12 Museums Dedicated To The South’s Most Legendary Musicians

Some of the best music in the world originated in the Southern United States. From the Mississippi Delta blues to New Orleans jazz to Kentucky bluegrass, we have the South to thank for developing some of our favorite genres, as well as birthing some our favorite artists. In fact, both the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and the Queen of Country hail from here. Southerners aren’t shy about sharing their pride for the region’s incredibly rich music culture. Across the South, you’ll find museums, monuments, and legendary music venues that together tell the story of the South’s music history. Music museums like the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville and the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale are frequently visited spots for casual music enthusiasts, but for the true melophiles, there’s a whole world of single-artist museums that dive deeper into the personal lives of some of the South’s most iconic musicians and singers. Here are 12 museums dedicated to legendary Southern musicians and artists.

How This List Was Compiled

These museums were picked by the editors of Southern Living who report, research, and visit museums across the South.

Johnny Cash Museum

Nashville, Tennessee

There have been numerous movies and TV shows made about the Man in Black (one even won an Academy Award), but to get an offscreen look into the legendary singer-songwriter’s life, head to the Music City. Named the No. 1 Music Museum in America by USA Today, the museum features the largest collection of Johnny Cash memorabilia anywhere in the world.

johnnycashmuseum.com; 119 3rd Ave. S., Nashville, TN 3720; 615-256-1777

Willie Nelson and Friends Museum

Nashville, Tennessee

There’s no one quite like this living legend. So, it’s only fitting that his museum is also larger than life. In addition to seeing hundreds of Nelson’s personal affects (from the guitar he used during his Grand Ole Opry debut in 1963 to his CMA for Entertainer of the Year), the museum takes the “and Friends” portion of its name seriously. And boy does Nelson have some famous pals! The museum also features exhibits and memorabilia from artists like Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings, Kenny Rogers, and Tanya Tucker.

willienelsonmuseum.com; 2613A McGavock Pike Nashville, TN 37214; 615-885-1515

The Hank Williams Museum

Montgomery, Alabama

Born in Butler County, Alabama, the Father of Country and Western Music can be celebrated about an hour north in the state capital of Montgomery. The museum is the life’s work of superfan Cecil Franklin Jackson, who first met Williams at the age of 8. Inside, you’ll find more than 35 showcases filled with personal artifacts, the largest that exists anywhere. Items include one of Hank’s cars, several of his suits, and the microphone and stand Williams used in his very last performance.

thehankwilliamsmuseum.net; 118 Commerce Street, Montgomery, AL 36104; 334-262-3600

The B.B. King Museum & Delta Interpretive Center

Indianola, Mississippi

Learn all about the blues and its reigning king in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, where the genre was born. The B.B. King Museum documents the legend’s life from his time sharecropping in his hometown of Indianola (where the museum is located) to his move to Memphis to the final decade of his life. Other exhibits include a theater and a memorial courtyard dedicated to the icon.

bbkingmuseum.org; 400 Second Street, Indianola, MS 38751; 662-887-9539

Graceland: Elvis Presley’s Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee

This is much more than just a museum beacause Elvis Presley was much more than just a musical artist. In addition to seeing Graceland Mansion, the King of Rock ‘N’ Roll’s personal home, you can also walk through the 200,000-square-foot complex’s gorgeous gardens, see the planes Elvis flew to his concerts, and tour exhibits featuring memorabilia from his performances and his personal car collection. You could spend an entire day here and still not see it all.

graceland.com; 3717 Elvis Presley Blvd., Memphis, TN 38116; 901-332-3322

The Allman Brothers Band Museum at The Big House

Macon, Georgia

For three years from 1970 to 1973, this house in the heart of Macon was the gathering space for members of the Allman Brothers Band, plus their friends, family, and even some roadies. Today, parts of the home—like the living room, dining room, and a walk-in closet—are filled with memorabilia like old concert photos, instruments, clothing, and even handwritten lyrics. Other rooms—like Duane Allman’s room and the music room—have been decorated and staged to reflect their original state.

thebighousemuseum.com; 2321 Vineville Ave., Macon, GA 31204; 478-741-5551

Otis Redding Museum

Macon, Georgia

Another Macon music museum, the Otis Redding Museum pays homage to the King of Soul. Though his life was cut short by a plane crash, the impact Redding made on the world through his music has stood the test of time. The Otis Redding Foundation, an educational arts awareness nonprofit run by his family, runs the Otis Redding Museum, where you can see artifacts from his life and learn more about his career.

otisreddingfoundation.com ; 339 Cotton Avenue, Macon, GA 31201; 478-742-5737

Loretta Lynn’s Ranch

Hurricane Mills, Tennessee

Learn all about the ultimate rags to riches story at The Coal Miner’s Daughter Museum, an 18,000-square-foot museum built by country singer Loretta Lynn to recant her meteoric rise from the mountains of Kentucky to superstardom. In addition to the main museum, the massive complex also includes a Doll and Fan Museum, Grist Mill Museum, Native American Artifacts Museum, Loretta’s historic home, and a replica of the small home she grew up in. For the full experience, book a night or two in one of the campus’s many cabins.

lorettalynnranch.net; 8000 Highway 13 South, Hurricane Mills, TN 37038; 931-296-7700

The Buddy Holly Center

Lubbock, Texas

Buddy Holly is one of the classics. Find a museum and center dedicated to him in his hometown of Lubbock. The historical site preserves, collects, and honors the legacy Buddy Holly had on West Texas and on popular music, but it’s also aimed at furthering education in music and the arts. If you go, be sure to stop by the West Texas Walk of Fame, where you’ll find a giant statue of the famous bespectacled singer.

ci.lubbock.tx.us; 1801 Crickets Ave, Lubbock, TX 79401; 806-775-3560

Tina Turner Museum

Brownsville, Tennessee

Walk the former footsteps of one of America’s most iconic singers. More than 75 years ago, Anna Mae Bullock (better known as Tina Turner) attended the one-room Flag Grove School in the tiny town of Brownsville. Today, her childhood school, which her uncle built in 1889, houses the Tina Turner Museum. Inside, learn about the singer's life through items including her high school yearbook and her most fantastic performing outfits.

westtnheritage.com; 121 Sunny Hill Cove, Brownsville, TN 38012; 731-779-9000

Patsy Cline Museum

Nashville, Tennessee

The home of the modern-day country music industry does a good job of honoring the genre’s forefathers and foremothers. Case in point: The Patsy Cline Museum is located right above the Johnny Cash Museum. Though Cline died at just 30 in 1963, her impact on the future of country music has been immense. Visit her museum to both celebrate her life and learn more about the iconic singer via hundreds of photos, artifacts, videos, and personal belongings.

patsymuseum.com; 119 3rd Ave. S. (2nd Level), Nashville, TN 37201; 615-454-4722

W.C. Handy Museum

Florence, Alabama

Part of the famously musical area of Alabama known as the Shoals, Florence is famous not only for being the first home of legendary Fame Studios, but also for being the birthplace of the Father of Blues. Today, visitors can pay their respects to the great W.C. Handy at a museum and library dedicated to him. Both are located on the same grounds as the very same log cabin in which he was born. (You can tour that too.) Major artifacts to see include the very piano where he composed the song “St. Louis Blues,” as well as his trumpet and personal letters.

wchandymuseum.org; 620 West College Street, Florence, AL 35630; 256-275-3128

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