax for ages 6 to 15; children 5 and under are free with an adult. AAA members, military, seniors and students get $1 off when buying in person. The museum is open daily 9 AM to 7 PM and closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Is there a museum pass for Nashville?
Not one we could confirm as officially sold in November 2026; we found no current official listing for the Music City Total Access pass. The Country Music Hall of Fame sells packages that add the RCA Studio B or Hatch Show Print tour for $54.95, and its top bundle is the $82.95 Experience It All package; these are the most reliable combo tickets.
