SPRING BREAK FUN at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
*The event has already taken place on this date: Fri, 03/31/2023
Please help us keep this calendar up to date! If this activity is sold out, canceled, or otherwise needs alteration, email mindy@kidsoutandabout.com so we can update it immediately. If you have a question about the activity itself, please contact the organization administrator listed below.
Visitors can also enjoy a variety of family friendly programming taking place Friday through Sunday in the Taylor Swift Education Center and check out the brand-new exhibit American Currents: State of the Music. A list of programs below and more information can be found here.
Through Community Counts, the museum provides free general admission to youth 18 and under from Cheatham, Davidson, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson and Wilson counties. Up to two adults accompanying the youth can receive 25 percent off general museum admission. Free admission for up to 2 adults is also available to library cardholders by checking out the Community Counts Passport at any Nashville Public Library location.
Spring Break Programs include:
Saturday, March 4 | Family Program: Songwriting 101 Workshop
2 p.m.
Attendees will join a museum educator to write a song as a group in this introductory workshop. Music professional Kristen Bearfield will teach the fundamentals of songwriting, including form, theme and rhyme scheme. Participants will share ideas and write an original song. Bearfield has performed at the Grand Ole Opry and with Country Music Hall of Fame member Jimmy Fortune of the Statler Brothers. Her songs have also been featured on WSM Radio’s Coffee, Country, and Cody program. (Recommended for ages 7 and up. All are welcome.)
Sunday, March 5 | Creative Zone: Ray Charles Bowtie
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Country Music Hall of Fame member Ray Charles, often referred to as “the Genius of Soul,” was known for both his music and his flashy stage wear. His signature look included an eye-catching dinner jacket, a ruffled shirt and a snazzy bow tie. These clothes helped Charles stand out onstage as he sat at his piano. Visitors can stand out during their visit to the museum by making their own bow tie using stickers, feathers, buttons and more. This program is a part of the museum's Discover Ray Charles project. (All ages)
Friday, March 10 and Friday, March 24 | Family Program: Alpha-Blox
10 a.m.
Visitors will discover relief printmaking and make a print to take home. In this workshop, participants will learn about positive and negative space, mirror image and color layering by arranging a typeface called Alpha-Blox. After creating a design of letters, patterns or shapes, aspiring printmakers will ink their design with a brayer, or roller, then print it on a sign press. Educator-artists from Hatch Show Print will be on hand to lend guidance and expertise. (Recommended for ages 5 and up. All are welcome.)
Saturday, March 11 | Family Program: Quilted Squares
2 p.m.
Storytelling is a big part of country music. Quilting is another art form often used for storytelling. Participants will learn how quilting has been used in the past to communicate — to celebrate life, mark important occasions and tell stories using specific fabrics, stitches and patterns — and make their own quilt blocks to tell their stories. (Recommended for ages 10 and up. All are welcome.)
Sunday, March 12, Friday, March 17, and Friday, March 31 | Creative Zone: Hip Hats
Sunday, March 12 and Friday, March 17: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Friday, March 31: 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Throughout country music history, numerous artists and musicians have counted a cowboy hat as a part of their signature look. For example, Chris Stapleton is often seen wearing a Charlie 1 Horse hat with a snakeskin band embellished with bird feathers and a large turquoise stone. Using hats on view throughout the museum as inspiration — including those in the museum's exhibition Chris Stapleton: Since 1978 — aspiring designers will make and decorate their own paper hats. Offered in support of the exhibition Chris Stapleton: Since 1978, presented by Ram Trucks. (All ages)
Saturday, March 18 | Family Program: Book Making
2 p.m.
Inspiration is all around and ideas can come at any moment. Many writers keep a notebook on hand to jot down thoughts and dreams, and visual artists often draw in a sketchpad. Attendees can explore the world around them by making their own notebook to capture ideas when inspiration strikes. Participants can decorate the cover with a design, a title or their name, and then use their new book to write or sketch. (All ages)
Sunday, March 19 | Creative Zone: Boot Scootin’ Cowboy Boots
11 a.m.
Cowboy boots can not only add flair to an outfit but also are sturdy enough for hard work and long journeys. Inspired by fashionable footwear featured in the museum galleries, young designers will create boot patterns to reflect their own personalities. (All ages)
Saturday, March 25 | Family Program: Musical Instrument Petting Zoo
2 p.m.
Attendees can bow a fiddle, pluck a banjo and strum a ukulele. The Musical Instrument Petting Zoo offers budding musicians a chance to try new and familiar instruments. The program will begin with a demonstration of the instruments by a professional musician, then instructors will offer guidance as participants try their hand at all the instruments at the zoo. (All ages)
*Times, dates, and prices of any activity posted to our calendars are subject to change. Please be sure to click through directly to the organization’s website to verify.