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Birthplace of Country Music Museum
101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA 24201, United States
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De
Review №1

Ms. June welcomed us and informed us about how it was set up. She knew her stuff and we enjoy the exhibit. I can not wait to bring my relatives. Just make sure you watch introduction video. It sets up experience.

Su
Review №2

Nice little museum with lots of interactive displays. Very informative. Very friendly staff. If you like this type of music, it is great.

Mi
Review №3

Country music isnt usually my first choice but this museum showed me how much country music has influenced so many non-country artists. And Bristol was always a racing town for me but now I understand its place in music history. I highly recommend visiting this museum.

Ma
Review №4

A fantastic experience from the moment we walked in the door. We were greeted by 2 friendly and helpful people who directed us upstairs to the train depot where John Carter Cash narrated a 20 minute long video on Bristols music history. From there we had so much to look at and listen to. Amazing way to spend an afternoon

Ke
Review №5

I know a lot of music history, including country music, but this Museum really taught me a lot, what a wonderful place, will re-visit !!

Lo
Review №6

Only went in gift shop really cute

ti
Review №7

Always a wonderful experience to visit and learn more about country music! Everyone is so friendly...

Al
Review №8

Worth the visit, gr8 folks, very helpful, lots of country music, history, items, and interactive things to do.

Ti
Review №9

Very interesting great place to visit friendly environment ️

Ke
Review №10

Very cool! Interesting exhibits for country music fans. We really enjoyed it

Ke
Review №11

Awesome. Wish we had more time

B
Review №12

Great experience for anyone with even the slightest interest in the early years of country music or the daring talented pioneers who helped to establish the genre as a permanent fixture throughout the world. Fantastic staff, interactive exhibits, priceless memorabilia, and a huge knowledge base makes this a must- see when in the Bristol area.

Do
Review №13

Excellent museum. Helps to reveal the multi-ethnic sources, talents, and commercial opportunities that led to creating a popular art form just when radio and recorded music became available.

Je
Review №14

Interesting history that I didnt know before our visit. Friendly staff.

Br
Review №15

This is a nice assembly of historic material, mostly related to Bristols role in the commercial foundation of country music. I admit a bias, and with some emotion, as I reviewed this historic display which chronicles the path from the primitive origins to the multi-billion dollar industry that it has become. The docents were friendly and helpful. Nice gift shop, too.

Ja
Review №16

Loved the history of music. Such a wonderful place to visit.

Ze
Review №17

It was pretty interesting and quite interactive, even if you arent a fan of country music.

Gi
Review №18

Oh my word!!! This is so cool and typically Smithsonian interesting!!!

Ri
Review №19

Thanks Marty Stuart! Great photos by Marty! Great museum all around. Lots of great exhibits. Movie was excellent and very informative. Bristol is a special place to learn about country music. This is a must see for any musician and non-musician alike. Great downtown area, too.

Mi
Review №20

Great insight onto local legend of country music.

St
Review №21

Lots of information and some great videos

Mr
Review №22

We went on my sons school fieldtrip. Its really nice. The kids enjoy it.

Ke
Review №23

A very moving, beautiful museum. If you want to get closer to the voices of the people who led the way for country music, this is your destination. The museum also does a wonderful job historicizing the music of Appalachia -- you will learn so much. I cant wait to return.

Wi
Review №24

Enjoyable stop off. Well designed, interesting visit.

Br
Review №25

Awesome museum. Spent about 90 minutes in the museum. Will spend at least 2 hours on the next visit. Films, lots to read and a lot of music to hear. 5 stars.

St
Review №26

Enjoyed it. I learned why Bristol is the birth place

Be
Review №27

Loved this place! Educational and fun for the entire family.

Ev
Review №28

Clean & spacious. I enjoyed Marty Stuarts photos (temp display) $11 senior ticket for a $2 museum. A few instruments, photos, a video and a gift shop full of over-priced hippie stuff. Google the bristol sessions) its cheaper.

