News Category: Museum

In light of recent news that the Tennessee Department of Education has terminated its contract with the company running the state’s new TNReady standardized tests for grades 3—8, the Birthplace of Country Music extended an invitation to educators and classrooms to visit the Birthplace of Country Music Museum for free during the time they would have been testing—and received an extraordinary response from schools. One dozen school groups from the northeast Tennessee region toured the museum last week with more than 770 students in attendance.

“We are very pleased with the turnout from area schools,” said Scotty Almany, Education and Outreach Manager at the museum. “So many students who may not have otherwise been able to visit the museum were given the opportunity to take a tour.”

“Made in the U.S.A.,” part of PBS’s America Revealed series, will be screened in the museum’s Performance Theater on Thursday, June 16, at 6:30p.m. This documentary is the story of how American manufacturers embraced new ideas and technologies to transform themselves into world-leading producers of everything from sleek new cars to mighty ships to microchips.

This event is free and open to the public.

This film screening is part of the programming to accompany our special exhibit “Made in Tennessee: Manufacturing Milestones.” The special exhibit chronicles the rich variety of manufacturing traditions in Tennessee over the past 2 ½ centuries from the early agricultural and craft heritage to our current age of advanced technology and global competition. The diverse panels and artifacts highlight the history of manufacturing in Tennessee, while also featuring a huge variety of the industries and companies that were once found – or still exist – throughout the state, including several local manufacturers.

At 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 1, at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Adam “Butter Bean” Alfrey will bring to life the national pastime as it was played in 1864. Back then, base ball (most often written as two words) was played without gloves and ascribed to be a gentleman’s game. Butter Bean plays for the Knoxville Holstons Vintage Base Ball Club, a member club of the Tennessee Association of Vintage Base Ball, that entertains and educates through the re-creation of 19th-century base ball and, more specifically, through the interpretation of the Holstons, a team that first played in Knoxville in 1867. Come learn about Tennessee’s earliest base ball clubs, as well as the rules, equipment, uniforms, and customs you can expect to witness when watching a vintage match!

This event — part of the programming for our ongoing special exhibit “Made in Tennessee: Manufacturing Milestones” — is free and open to the public.

For more information about this talk, call 423-573-1927. For more information about the Tennessee Association of Vintage Base Ball, go to www.tennesseevintagebaseball.com.

* After you’ve learned all about vintage base ball from Butter Bean at the museum on June 1, be sure to check out a match between the Knoxville Holstons and the Emmett Machinists of Knoxville at Rocky Mount State Historic Site on Saturday, June 4, at 12pm. For more information about the match at Rocky Mount, go to www.rockymountmuseum.com.

“Best of Show,” Awards of Excellence, & Top Reader Rankings Achieved

The Birthplace of Country Music (BCM), parent organization of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival, and Radio Bristol, took home top honors at the Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association’s (NETTA) 19th annual Pinnacle Awards, including “Best of Show” for BCM’s interactive remote exhibit at the Bristol, Virginia Welcome Center. BCM received two Pinnacle Awards for its public relations and advertising campaigns surrounding the CD release of Orthphonic Joy: The 1927 Bristol Sessions Revisited, an award was given for the organization’s website, and one for the economic impact of Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, which is estimated to add more than $16 million in tax revenue for Bristol and the surrounding region.

Additionally, BCM board member Keith Liskey was honored as NETTA’s Volunteer of the Year. The former chief operating officer of Strongwell Corporation in Bristol, Virginia has been integral in the development of business plans for each of its branches, and he also works closely with staff to curate and promote artisan wares at The Museum Store.

In March the Birthplace of Country Music Museum also received honors recently from the Tennessee Association of Museums (TAM). An Award of Excellence was achieved for the museum’s special exhibit “Tennessee Ernie Ford: A Life On Stage,” which closed in February of this year. An Award of Excellence for A/V Exhibit Component was given for the WBCM Radio Bristol station. Housed in public view within the museum’s permanent exhibits, Radio Bristol provides visitors with a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the workings of a radio station and features live and pre-recorded programming.

In addition, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum and Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion are both winners in the hearts and minds of more than 400,000 readers of Virginia Living Magazine. The museum was voted “Best Museum” in southwest Virginia in a readers poll for the magazine’s “Best of Virginia 2016” issue, published in early May. Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion ranked in the top 3 for “Best Family Entertainment”; Abingdon, Virginia’s Historic Barter Theatre took home first place in the category.

