5 Indoor Things to Do in Nashville When It Rains

Rain need not take music out of your Nashville visit. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum lets you explore the objects behind the songs, while Ryman Auditorium puts the performance space itself at the centre of the visit. Art-making, interactive science and indoor games offer different ways to spend the day if you would rather do something hands-on.

Choose your indoor activity

Five alternatives, with walking distances from Music City Center, not between venues.

Criterion	Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum	Ryman Auditorium	Frist Art Museum	Adventure Science Center	Pins Mechanical Co.
Adult activity charge	$31.95, ages 13+	$25 plus tax, self-guided tour offer through 31 October 2026	$20 standard; $10 during gallery changeover through 26 October 2026	$22, ages 13+, galleries only	$8 Mon–Thu / $9 Fri–Sun per person per game, plus 3.5% entertainment fee per transaction
Recurring closures	Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, annual Medallion Ceremony (typically third Sunday in October)	Performance-dependent tour availability	Tue–Wed, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day	Tue–Wed	Open dailyBest
Walk from Music City Center	about 0.3 milesBest	about 0.5 miles	about 0.7 miles	about 1.1 miles	about 1.2 miles

• Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum: instruments, stage clothing and country-music history.
• Ryman Auditorium: the historic auditorium and its performance history.
• Frist Art Museum: changing exhibitions and hands-on art-making.
• Adventure Science Center: interactive science for families.
• Pins Mechanical Co.: bowling, pinball and arcade games with friends or family.

These are alternatives, not a route. Walks from Music City Center are outdoors. Take a direct ride to the more distant science centre or Pins in sustained rain.

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is the substantial music-history choice: instruments, stage clothing and audiovisual displays give you different ways into the stories behind country music. Explore the galleries at your own pace, spending longer with the performers or displays that interest you rather than trying to give everything equal attention.

Allow about two hours for a standard visit. Leave room within that time to listen and watch, not just read labels, because the audiovisual displays are part of the experience.

Advance reservations are not required, and you can buy tickets on arrival subject to availability. Buying ahead is recommended if this is the activity you most want to do when rain changes your plans.

The main entrance and galleries have step-free access. A ramp and automated door serve the entrance, and lifts reach every level, so visitors using wheelchairs need not choose a different activity simply because the collection spans several floors.

Ryman Auditorium

Ryman Auditorium makes the room itself the attraction. Its historic seating, stage and performance history offer a different perspective from a collection of instruments and costumes. Choose the daytime self-guided tour if you want to see the auditorium rather than attend a concert. Allow about an hour to explore.

The tour includes a souvenir photograph on the Ryman stage, though onstage photo availability can vary. Tickets are available online for the self-guided visit.

Use the visitor entrance on Fourth Avenue North, on the right side of the building when facing it from that avenue.

If you would prefer to hear a performance, Nashville live music venues offer a choice of rooms and listening styles. Choose by the music and the kind of audience setting you enjoy.

Frist Art Museum

Frist Art Museum combines changing exhibitions with a chance to make something yourself. Martin ArtQuest offers painting, printmaking and other hands-on activities, making this a strong choice for adults and families who want more than gallery browsing. ArtQuest is included with gallery admission and follows the museum’s visitor hours.

Move from looking at works in the exhibitions to trying an art-making activity. You can give either part more of your attention, so the visit suits both a keen gallery-goer and someone more interested in creating.

Thursday suits an evening art visit, while Sunday is an afternoon choice. The later Thursday opening gives you an alternative to daytime sightseeing, and Sunday’s afternoon start leaves the morning for something else.

Standard tickets can be bought online or on arrival without an advance reservation. Groups of 10 or more must reserve ahead. For visitors arriving by motor coach or minibus, the passenger drop-off is the pull-through lane on Broadway.

Adventure Science Center

Adventure Science Center is the hands-on choice for visitors who prefer experimenting to browsing music collections. Its interactive science galleries encourage you to move between exhibits and try things, which makes it particularly useful for families seeking an activity children can take part in.

Allow about two to three hours, leaning towards the longer visit if you add a planetarium show. Younger children may be ready to leave sooner. Start earlier on an open weekday, because the shorter visitor window leaves less room for an afternoon visit.

The Sudekum Planetarium is an optional, separately ticketed programme. General admission is required for entry in most cases. Buy show tickets ahead if you want to include one.

Timed-entry general admission tickets are encouraged, but you can also buy on arrival without an advance reservation. In sustained rain, take a direct ride to the Fort Negley Boulevard address rather than walking from downtown.

Pins Mechanical Co.

Pins Mechanical Co. replaces museum browsing with duckpin bowling, pinball and arcade games. Duckpin bowling uses smaller balls and pins than standard tenpin bowling. Choose it for a social visit centred on playing, whether you want a game with family or an evening with friends.

Walk-in duckpin lanes are first-come, first-served, and ordinary game reservations are not offered. Lanes can be reserved as part of a booked event, which is a different arrangement from arriving for a casual game. Be prepared to turn to the other games while waiting for a lane.

Use the Grundy Street address as your arrival destination. Families should favour an early visit, while adult groups can choose the later opening window.

Sources & fact-checking

Checks against the sources below cover: fares and charges, services, and opening hours.

• FAQs | Pins Mechanical Co. Nashville
• FAQs | Pins Mechanical Co. Nashville
• Frist Art Museum — fares and charges
• Plan Your Visit — Frist Art Museum
• Frist Art Museum — opening hours
• Adult and College Group Tours
• Ryman Auditorium — fares and charges
• Ryman Auditorium — opening hours
• Guided Backstage Tour | Ryman Auditorium
• Self-Guided Tours | Ryman Auditorium
• Tech Advance Packet
• Adventure Science Center — fares and charges
• Adventure Science Center — opening hours
• Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum — fares and charges
• Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum — opening hours
• Locals – Pay What You Want
• Accessibility