National Museum of African American Music

From gospel, blues, jazz and R&B to disco, funk, pop, hip-hop, rap and country, African American culture has influenced nearly every musical genre found in American popular culture today. Sitting on Broadway, across the street from Nashville’s iconic Ryman Auditorium, the National Museum of African American Music entertains, educates and enlightens thousands of visitors each year on the history and reach of Black music in the United States.  

After several years in the making, the 56,000-square-foot facility opened its doors in 2021 to showcase a collection of evolving exhibits and displays. A short film in the immersive Roots Theater gets visitors excited about what’s to come, touching on significant eras and events that have shaped the course of American music. From there, the main Rivers of Rhythm corridor ushers guests through the museum on a musical journey via a series of chronologically organized galleries. 

The Wade in the Water section focuses on early spirituals, hymns and religious music pieces, while the Crossroads display chronicles the Deep South and Mississippi Delta origins of the blues and its northward progression during the Great Migration. 

Jazz rules in the Love Supreme gallery, leading into the One Nation Under A Groove area that traces the progression of Black music from World War II through present day. Hip-hop and rap receive their due respect in The Message gallery with interactive sound stations that give visitors an opportunity to create their very own original beats. 

The museum admission fee also includes an electronic bracelet that connects to your email and allows you to scan sensors throughout the museum to quick-save links to playlists and videos. This way, you can revisit the museum at home through your personal devices. 510 Broadway, Nashville, Tennessee 37203, 615/301-8724, nmaam.org