This Award-Winning, Engaging Virginia Destination Is Best Known As The True 'Birthplace Of Country Music'

Passionate country music enthusiasts flock to famous music destinations such as Austin, Texas, and Nashville, Tennessee. While many consider Nashville (home to the pink paradise of the Dolly Parton rooftop bar and one of the best airports for live music), to be the country music capital of the United States, the 'birthplace of country music' is actually the small Virginia town of Bristol. Here, inside the walls of the 24,000-square-foot Birthplace of Country Music Museum (BCM), you'll find award-winning and engaging exhibits highlighting Bristol's role in country music history.

The story behind the birthplace of country music dates back to 1927 when the famous Bristol Sessions took place. During these sessions, a producer from the Victor Talking Machine Company recorded 76 performances by 19 artists in Bristol's historic State Street building. Performers included Jimmie Rodgers, known as the father of country music, and the Carter Family, known as the first family of country music. The impact of these recordings was the main reason Congress recognized Bristol with the birthplace of country music title in 1998. 

As a Smithsonian-affiliate museum, BCM has received numerous accolades across the museum and tourism industries. These include several Tennessee Association of Museums awards, a spot on USA Today's list of the top 10 pop culture museums, and an Award of Excellence by the American Association for State and Local History for an exhibit on women in music. Also dubbed the 2024 Outstanding Attraction of the Year by the Southwest Virginia Tourism Awards, BCM draws approximately 30,000 people annually to its interactive exhibits, programs, and popular yearly festival. It's one of the more notable locales along The Crooked Road Heritage Music Trail, which spans 300 miles across Virginia. 

You'll want to start your visit by viewing the museum's film, "Bound to Bristol," as a precursor to gallery action. A second film in the museum's chapel highlights the relationship between Appalachia's spirituality and songs, as about 40% of the Bristol Sessions' songs were faith or gospel-based. The museum's permanent exhibits include an interactive display where guests can wander into a sound booth to try their hand at recording as either an engineer or performer. You can also listen to some sample recordings with information about the performers. The museum features memorabilia from Bristol Sessions musicians, including a Blue Yodel guitar on loan from Jimmie Rodgers' family, Ernest Phipps' dog tags, and a radio and hat from George Massengill from the Tennessee Mountaineers. In the Special Exhibits gallery, you'll be treated to rotating exhibits offered by outside sources, such as the Smithsonian, each with a tie to music, art, or the region's history.

You can visit the museum Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 5 p.m. The attraction closes on Mondays and for major holidays. Ticket prices are $13 for adults and $11 for children, seniors, and students. Children five and under get in for free. As a Blue Star Museum, BCM provides active duty military and their families free admission between Memorial Day and Labor Day and $11 discounted tickets at other times.

Be sure to leave time to peruse through the museum store, which offers local artisan goods, CDs, and other paraphernalia. If you can't make it in person, the store has vast online offerings through its website.

Overseen by the Birthplace of Country Music nonprofit organization, the museum hosts educational programs, an annual festival, and a radio station, which extends its commitment to honoring country music. At any given time, BCM is brimming with activities for visitors of all ages. These include in-person and virtual field trips, group tours, and lectures. It also puts on monthly speaker sessions and has a series of videos online for a virtual "Museum at Home" experience.

Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion, an annual three-day event in September, attracts upward of 35,000 people for live music acts and other special events. The celebration earned recognition as one of America's best music festivals (per the USA Today 10Best Reader's Choice Travel Awards) and could be a bucket list music event for fans of past performers such as Tanya Tucker, Rosanne Cash, and Willie Watson.

WBCM Radio Bristol is a group of channels that broadcast from the museum. They can be heard locally and online and feature content like a monthly book club, music from modern-day artists, and museum talks. Extend your Bristol visit to spend time in the 'two states in one' historic district, a haven of specialty shops and art galleries where you can further explore State Street while straddling the state line between Virginia and Tennessee.