National Museum of African American Music
Photo: unknown, via Wikimedia Commons
The National Museum of African American Music in Nashville celebrates the profound impact of African American artists across genres like gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, and hip-hop.
Planning your visit
NMAAM opened in 2021 and makes a straightforward argument: that essentially every major American popular music genre — gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, rock and roll, hip hop — originated with African American musicians, and that this constitutes a single continuous tradition rather than separate histories.
The galleries follow that thread from the spirituals of enslavement through each genre's emergence, with over 1,500 artefacts, instruments, costumes and recordings.
The interactive component is unusually good: visitors receive an RFID wristband, and stations throughout let them sing in a gospel choir, improvise over a jazz rhythm section, or produce a hip hop track, with the results saved to take away.
Nashville is a country music city, which makes the placement pointed — country's debt to Black musicians is part of what the museum addresses.
It sits downtown near Broadway. Allow two hours. The main booking is an entry ticket. Current availability is shown below.
Before you book
Where is National Museum of African American Music?
National Museum of African American Music is in Nashville, United States. The map on this page marks its exact location.
How long should I allow for National Museum of African American Music?
Allow two hours. That is the time the collection itself takes at an unhurried pace, before any queue.
Is National Museum of African American Music free to enter?
Yes, general admission to National Museum of African American Music is free. Guided tours and special exhibitions may still be charged separately.
Do I need to book National Museum of African American Music in advance?
Tickets can be bought on the door at quiet times, but booking ahead fixes the date and avoids the queue at busy ones. Live availability is shown on this page.
