Country Music Hall of Fame: Experience the story behind the music
On December 31, 2000, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Music Row closed its doors after 35 years. But just a few short months later and a few short miles down the road, the Hall of Fame re-opened in its new $37-million facility in downtown Nashville.
The staff at the museum developed a new vision for its presentation of the history of country music. The Hall of Fame showcases more than just a chronology of events; it depicts a storyline tracing country music from its origins to present day.
With a distinctive architecture and construction, the Hall of Fame is a dazzling 130,000-square-foot museum that attracts visitors from all over the world. It has twice the gallery space of the original building, housing the 213-seat Ford Theater, two smaller theaters, and the 5,300-square-foot Hall of Fame, located in the Rotunda.
Additionally, the Museum Store boasts one of the biggest record stores downtown, and the Curb Conservatory houses the SoBro Grill. The Hall of Fame showcases two permanent exhibits year around. The Sing Me Back Home exhibit chronicles the colorful story of the life country music.
Visitors experience the heart and soul of the music and artists’ history through artifacts, photographs, original recordings, archival video, new films, interactive media and rendered text panels.
The self-guided tour covers two floors of the museum. The story is depicted in chronological order and moves through large subjects like “Country During the War Years.”
Visitors can also experience the preservation of history as they watch museum staff work with historical artifacts and recordings on site. Patrons finish their tour in the Hall of Fame Rotunda, where a plaque honors the members of the Hall
The museum is hosting two additional exhibits through 2009. The Kitty Wells: Queen of Country exhibit lets visitors explore the transition Kitty made from “girl singer” to big time country music star. Family Tradition: The Williams Family Legacy presents the history of country’s most famous family. Visitors examine the personal life of father, Hank Williams, and son, Hank Williams, Jr. and their tumultuous careers. In August, the Brenda Lee Exhibit is set to open.
- by Emily Moore, Nashville Reporter for HelloMetro
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