The Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Bristol

Lovely museum - a must-see if you’re in the area (FREE if you’re staying at the Bristol Hotel next door!!). I’m a music lover and enjoy learning music history; admittedly, I don’t know much about country music or the Bristol Sessions, so I learned quite a bit and had a great time! The displays are laid out well - lots of things to watch, listen to, look at, tinker with, etc. It’s very interactive. Seeing the instrument exhibits and videos inspired me to want to take out my instruments at home and relearn them. Also— it wasn’t really on display, but a piano used during the Bristol Sessions is tucked away near the coat rack behind the “main” stairwell in the lobby. We thought it was neat and surprised it wasn’t displayed out. Check it out! The volunteers are very friendly and knowledgeable. Ask them anything and they have an answer for you or will find out the answer to your question. They love hosting out of town guests and will share recommendations for the area. It’s well worth your time and money to visit this museum, even if country music isn’t your thing. We had a great experience and highly recommend it.

This museum was so fun! Such a gem in downtown Bristol. It was so well done and had a lot of hands-on, interactive exhibits. We spent about an hour and a half there. Definitively worth checking out!