23-02-2025
Best Music Museum (2025) - USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Photo courtesy of Woody Guthrie Center No. 10: Woody Guthrie Center - Tulsa, Oklahoma
The Woody Guthrie Center is a major proponent of upholding diversity, equality, and social justice, as was Woody Guthrie himself — one of the nation's greatest folk singers and songwriters. The museum features an interactive map tracing Guthrie's life, travels, and music history, as well as various music bars where visitors can put on some headphones and listen to his songs.
Photo courtesy of Patsy Cline Museum No. 9: Patsy Cline Museum - Nashville, Tennessee
Though Patsy Cline died when she was only 30 years old, she had a big influence on American country music. This Nashville museum explores her life and work through artifacts, personal belongings, video and audio recordings, and costumes.
Photo courtesy of Rock 'n' Soul No. 8: Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum - Memphis, Tennessee
Created by the Smithsonian Institute over 20 years ago, the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum offers visitors an in-depth look at the city's robust music history and culture. Perfect for music lovers of all ages, this museum features seven galleries where visitors can learn about the evolution of Memphis music, from blues to soul, rockabilly to rock 'n' roll, to the sounds of modern Beale Street.
Photo courtesy of ©Birthplace of Country Music No. 7: Birthplace of Country Music Museum - Bristol, Virginia
The Birthplace of Country Music Museum showcases the roles that Bristol, Tennessee, and Bristol, Virginia, played in the development of country music. This Smithsonian affiliate traces this musical history back to the 1927 Bristol Sessions recording — an event that helped shape the sound of commercial country music. The collection includes photographs, printed music, recordings, concert posters, instruments, and a variety of recording and playback gear.
Photo courtesy of Motown Museum No. 6: Motown Museum - Detroit, Michigan
The Motown Museum in Detroit, Michigan, is the home and heart of Motown music. This museum resides within Hitsville U.S.A., the original headquarters and recording studio for Motown Records, and the home where label founder Berry Gordy Jr. lived. Make sure you visit Studio A, where some of the most popular Motown music was recorded.
Photo courtesy of Bethel Woods Center for the Arts No. 5: The Museum at Bethel Woods - Bethel, New York
The Museum at Bethel Woods is dedicated to preserving the stories of the 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair, perhaps the most famous three-day music festival in history. Visit the original site of Woodstock and be transported back in time via their main exhibit, which takes visitors through the 1960s with pictures, music, and films.
Photo courtesy of Country Music Hall of Fame No. 4: Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum - Nashville, Tennessee
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, traces the history and traditions of country music from its pre-commercial roots to the present day, and celebrates the genre's greatest contributors. The museum also hosts live performances at its 776-seat CMA Theater.
Photo courtesy of the Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix, Arizona, USA No. 3: Musical Instrument Museum - Phoenix, Arizona
One of the largest museums on the planet dedicated to musical instruments, the Musical Instrument Museum showcases more than 7,500 instruments representing more than 200 countries and territories from all corners of the globe. State-of-the-art audio and video technology allows for an especially immersive visitor experience, and in the Experience Gallery, guests can make their own music with a variety of instruments like the harp, theremin, and drums.
Photo courtesy of The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame No. 2: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - Cleveland, Ohio
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame first opened on the shores of Lake Erie in 1995. Today, visitors can experience different theaters, seven floors of exhibits, and all kinds of interactive stations, all while learning about some of the most influential rock musicians in history.
