Just steps from Nashville’s famous Broadway Honky Tonk Highway, the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) offers visitors an immersive look at the artists, genres and cultural movements that transformed American music. Opened in 2021, the museum is the only institution dedicated exclusively to preserving, celebrating and exploring the many ways African Americans have shaped the music world.
From spirituals and gospel to blues, jazz, R&B and hip-hop, NMAAM takes visitors on a journey through centuries of musical history while connecting the sounds of the past to the music we enjoy today.
Start at the Roots Theater
The museum experience begins in the Roots Theater, where a short introductory film provides important historical context for African American music. The presentation explores the history of slavery in America and the musical traditions of West and Central Africa that helped lay the foundation for many of the genres that would eventually emerge in the United States.
From the theater, visitors enter the Rivers of Rhythm corridor, where a sweeping historical timeline connects the evolution of African American music with pivotal moments in American history. The timeline sets the stage for the museum’s galleries, which are arranged chronologically and allow visitors to explore the development of different musical traditions.
Explore Five Musical Journeys
Each gallery at NMAAM focuses on a different chapter in African American music history.
Wade in the Water explores religious music and the role spirituals and gospel played in African American communities. Crossroads moves into the 19th-century roots of blues, examining how the genre evolved and influenced generations of musicians.
In A Love Supreme, visitors discover the rich history and improvisational spirit of jazz, while One Nation Under a Groove explores rhythm and blues and its influence on popular music.
The final gallery, The Message, brings the story into the modern era with a deep dive into hip-hop. Visitors learn about the genre’s origins in New York and explore the music, culture and social influences that helped hip-hop become a global phenomenon.
Throughout the galleries, exhibits combine multimedia displays with physical artifacts, including instruments, clothing and other items connected to legendary performers such as B.B. King and Diana Ross.
Make the Experience Your Own
One of the museum’s most memorable features is its interactive experience. Each visitor can receive an RFID Interactive Bracelet linked to their email address.
As you move through the museum, look for designated interactive points throughout the exhibits. Tap your bracelet and you can save songs and other digital content directly to your email inbox.
The result is a personalized digital souvenir that allows you to take some of the museum experience home with you. Rather than simply walking through a collection of exhibits, visitors can create their own musical journey based on the songs, artists and stories that resonate with them.
Plan Your Visit to NMAAM
The National Museum of African American Music is located in downtown Nashville, making it an easy addition to a Music City itinerary. Its location near the Honky Tonk Highway also makes it possible to combine a visit to the museum with Nashville’s legendary live-music scene.
According to the museum’s visitor information, admission is $33 for adults ages 18–64, $31 for seniors 65 and older, and $29 for youth ages 5–17. Children 4 and under are admitted free.
NMAAM also offers Nissan Free Wednesdays on the first Wednesday of each month, when visitors can receive complimentary admission. RFID Interactive Wristbands can still be purchased for $5 on those free-admission days.
The museum’s listed hours are 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays and Mondays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, with the last admission at 4 p.m.
A Must-Visit for Music Lovers
Whether you’re a lifelong music fan or simply curious about Nashville’s place in American music history, the National Museum of African American Music offers a fascinating way to understand how African American artists, traditions and communities have influenced the soundtrack of the United States.
With interactive exhibits, historic artifacts and a journey spanning spirituals to hip-hop, NMAAM is more than a traditional museum. It is a celebration of the artists and musical traditions that continue to shape the world of music today.