Historic Sites, Museums and Attractions

Please visit the website for each location for the most accurate visitor information.

Historic Sites and Museums

Belcourt Theatre | Nashville’s Non-Profit Cinema dating back to 1925. 2102 Belcourt Avenue

Belle Meade Historic Site & Winery | With 5,400 acres, Belle Meade was a prominent stud farm and nursery in the horse industry until its sale in 1904. Beginning as a two story Federal style home constructed in the 1820s, the house was altered in 1853 with an addition and Greek revival facade. 110 Leake Avenue | Historic Marker

Belmont Mansion | This opulent 1850 Italianate house was a summer home for Joseph and Adelicia Acklen and is now part of Belmont University. Mrs. Acklen was reputed to be the wealthiest American woman of her time. 1700 Acklen Avenue | Historic Marker

Bowen Plantation House | Located in Moss-Wright Park at the Mansker’s Station Living History Museum, this 1780s brick home is one of the oldest in Tennessee. 745 Caldwell Dr., Goodlettsville | Historic Marker

Carl Van Vechten Gallery | Part of Fisk University, this 1888 building originally functioned as the first gymnasium on an African-American university campus. It was renovated to house the art collection given by Georgia O’Keefe. 18th Avenue North and Jackson Street | Historic Marker

Cheekwood Estate & Gardens | This Georgian mansion, built in 1929 for Leslie Cheek, was given to the state in 1959. Today it is a non-profit organization housing a collection of 19th- and 20th-century works. 1200 Forest Park Drive | Historic Marker

Clover Bottom Mansion | This Italianate house was built in 1858 by James Hoggatt. It currently houses the Tennessee Historical Commission. 2941 Lebanon Road | Historic Marker

Country Music Hall of Fame | The Hall of Fame opened in 1967. It is operated by the Country Music Foundation, which also operates RCA’s historic studio B, which can be toured by museum visitors at no extra charge. 4 Music Square East

Fort Negley | The Fort Negley Visitors Center is a historical education and outdoor recreation center of the Nashville Metropolitan Board of Parks and Recreation. Fort Negley is a place where people and history come together. It is a place to learn that we are a part of history and not apart from it. The visitors center is a resource for exploring the delicate relationship between Nashville and the Federal Government during the Civil War and for learning about the site’s relevance in the 20th century and beyond. Fort Negley is a success story from Historic Nashville, Inc.’s Nashville Nine program. 1100 Fort Negley Boulevard | Historic Marker

Frist Art Museum  | The Frist Art Museum opened in April 2001 and has since hosted touring exhibitions from some of the most prestigious collections in the world, as well as award-winning shows organized in-house. Exhibitions change every few months. The museum is housed in a 1933 Art Deco building that was originally Nashville’s main post office. 919 Broadway

Grassmere Historic Home and Farm | The Grassmere Historic Home was originally a ca. 181o Federal style building which was updated with Italianate details in the 1870s. Located in pristine woodland and part of a once 340-acre farm, it remained in the hands of 5 generations of family until 1985. The home is now part of the Grassmere Historic Farm area of the Nashville Zoo. 3777 Nolensville Road

Hatch Show Print | This “working” museum features an extensive collection of wood printing blocks and presses. 224 5th Avenue South, Open M-Sa 9-5:30, no admission fee.

The Hermitage | The home of President Andrew Jackson, this house has been restored to the period of his retirement (1837-45). The site also contains the original log Hermitage, Jackson’s tomb, and the mansion garden. 4580 Rachel’s Lane | Historic Marker

The Johnny Cash Museum  | This museum features the largest and most comprehensive collection of Johnny Cash artifacts and memorabilia in the world. 119 Third Avenue South

Mansker’s Station | Mansker’s Fort is an authentic reproduction of a 1779 frontier forted station typical of early Cumberland settlements. While at the fort, you can experience the lifestyles of early settlers through living history demonstrations. Kaspar Mansker established this station of the Cumberland Settlements in 1780. Moss-Wright Park, 705 Caldwell Drive, Goodlettsville

Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum | The Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville honors all musicians regardless of genre or instrument. The MHOF timeline starts with the beginning of recorded music and inductees are nominated by current members of the American Federation of Musicians and by other music industry professionals. Historic Nashville Municipal Auditorium, 417 Fourth Avenue North

National Museum of African American Music | NMAAM is the only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the many music genres created, influenced, and inspired by African Americans. The museum’s expertly-curated collections share the story of the American soundtrack by integrating history and interactive technology to bring the musical heroes of the past into the present. 510 Broadway

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The Parthenon | A full-scale representation of the Athenian Parthenon was built for the 1897 Centennial Exposition. After falling into decay, it was rebuilt in reinforced concrete between 1920 and 1931. Inside is a 42-foot high statue of Athena. Centennial Park, 2500 West End Avenue | Historic Marker

RCA Studio B |Historic RCA Studio B-once the recording home of popular music titans such as Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins, Eddy Arnold, and the Everly Brothers is both a classroom for Nashville area students and a popular cultural attraction. Built by Dan Maddox in 1957, RCA Studio B first became known as one of the cradles of the “Nashville Sound” in the 1960s. A sophisticated style characterized by background vocals and strings, the Nashville Sound both revived the popularity of country music and helped establish Nashville as an international recording center. 1611 Roy Acuff Place, Music Row

Ryman Auditorium | A prominent Nashville landmark that was at one time dubbed the “Carnegie Hall of the South” and housed the Grand Ole Opry(R) from 1943 – 1974. Originally built as the Union Gospel Tabernacle in 1892, it was then renamed to Ryman Auditorium in honor of Tom Ryman who was responsible for its construction. In 1994, an $8.5 million renovation project restored this National Historic Landmark back to its original splendor. 116 5th Avenue North

Scarritt-Bennett Center | Formerly Scarritt-Bennett College, a Methodist school, this handsome 1920s Collegiate Gothic campus now functions as a conference center. Also located in the Lasker Library is the Hartzler-Towener Multi-Cultural Museum. 1008 19th Avenue South

Tennessee Agriculture Museum | This museum features a collection of 19th century farm and home implements housed in a 24,500 square foot horse barn. Also in the museum is the Tennessee Agricultural Hall of Fame. Ellington Agricultural Center, 404 Hogan Road

Tennessee State Capitol | Designed by William Strickland and completed in 1859. Charlotte Avenue between 6th and 7th Avenues

Tennessee State Museum | Starting from prehistoric Native American and continuing up to the New Deal, the museum has exhibits on all periods of Tennessee History. The museum opened in this new facility in 2018. 1000 Rosa Parks Boulevard

Travellers Rest | Judge John Overton built his four-room frame house in 1799 on the burial mound of a Native American settlement. By the time of his death in 1833, the house had been expanded into a 12-room plantation house. 636 Farrell Parkway | Historic Marker

Tulip Grove | Tulip Grove is the 1836 home of Andrew Jackson Donelson, nephew of President Andrew Jackson. It is an elegant Greek Revival structure that is part of The Hermitage, along with the Old Hermitage Presbyterian Church. 4580 Rachel’s Lane | Historic Marker

Two Rivers Mansion David McGavock built this Italianate house in 1859. It was the jewel of a large plantation and remained in the family until 1956. 3130 McGavock Pike | Historic marker.


Historic Tours

Let’s Go Travelin’ Music Row Walking Tours | Walk in the footsteps of the stars and discover the stories of Music Row’s past and present. Elvis, Dolly, Carrie, Garth, Taylor, Luke they all either have or are currently recording here. Over 20 recording industry sites and the stories to go with them. Individual volume control listening devices for each person. It’s History, It’s Music, It’s Recording Studios…There is no place like Music Row anywhere and there is no other walking tour like this one. A portion of your ticket purchase supports the preservation on this historic music district.