“Everyone at the Birthplace of Country Music is inspired and passionate about our mission,” said Leah Ross, BCM Executive Director. “Any achievement by our organization is a direct reflection of the hard work of our staff and volunteers. We are very grateful our work has been recognized.”

In light of recent news that the Tennessee Department of Education has terminated its contract with the company running the state’s new TNReady standardized tests for grades 3—8, the Birthplace of Country Music wishes to extend an invitation to educators and classrooms to visit the Birthplace of Country Music Museum for free during the time they would have been testing.

In addition, bus transportation to the museum will be provided by generous sponsors interested in helping schools reinforce and review the year’s learning through a museum visit.

“We serve as a resource and place of learning for the community, and we want to take this time to recognize the hard work of students and teachers,” said Dr. Jessica Turner, Museum Director. “We urge area classrooms that are affected by this decision to come explore the museum. Our educational programming ties into state standards in many ways and strengthens what children have learned in social studies and language arts. Tennessee’s music history is important in and of itself, but this history also conveys broad concepts in American history.”

Experiential learning, like testing, reinforces educational materials learned in the classroom, helping analytical processing and retention. Visits to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum support the curriculum, and museum educators focus particularly on curriculum taught in Tennessee and Virginia. For example, Tennessee fifth graders learn about technology in the 1920s as part of their social studies curriculum. A visit to the museum provides an enriching experience and is a way to review this content in a hands-on way.

Besides a tour, the museum will offer tailored activities to suit different age groups of students.

“We offer lessons in Tennessee music history, America in the 1920s, technology and science of radio and recording, and economics,” says Education and Outreach Manager Scotty Almany. “We have presented scavenger hunts in the museum and lessons on Elvis and Stax Studios that tie to standards of learning in fun ways. Where else can you begin with the modernization of the 1920s and end up dancing the funky penguin?”

Educators who wish to book a tour should email Education@BirthplaceofCountryMusic.org to schedule their visit, and should call 423-573-1927 with questions about transportation sponsorships and other logistics.

If you are interested in sponsoring a bus for a museum visit, contact 423-573-1927.

New Or Gently Used Donations Needed for Educational Purposes

The Birthplace of Country Music Museum will be holding an instrument donation drive for its Education Department on Saturday, May 7 from 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Gently used and new instrument donations will be used at the museum by students, visitors, and instructors during educational programs.

“Any instruments donated to the museum will go toward educating all age groups in a variety of ways,” said Scotty Almany, Education & Outreach Manager for the museum. “From summer camps to instructional workshops, having a collection of instruments on hand that students can play will help us grow our programming tremendously.”

All donated instruments should be in good, working condition without need for repair. All instrument donations are tax deductible; documentation of your donation will be provided for tax purposes upon request.

Continuing support from the community enables BCM to offer new and exciting opportunities for our youth as well as adults. If you have any questions requarding the instrument drive, email Scotty Almany at education@birthplaceofcountrymusic.org or call 423-573-1927.

Thursday, May 19 | 6:30 p.m.
Birthplace of Country Music Museum

“Morristown: In the Air and Sun” will be screened in the museum’s Performance Theater on Thursday, May 19 at 6:30 p.m. A working class response to globalization, this hour-length documentary looks at the issues of immigration, factory flight, and the organized demand for economic justice. The film is free and open to the public.

This film screening is part of the programming to accompany our special exhibit “Made in Tennessee: Manufacturing Milestones.” The exhibit chronicles the rich variety of manufacturing traditions in Tennessee over the past 2 ½ centuries from the early agricultural and craft heritage to our current age of advanced technology and global competition. The diverse panels and artifacts highlight the history of manufacturing in Tennessee, while also featuring a huge variety of the industries and companies that were once found – or still exist – throughout the state, including several local manufacturers.

Click here for more information about the film.

Saturday, May 14 | 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Birthplace of Country Music Museum

Family Fun Day at the Birthplace of Country Music is back! Bring the kids, bring the cousins, bring the grandparents! We have fun musical activities and a great time will be had by all! There is no charge for the event and visitors can also take in our “Made in Tennessee: Manufacturing Milestones” special exhibit for free. Tickets are required for folks who wish to tour the museum’s permanent exhibits.