Ch
Review №29

Enjoyed our visit.

AJ
Review №30

Great museum. Small but lots to do, easily spent 2 hours here. Great videos and fun interactive exhibits.

Th
Review №31

Just love this little museum. The workers are very nice and very helpful. Radio Bristol also does their TV show at the museum. You can buy tickets ahead of time to go to it. And you better because they are sold out every time. You need to check this place out.

Da
Review №32

Good basic museum about the birth of Country Music!

Ap
Review №33

Be careful of emailing them (Rhythm & Roots) ideas for their festival. They will ignore your emails, take those ideas you sent them, and try to profit from them on their own. Really shady whoever is in charge of the email at this organization. Ive heard this from other business owners too.

Br
Review №34

Cool place. Has a lot of interactive learning exhibits. Full of twang

Le
Review №35

Interesting museum especially if you like music. Tells the story of the Bristol sessions and early country music but also gives a lot of information about instruments used and how sounds can be different just from a different style. A lot of information about early Country Music singers who participated in the Bristol sessions.

Ma
Review №36

Absolutely loved it. I may be biased though because I am a musician. Its a great history lesson and an important part of American music history.

Za
Review №37

It is quite the educational experience. If you are interested in musical history and in the area then I highly recommend it.

Tr
Review №38

Everything slows down here.

Sc
Review №39

A world class museum, which I was not expecting. I was impressed by the huge content of material and lovely facility. Also, the curator has done a good job to showcase the diversity of people who play old time and roots music, and where the roots come from. It appears that there are larger events connected with the museum year-round. I loved interactive parts of the tour. The staff was helpful in getting us into the tour at the correct time. There are several restaurants nearby, antique shops, and the facility has a nice gift shop, too. Id go again, especially on an event day.

To
Review №40

Interesting evening, I enjoyed Marty Stuarts photography and we then saw a film about the same tribe of Indians Marty had photographed. Enjoyed.

Pa
Review №41

If you watched the Ken Burns PBS documentary Country Music and are anywhere near Bristol TN... then you must visit this museum. It documents the Bristol Sessions which started the country music genre into what it is today. This is a first class museum and there is an admission fee.

jo
Review №42

Very educational and interactive. Juanita was friendly and helpful. Throughly enjoyed the experience!

ch
Review №43

Great museum of Bristol’s roll in the start of commercial country music. Really nice performance/ broadcast theatre. Home of WBCM independent radio.

Pa
Review №44

This is such an amazing place

Ja
Review №45

So excellent! Wonderful put on your bucket list.

Ja
Review №46

Fabulous museum- interesting displays

Mr
Review №47

Ive been several times now and its fantastic! Its amazing to learn how much country music has shaped not only the area but also the world. Its one of the finest museums in the area. Its a must see if you go to Bristol.

Mi
Review №48

Very need place with awesome architecture

Ne
Review №49

Must admit that prior to visiting I had no idea about Bristol being at the centre of spreading the reach of country music via the early recording industry. A beautiful building with well thought out and interesting displays.

La
Review №50

Very well done. The staff was knowledgeable and friendly. Looking forward to bringing a large group there in the future.

li
Review №51

Wonderful, beautiful tribute to country music.Layout was very handicapped accessible with sound recordings throughout.

Ca
Review №52

The museum is well-trained and the film is exquisite. I liked recording my own vocals in the recording booth. Just wish there were more of the original instruments from the artists exhibited within.

Re
Review №53

This was a pleasant surprise. It wasnt all Garth Brooks and such. Learned a lot about the Bristol Sessions and enjoyed the traveling display downstairs on how to make instruments.