Nashville Ghost Tours | Nashville Haunted Ghost Tours offer a blend of historic facts, local legends, and true ghost stories.

Nashville Sites | A major new program funded and sponsored by the MHC Foundation, Nashville Sites focuses on incorporating scholarly research with historic sites in Nashville with delivery available on all devices: mobile, tablet, and desktop. The tours are pre-planned and based on themes, but participants have the opportunity to customize their experience based on their interests—providing an individualized adventure-style experience.

Songbird Tours | Part tour bus and part intimate music club, SongBird brings you the stars and stories behind Music City’s famous (and not-so-famous) landmarks, plus special one-night-only performances by Nashville’s best songwriters, live on our on-board stage. In a nutshell, it’s like The Bluebird Cafe* on wheels. SongBird Tours was founded in 2017 by Patsy Bruce and her son Trey Bruce, both acclaimed songwriters in their own right. The duo wanted to give visitors and locals alike a “songwriter’s-eye view” of Music City, highlighting the art form itself as well as the sites and stops where music history is made.

United Street Tours United Street Tours offers a unique angle to Nashville tours by introducing you to the people, history, food, and art of black culture that is often overlooked.


Historic Accommodations

21c Museum Hotel | Constructed in 1900, the hotel was originally the site of the Gray & Dudley Hardware Company. Formed from the partnership of two locally prominent retailers, the Gray & Dudley Hardware Company sold everything from high-quality building materials to children’s toys. It quickly became one of the leading businesses in the American South. After undergoing an extensive renovation several years later, the former storefront debuted as the 21c Museum Hotel Nashville in 2017. Both a luxurious hotel and a contemporary art museum, 21c Museum Hotel Nashville is today a lovely vacation getaway in the heart of the Music City. 221 2nd Avenue North

Belle Air Mansion and Inn | Belle Air Mansion is a historic and civic landmark about 5 ½ miles from downtown Nashville. Built in 1832, Belle Air is one of the few remaining Greek Revival antebellum mansions in Nashville. Belle Air is significant because of its architecture. A representative of the great houses of the well-to-do Southern landowners in the first half of the nineteenth century, it remains as an example of these houses which once were abundant but have now mostly disappeared from the scene. It was important that Belle Air be preserved for the benefit of those who might not otherwise be able to come in contact with such an example of the architecture of the Old South. Many families prominent in the social and economic development of Nashville have either lived in or been entertained in Belle Air. 2250 Lebanon Pike

Daisy Hill Bed & Breakfast | Daisy Hill Bed and Breakfast is a 1925 Tudor Revival Craftsman style home located in the middle of the most trendy residential neighborhood in Nashville, Hillsboro-West End. 2816 Blair Boulevard

The Dive Motel | Nestled on the Old Buffalo Trail, the twenty-three room Motel and Swim Club is only five minutes from downtown Honky Tonks on Broadway, but a world away! It was originally a 1956 Motor Inn, called “The Key Motel,” which hosted Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, and Hank Williams in its heyday. 1414 Dickerson Pike

The Drake Motel | The Famous Drake Motel has been the site of numerous movies including A Thing Called Love starring Sandra Bullock, and country music videos and appearances by Dolly Parton, Daryl Worley, Lady Antebellum and many more. 420 Murfreesboro Road

Dream Nashville | Dream Nashville reimagines two historic landmarked buildings steeped in a rich and colorful heritage while maintaining the celebrated history of Printer’s Alley. Situated on 4th Avenue North, the hotel is a short walk from its downtown core and boasts 168 art deco-inspired rooms with high ceilings and sleek finishes. Originally the Utopia Hotel, it was built in 1891 for visitors to the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. The building’s facade is part of Historic Nashville, Inc.’s Preservation Easement Program. 206 4th Avenue North

The Fairlane | The 12-story building was built in 1972 and originally the Nashville headquarters of Fidelity Federal Savings and Loan. Many of the mid-century architectural details of the modernist building – like terrazzo flooring, brass details and wood paneling – have been preserved and enhanced. 401 Union Street

