26 In Art + Museums/ Tennessee/ Travel

Visiting the Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville, TN

In March, Matt + I met Stacey in Nashville so we could celebrate Stacey’s and my birthdays! When we started coming up with some ideas of what to do in Nashville visiting the Johnny Cash Museum topped my list. I love Johnny + June so it was really cool to get to learn more about them.

Visiting the Johnny Cash Museum is really convenient especially if you’re heading to the oh-so-famous Broadway. It’s just off Broadway on 3rd street. Tickets are $18.95 for standard general admission tickets – they do offer some discounts.

The Johnny Cash Museum is filled with memorabilia from all throughout Johnny’s life, his music career, from musicians signed by Sun Records around the same time as him and memorabilia form the Oscar-winning biopic Walk the Line.

    

Assorted items line one side of a long hall – including an old hymnal Johnny loved to sing from (left). The middle photo is the original copy of ‘I Walk the Line’ signed by Johnny Cash and Sun Records founder Sam Phillips. The last photo is one of Johnny’s Guitars.

This was the wall opposite the display of random memorabilia. It was actually one of my favorite parts of the museum. It was a brief summary of big events in Cash’s life by decade. Each had a photo of Cash with a list of highlights from the decade. It was a quick easy way to learn quite a bit about him.

Among many other things, awards and gold records were on display.

  

[Left] Johnny Cash’s prison jumpsuit from Folsom Prison – they made one just for his concert there. [Right] Johnny + June’s wedding photo. 

It was pretty incredible to see what a massive collection of music this man created. There were walls covered with records and record covers! 

There were multiple interactive exhibits. Stacey and Matt enjoyed a couple of them. There are also loads of videos playing throughout the museum.

I really loved seeing all of the different tour memorabilia. I have my own collection of concert momentoes. 

Being an even bigger Dylan fan than Johnny Cash Fan, I loved seeing this exhibit and seeing Bob Dylan’s take on this album and working with the great Johnny Cash.  

I also greatly enjoyed the Sun Studio artist section of the museum because Stacey and I toured the old studio in Memphis in 2014. It was a bit like coming full circle.

I’ve been to a lot of museums that are dedicated to specific people. However, I have got to say that this was one of the best ones I’ve been to. It was a great combination of career and personal life. I also loved that they had exhibits that related to his music and even Walk the Line. I learned a lot about Johnny Cash’s career and later years of life and even more about his beautiful marriage.

To Visit or Not to Visit?

I wouldn’t recommend this museum to someone who doesn’t like Johnny Cash. While that seems kind-of obvious, I’ve visited many museums about people I don’t know much about. However, since this ticket price is so high, I would only visit if I had an interest. If you are a Johnny Cash fan, or even if you just loved the movie Walk the Line, I would recommend it! It was a great museums with lots of very interesting exhibits.

There’s so much more just past beautiful Broadway than bars and shops. Don’t forget to dig a little deeper when you travel.

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26 Comments

  • Reply
    Megan Indoe
    July 11, 2017 at 12:24 pm

    What! This looks like an awesome museum. I have always wanted to visit Nashville, when we do we will have to check this out! Haha, I laughed at the part where you mention not to bother if you don’t like Johnny Cash!

    • Reply
      Paige Wunder
      July 19, 2017 at 10:16 am

      The museum is really great and full of information. Nashville in general is awesome. You’ll have to visit. I know that sounded so stupid. haha but it’s true that I have gone to a museum about someone I didn’t care about because it was just a few bucks and I love museums. This admission was too steep for that, I think.

  • Reply
    Claudia
    July 11, 2017 at 8:47 pm

    After the movie about Johnny Cash I have always been interested in his life, but I do agree with you that the price seems a little too high to motivate those who are not passionate about him to pay.

    • Reply
      Paige Wunder
      July 19, 2017 at 10:17 am

      It is high! If you found Walk the Line interesting, you would enjoy the museum. It was really good!

  • Reply
    Laura
    July 12, 2017 at 4:04 am

    I haven’t been to Nashville yet but when I do go (I HAVE TO!) I will most definitely visit this museum. My brother actually passed a few years ago and was absolutely obsessed with him; I want to see it to sort of pay tribute to both of them! While the price is a bit steep, it’s something I definitely want to check out. Thanks for the great info!

    • Reply
      Paige Wunder
      July 20, 2017 at 9:06 pm

      Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that Laura. But I think that that would be a beautiful day to pay tribute to them both. You’ll love Nashville when you make it there.

  • Reply
    Patricia Steffy (@PLSteffy)
    July 12, 2017 at 10:08 am

    I love Johnny Cash! The price is a little high, but I think if we make it to Nashville soon, we are going to have to give this a whirl. Seems like there are so many items and videos that I would love to see. So many stories to learn! Pinned!

