Music City Center and Songwriter's Hall of Fame

Enter the Music City Center from the first entrance on Sixth Avenue, and let the kids ride the escalator over Sixth Avenue, the street that runs right through the middle and under Music City Center. Ride up one side and then down the opposite side. On your left, you will see the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame exhibit as you come down the escalator. At the bottom of the escalator turn back to your left. If you get a little lost, stop at one of the many information desks to ask for directions for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame exhibit. Hit pause on the narration until you reach the exhibit, which is your next stop.

Have you ever dreamed of being a famous musician when you grow up? What about a songwriter? All of those Nashville music hits were written by an incredible songwriter! Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame has three interactive touch screens that allow you to access audio, video, and other digital information about the history of famous songs and the people who wrote them. Let’s do a quick digital scavenger hunt—see if you can find the musicians featured below each screen. Using the touch screen, find the songwriter in the alphabetized list. Check out their life story and complete list of songs. From there find and play the song featured on the bottom panel. 

Parents, while your kids listen to music and learn about the history of famous songs, relax in the rocking chairs and take in the memorabilia. There are free public bathrooms behind the Songwriters Hall of Fame and water fountains if you need a cool drink or want to re-fill water bottles. The Songwriters Hall of Fame is located in the Music City Center, which is Nashville’s convention center. The top of Music City Center is a “green roof” designed to mimic the rolling hills in Tennessee. The roof helps to reduce energy usage by absorbing heat and acting as an insulator to reduce the amount of energy needed to provide heating and cooling to the building. The green roof also provides a natural habitat for plants, insects, and wildlife that would otherwise have limited space in urban Nashville, including bee hives and Nashville’s very own honey bee population.

Fun Fact: At the grand opening of the Music City Center in 2013, there was a zip line installed through the Exhibit Hall! Sadly, it was taken down after the opening but feel free to zip around the stairs outside! The scramble letter for this stop is “I” for “Installed zip line.”

Facing the Songwriters Hall of Fame exhibit, turn LEFT and exit the Music City Center. Walk down the stairs with steps engraved with song titles and artists. Continue down the steps, which runs parallel to Demonbreun Street and is across the street from Bridgestone Arena. When you get to the corner of Demonbreun and Fifth Avenue, pause and take a picture with the mural of “Gnash,” the Predators mascot, in the distance behind you. Cross Fifth Avenue to the corner of the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum and turn RIGHT. You will see the side entrance for the Taylor Swift Education Center and Hatch Show Print on your left. Enter the building and walk to the Hatch Show Print press shop.