Hermitage Hotel | The distinctive architecture of the 1908 hotel—Beaux-Arts style—offers an old-world blend of classical Italian and French Renaissance features. The spacious must-visit lobby, the grand staircase, ballroom, mezzanine, Veranda, the downstairs Grill Room, and all the public areas are a masterful work credited to Tennessee native James Carpenter, who completed his formal education in Paris. The women’s suffrage movement reached it’s successful conclusion in 1920 when The Hermitage Hotel was the national headquarters for both pro- and anti-suffrage causes, while the state legislators cast their votes that brought about the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Don’t miss the unique men’s restroom! The Hermitage Hotel is part of Historic Nashville, Inc.’s Preservation Easement Program. 231 6th Avenue North

Noelle Hotel | Noelle pays homage to the building’s predecessor, the Noel Place, which was built in 1930 as one of Nashville’s first luxury properties. 200 4th Avenue North

The Russell | The Russell is housed in a 115-year-old historic church and is nestled away in one of Nashville’s most fun neighborhoods, East Nashville. The owners were able to keep many of the original features (stained glass windows, old brick walls, reusing the pews as bed headboards, etc) which adds to the guest’s experience and the ambience of the hotel. The rooms have all been curated by one of Nashville’s most well known designers and the owners spared no expense to make sure our guests have the best experience in town. 819 Russell Street

Union Station Hotel | Travel through Time. Live in the moment. The Union Station Nashville Yards is the city’s signature historic hotel for modern-day travelers. Established in 1900, the former train terminal features grand architectural elements and original art that transport guests to a gilded era, while offering modern boutique accommodations and amenities that signal the hotel’s timeless grace and enduring spirit. 1001 Broadway

Urban Cowboy | Located in the cultural epicenter of East Nashville, Urban Cowboy’s eight experiential suites are housed in a historic Victorian mansion, sure to create unforgettable memories. In the Stable House out back our Public House Bar serves up amazing craft cocktails. 1603 Woodland Street


Parks and Cemeteries

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park | Developed in honor of Tennessee”s 200th anniversary of statehood, the site was chosen to preserve the view of the State Capitol. Located between 6th and 7th Avenues North from James Robertson Parkway

Centennial Park | The site of the Tennessee Centennial Expo-sition, this park contains a full-size representation of the Parthenon (now a museum). West End Avenue and 25th Avenue North

City Cemetery | City Cemetery is the oldest public cemetery. The land was purchased in 1820 and the cemetery opened in 1822. It includes such notable Nashvillians as Gen. James Robertson and Capt. William Driver (who nicknamed the US flag “Old Glory”). 1001 4th Avenue South

The Jewish Cemeteries | Nashville’s Jewish community began in 1851 with a small group of European immigrants. Their first official act was the purchase of land for a cemetery. Three synagogues (Sherith Israel, The Temple, and West End Synagogue) now have adjoining cemeteries. 2001 15th Avenue North

Mt. Olivet Cemetery | Established in 1855, this cemetery hosts a wealth of Victorian tombs. In addition, there is the Confederate Memorial, a pyramid designed for E.C. Lewis and a Gothic vault for Adelicia Acklen. 1101 Lebanon Road

Sevier Park and Sunnyside Mansion | Sevier Park is the site of several early log structures, as well as the circa 1850 Sunnyside Mansion, which is home to the Metro Historical Commission. Clayton Avenue and Leland Lane

Spring Hill Cemetery | Established circa 1785, this cemetery is the oldest in Nashville. Buried here is Rev. Thomas Craighead, the founder of Davidson Academy. 5110 Gallatin Road

Warner Parks | With 2,664 acres, this complex is one of the largest municipal parks in the U.S. The stone gates at the Belle Meade Boulevard entrance and stone walls were constructed by the WPA. On site are the Nature Center, the C.E. Farrell Natural History Museum and Gardens, and the historic Hodge House. There are also multiple cemeteries in the park. 50 Vaughn Road | Historic Marker

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