History · Nashville · United States
8 historic sites to see in Nashville
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Start with Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Ryman Auditorium and Grand Ole Opry. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 14–20 hours across 5 areas; all charge for entry.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 0
- Time to see them all
- 14–20 hours
- Areas
- Downtown and Lower Broadway, Music Valley and Hermitage
Historic sites in Nashville
Museum · Downtown and Lower Broadway
1.Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
It is also the starting point for tours of the historic RCA Studio B.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Rainy day
Historic site · Downtown and Lower Broadway
2.Ryman Auditorium
Daytime self-guided and backstage tours cover its history, and the church-pew auditorium still hosts concerts of every genre.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- After dark
- Architecture
Experience · Music Valley
3.Grand Ole Opry
At the Opry House a circle of wood from the Ryman's stage is set into the centre of the stage. Backstage tours are offered by day.
- Time needed
- 2–2.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- After dark
- History
Museum · Downtown and Lower Broadway
4.Johnny Cash Museum
It shares a building with the Patsy Cline Museum upstairs.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Downtown and Lower Broadway
5.National Museum of African American Music
Opened in 2021 at Fifth and Broadway, this museum traces more than 50 genres shaped by African American musicians, from spirituals and the blues to jazz, gospel, R&B and hip-hop, with interactive booths where you can sing, dance or produce a beat.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Art
Historic site · Hermitage
6.The Hermitage
Tours cover the mansion, the gardens, Jackson's tomb and the lives of the enslaved people who worked the estate.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Architecture
- Outdoors
Historic site · Belle Meade
7.Belle Meade Historic Site and Winery
A Greek Revival plantation house that was once a famous thoroughbred horse farm, with guided tours of the mansion, outbuildings and the history of the enslaved community, plus a winery tasting room on site.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Couples
- Architecture
Experience · Green Hills
8.Bluebird Cafe
Talking during sets is discouraged — it is a place to listen.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- After dark
- Couples
- History
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown and Lower Broadway | Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Ryman Auditorium, Johnny Cash Museum and National Museum of African American Music | 2–3 hours + 1–1.5 hours + 1–1.5 hours + 2–3 hours |
| Music Valley | Grand Ole Opry | 2–2.5 hours |
| Hermitage | The Hermitage | 2–3 hours |
| Belle Meade | Belle Meade Historic Site and Winery | 2 hours |
| Green Hills | Bluebird Cafe | 2–3 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 1 low cost, 7 mid-priced. Book ahead for Ryman Auditorium, Grand Ole Opry and Bluebird Cafe. The longest visit is Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Ryman Auditorium: Popular concerts sell out quickly; buy tickets through the official site.
- Grand Ole Opry: Book tickets ahead, especially for weekend shows.
- Bluebird Cafe: Reservations open online in advance and go very quickly; some seats are released for walk-ins.
How to fit them into 5 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Downtown and Lower Broadway): Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum → Ryman Auditorium, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Downtown and Lower Broadway): Johnny Cash Museum → National Museum of African American Music, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Music Valley): Grand Ole Opry, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Hermitage and Belle Meade): The Hermitage → Belle Meade Historic Site and Winery, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Green Hills): Bluebird Cafe, at least 2 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- January: highs of 9°C (48°F), about 11 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Cold and damp with occasional snow or ice; quiet and good for museums.
- February: highs of 12°C (54°F), about 11 rainy days, quiet crowds. Still cool with variable weather; good hotel deals outside convention weeks.
- August: highs of 32°C (90°F), about 9 rainy days, moderate crowds. Still hot and humid; plan museums for midday.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Downtown and Lower Broadway — Neon honky-tonks, the Ryman and the big music museums
- Music Valley — The Grand Ole Opry, Gaylord Opryland resort and outlet mall
More of Nashville
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Nashville?
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The largest museum dedicated to a single genre traces country music from its folk roots to today, with instruments, costumes, Elvis Presley's gold Cadillac and the Hall of Fame rotunda of inductees' plaques.