Jo
Review №54

Excellent place to go and visit with the family and friends even though Im not a fan of country music my fiance and I how long was our baby boy son who is around 18 months now had a fantastic time there and was even able to go into the recording booth of stairs that they have guests to go into and you can record a little bit of a song singing and listen to it from the Viewpoint of a studio musician singing in a vocal booth if only there was a way to keep your recording if you do there that would be great and it is all hands on do-it-yourself kind of stuff which makes it even better for me personally I highly recommend going and taking a look around if you havent. Like I said even if youre not a country music fan it is still something that is enjoyable. Also the staff there are very polite and friendly and it is free to get in.

Co
Review №55

This is a great place to go if you are interested in the history of country music and bluegrass music. They do an excellent job and showing videos and playing actual music from the Bristol Sessions. They have tangible instruments from that era. They also allow you to go into a sound booth and sing and record a song.

Ko
Review №56

Nice place to visit and educate yourself if you like country music. At the beginning i didnt know they had a door inside the small area to view more things and history and i was angry or i can say disappointed but... I found it and it was just amazing.Co attraction is the live radio stations inside and you cam see them broadcasting plus they have a booth with sing along, like karaoke style. If you have kids with you they have activities for them sometimes and thats cool.

Bi
Review №57

An awesome country music museum, with a special concentration on bluegrass. Occasionally there is live entertainment, but no matter whats going on, I always enjoy the visits.

Sh
Review №58

Interesting and nice place to visit ...gift shop affordable

Ba
Review №59

Wonderful so much fantastic music we were very impressed by the displace.

Ru
Review №60

Excellent stop. Very informative & interactive. They also have lots of programs we will come back for, including square dancing

Sh
Review №61

Highly recommended. Very cool place. If you love music in general, this should be a place you go.

Jo
Review №62

Absolutely loved it....the technology they have is amazing. Dont go unless you want to know how music got started...before Jonny Cash there was bluegrass and gospel so on. But very interesting, and the staff was knowledgeable and helpful.

Da
Review №63

This well-done Museum will give you a much deeper appreciation of the roots of country music - and bluegrass, too.

El
Review №64

Learned a lot! Its a must visit museum!

Sh
Review №65

Must see if you are a music fan. Very well done exhibits

Ju
Review №66

Went to a simple rhythm event and thoroughly enjoyed the singing and message

Ky
Review №67

Theres so much more than meets the eye. The entrance, lobby, and gift shop areas are bright and fun. Once you head upstairs, the quality of the design and installation, the research that went into the curation, and the interactivity throughout is worthy of a Smithsonian Affiliation. The Immersion Theater is my favorite room.

Ja
Review №68

Outstanding museum. Learned a lot I didnt know. Very well done

Ch
Review №69

Beautiful & unreal place celebrating the musical heritage of Appalachia. Too cool

Sh
Review №70

Best place to go if u like to learn about our past in bristol. Well worth the time and money

St
Review №71

Always have a good time and learn about the Bristol sessions.

Cu
Review №72

What a lovely museum. Its small enough to visit in a couple hours, but detailed enough to spend a day if you want to stretch it. The gift shop has a nice variety of goodies. Definitely worth a visit for any music fan.

Ly
Review №73

Very well done museum on the important early recordings in Bristol by the Carter Family, Jimmy Rodgers, the Stonemans and many others. Rarely do we hear of the others, but here we do. My favorite things were the video by John Cash plus the video of musicians trying to recreate the music from those sessions. Very cool to also find photo of my great-grandfather on the wall, though he was not recorded there. Thank you for a great museum!

Re
Review №74

Great place to learn about the beginning of country music

Th
Review №75

Its a very nice place to learn about music. The staff is really really nice and will answer all your questions. They didnt seem to mind taking the time to answer all of mine. If youre in the area I definitely recommend checking it out. The bathrooms are clean.

Wi
Review №76

This is a one of a kind place with a wealth of information and memorabilia from the birthplace of country music. The staff are a wonderfully helpful, kind, and warm group of people who go out of their way so that you get the most from your visit. You could spend many hours...many days in fact and still not take everything in.