    • Reply
      Paige Wunder
      July 25, 2017 at 9:29 am

      It is a little high. I actually just went back this weekend (my mom had never been) and they opened a Patsy Cline Museum in the same building! Pretty cool!

  • Reply
    rovingjo
    July 12, 2017 at 7:29 pm

    I love Nashville and I love country music but I have never visited the Johnny Cash museum. I did not even know they had one and am so glad I discovered it. Next time I am in Nashville I will be visiting for sure even though the price seems a bit steep.

    • Reply
      Paige Wunder
      July 25, 2017 at 9:36 am

      It’s a really great museum if you’re a Cash fan! Thanks for reading!

  • Reply
    Sandy N Vyjay
    July 12, 2017 at 9:13 pm

    I am always fascinated by museums. Museums dedicated to celebrities and legends are in a different genre altogether. The museum dedicated to Johny Cash looks really impressive. The collection of his memorabilia seems to keep alive his spirit. Whenever I visit museums like these, I always get a strange eerie feeling as if the spirit of the person is present there 🙂

    • Reply
      Paige Wunder
      July 25, 2017 at 4:41 pm

      It was a great museum for sure. That’s an interesting thought that part of their spirit remains in the museum. I like that idea!

  • Reply
    ambujsaxena05
    July 13, 2017 at 4:07 am

    I have been to Nashville when my brother was studying in Mississippi university. I bought a jacket from one of the best malls so I remember the place. Thank you for this post. I shall ask my brother to read it and remember his good old student days!

    • Reply
      Paige Wunder
      July 25, 2017 at 7:26 pm

      I’m glad I could bring back a good memory! Thanks for sharing it.

  • Reply
    Reshma
    July 13, 2017 at 12:21 pm

    I don’t remember being to any music related museums so far, but this one looks awesome! I am not sure if I would visit though since that you have mentioned at the end that worth if you are a fan of Johnny Cash!

    • Reply
      Paige Wunder
      July 25, 2017 at 7:34 pm

      Yeah. It’s a really great destination for Cash lovers, though!

  • Reply
    Anne @TravelTheGlobe (@TTGLOBE4L)
    July 13, 2017 at 3:04 pm

    Is this relatively new as I don’t recall it being there when I visited Nashville. I really want to head back though

    • Reply
      Paige Wunder
      July 25, 2017 at 7:52 pm

      I think it opened in 2013. So, it’s relatively new! They opened a Patsy Cline museum sometime between March and now. I actually went back last weekend with my mom.

  • Reply
    Vibeke
    July 13, 2017 at 3:54 pm

    I love Johnny Cash. Didn’t know it was a museum. It would make sense that it is in Nashville which seems to be great at culture and music. I will definitely check this out, if I make it to Nashville. ☺

    • Reply
      Paige Wunder
      July 25, 2017 at 7:58 pm

      If you love Johnny Cash, you’ll LOVE this museum! Nashville is lovingly known as Music City and it especially known for country music.

  • Reply
    Jojo
    July 13, 2017 at 6:29 pm

    Is it so sad that I have heard of the name Johnny Cash but wasn’t sure who he was. I do enjoy learning some history especially if they are cool enough to have their own museum. But you are right, not sure I would pay that much to learn about someone I am not completely interested in. Who knows, maybe I’ll end up really enjoying his work!

    • Reply
      Paige Wunder
      July 25, 2017 at 8:49 pm

      If you like classic country music, then it’s definitely worth doing some more research on him. Check out the song ‘Walk the Line’ and ‘Girl from North Country’ (a Bob Dylan song sang as a duet). It’s wonderful!

  • Reply
    Thelittlelai: Beyond limits
    July 14, 2017 at 11:32 am

    What a great museum that kept all the beautiful memories of Johnny Cash. I find the museum really interesting and a great place to amble around while learning a lot of great things. Though I find the entrance fee expensive, but knowing that I get to know so many things, it’ll be fine. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.

    • Reply
      Paige Wunder
      July 26, 2017 at 7:46 pm

      It is definitely worth the price if you’re a Johnny Cash fan!

  • Reply
    Anywhere with Autumn
    July 15, 2017 at 5:43 am

    I’m going to Nashville next month! I’m so excited, it’s my first trip to begin my journey, and I just have to say I’m already obsessed with you blog!

    Congratulations! I nominated you for a Blogger Recognition Award! I love your blog and you deserve some love! Click the link to see how to proceed!
    http://anywherewithautumn.com/2017/07/15/blogger-recognition-award/

    • Reply
      Paige Wunder
      July 26, 2017 at 7:47 pm

      Thank you so much, Autumn! I really appreciate that! I’ll have to check out your blog in return! Cheers! Xx

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