The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum at 222 5th Avenue South is one of the most visited history museums in the United States, and it runs multiple simultaneous exhibits that rotate. The permanent collection and the temporary shows operate at different levels of ambition, and knowing which is which before you go saves time.
The Current Headline: Dolly Parton
Through September 2026, the museum is running “Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker,” focused on turning points in Parton’s career where she overcame obstacles and ignored critics. The exhibit covers more than 60 years of her career, with artifacts, photographs, and the stories behind four of her most significant songs, “9 to 5,” “Coat of Many Colors,” “I Will Always Love You,” and “Jolene”, in her own words.
The exhibit is included with standard museum admission and has a companion book available for purchase. Parton herself has called being featured in the museum “one of the greatest moments of my life.” Whether you find Dolly fascinating or just culturally significant, this is the most substantial individual-artist exhibit the museum has ever mounted.
American Currents
The annual “American Currents: State of the Music” exhibit opens each February and runs through January the following year. It surveys the country music landscape over the prior year, mainstream country, Americana, bluegrass, and related roots music, as determined by the museum’s curators. The exhibit covers musical developments, artist achievements, and notable events with photographs, artifacts, and context.
This is the museum doing journalism in exhibit form, and it’s consistently well-executed. It’s also the fastest-changing component of the museum; what you see in March is different from what you see in November.
The Permanent Collection
The permanent galleries cover country music’s history from its origins through the present day. The scale is larger than most visitors expect: the building expanded to 350,000 square feet in 2014, and the collection includes instruments, stage costumes, handwritten lyrics, vehicles, and archival footage organized chronologically.
Standout permanent items include Hank Williams’ cherished Martin guitar, Elvis Presley’s custom Cadillac limousine, and significant artifacts from Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, and Garth Brooks.
The audio guide ($5 extra) is worth it. The museum is text-heavy and the audio layer adds context, music, and storytelling that makes the material significantly more engaging. Visitors who skip it consistently report spending more time reading placards instead of absorbing history.
Practical Planning
Admission runs $29.95 for adults and $19.95 for youth ages 6-12; children 5 and under are free. The museum is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Allow a minimum of two hours; serious visitors spend four or more.
The RCA Studio B tour is a separate add-on and the best single upgrade available. The studio is 1.5 miles away and transportation is included. Book the studio tour first when you check in, because afternoon slots fill quickly.
Avoid peak crowd periods (late morning on weekends, CMA Fest week in June) if you want room to actually look at things. The museum offers special programming during CMA Fest that can make that week worthwhile despite the crowds.
One common mistake: people arrive, rush through, and leave without spending time in any one section. The best approach is to pick two or three areas you care about and read everything in them, rather than skimming the entire building.
Sources
- Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, countrymusichalloffame.org
- CMHOF press release, Dolly Parton Journey of a Seeker, 2025
- TripAdvisor visitor reviews
- GetYourGuide booking information