Sr
Review №77

This was a very informative and great place to visit

Da
Review №78

So much history and interesting music

A
Review №79

Awesome!! Great interaction displays, fun as well as informative. Interesting for all ages!! Gift shop has something for everyone kids & adults & is affordable. The staff was very friendly and helpful too!! ️

ha
Review №80

Great museum especially on a rainy day

He
Review №81

The Smitsonian exhibit was great! Very interesting. Overall the museum was really nice. Theyve done a great job making it informative as well as interactive and fun. The introductory movie was great to get you started on what youd see through the museum as well as throughout Bristol. My daughter loved it so its good for kids as well. I think if you live in Bristol you should definitely take the time to go.

Dj
Review №82

Pleasantly surprised how nice and well thought out this museum is. Lots of exhibits and hands on experiences for the young. Nice gift shop full of locally made art pieces and treasures and knowledgeable staff. Great visit all around and recommend to all ages.

Jo
Review №83

Has great music and interesting facts

An
Review №84

This museum is well worth the visit. Beautiful displays and the sound is amazing

Su
Review №85

Merle Monroe Band put on an AWESOME SHOW!! Very talented musicians & singers!! Love it!! Thank You So Much!!

J
Review №86

A superb piece of history in our niche of time.

Je
Review №87

Oh my goodness! What a great museum! We didnt know want to expect, but a superb presentation of the Bristol Sessions, the major impact they had and continue to have on country music today. A must stop if you are traveling near the Bristol / Tri-Cities area.

Pi
Review №88

What neat place to go! ALOT of history!

Mi
Review №89

Had a great time. Only allotted 1.5 hours and could not see it all. Lots of history, lots of music. Self guided tour offers lots of stations with headphones so it is a good mix of reading and audio.

Kr
Review №90

Loved it!

LY
Review №91

Awe inspiring. Great staff and gift shop.

J
Review №92

Do not waste your money at this place. $23 to get in. A waste of time and money.

De
Review №93

One of the best museum experiences we have enjoyed! Allow lots of time and carefully review each venue. There are several opportunities to listen to and watch the performances that shaped the beginnings of this music in our country. This museum is not meant to cover the entire genre of county music. Go on to Nashville if you want a the broader brush (also worth the time) but dont skip this museum!

Le
Review №94

Awesome place if you love the old true country music. Lots of memorabilia from years past, many of the Carter family, Tennessee Ernie Ford and many others.

Ro
Review №95

Wonderful place, great staff...we brought high-schoolers here and they were entertained and engaged the entire visit...highly recommended!!!

br
Review №96

If you are fan of country music this is place you should visit. A lot of history about the genre

Te
Review №97

Great one of a kind prices

Ly
Review №98

Wonderful place

Na
Review №99

Great for fans of regional history or country/roots music. Especially good for people who are just getting into the genre, provides a crash course in country music.

Ka
Review №100

Great little museum, well curated and associated with the Smithsonian. Worth a trip to music and history buffs.

Information
100 Photos
100 Comments
4.7 Rating
  • Address:101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA 24201, United States
  • Site:http://www.birthplaceofcountrymusic.org/
  • Phone:+1 423-573-1927
Categories
  • Museum
  • Tourist attraction
Working hours
  • Monday:10am–6pm
  • Tuesday:10am–6pm
  • Wednesday:10am–6pm
  • Thursday:10am–6pm
  • Friday:1–5pm
  • Saturday:Closed
  • Sunday:10am–6pm
Highlights
  • Active military discounts:Yes
  • Live performances:Yes
Accessibility
  • Wheelchair-accessible car park:Yes
  • Wheelchair-accessible entrance:Yes
  • Wheelchair-accessible lift:Yes
  • Wheelchair-accessible toilet:Yes
  • Wheelchair rental:Yes
Amenities
  • Good for kids:Yes
  • Toilets:Yes
  • Wi-Fi:Yes
  • Restaurant:No
Crowd
  • Family friendly:Yes
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