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Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN

Photo: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Theatre & EventsIconicHistory BuffDate Night

Ryman Auditorium

116 Rep. John Lewis Way N · Nashville, TN

Why you should go…

Opened in 1892 as the Union Gospel Tabernacle, the Ryman was home to the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974 and is a National Historic Landmark. Daytime self-guided tours include the Soul of Nashville theater experience, exhibits of artifacts from artists who played here and a souvenir photo on the stage. Guided backstage tours add the dressing rooms. The hall still seats concertgoers in its original wooden pews, and it remains a working concert hall.

  • #concert hall
  • #grand ole opry history
  • #backstage tour
  • #live music

Good to know

General theatre & events guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Curtain time is firm

    Latecomers are commonly held at the back until a scene break, so build in a buffer.

  • Study the seating chart

    Price and sightline vary a lot within the same house. A few rows back can be the better seat.

  • Rush and lottery seats exist

    Many venues release same-day tickets at a discount if you are flexible about where you sit.

  • Arrive with time to spare

    Parking, bag check, and finding your row all take longer than you think on a full house.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Ryman Auditorium, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Nightlife
    Iconic

    Honky Tonk Highway

    Free

    Walk from one honky tonk to the next on Lower Broadway, where bands play live country music from morning until late at night.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Nightlife

  • Theatre & Events
    Iconic

    Bridgestone Arena

    $50+

    Watch Nashville Predators hockey, big-name concerts and awards shows in a downtown arena at the corner of Broadway and 5th Avenue.

    Steps awayMore like this

  • Museums
    Iconic

    Johnny Cash Museum

    $25–$50

    Walk through more than 1,000 artifacts from Johnny Cash's life, from stage costumes and gold records to handwritten lyrics.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Museums
    Iconic

    Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

    $25–$50

    See instruments, stage wear and recordings that trace country music from its folk roots to today, then stand in the Hall of Fame Rotunda.

    0.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Theatre & Events
    Iconic

    The Bluebird Cafe

    $25–$50

    Hear Nashville songwriters play their own songs and tell the stories behind them in a 90-seat listening room.

    4.6 mi awayMore like this

  • Theatre & Events
    Iconic

    Grand Ole Opry

    $25–$50

    Watch a live country music show at the Opry House or take a backstage tour and stand on the stage yourself.

    5.7 mi awayMore like this