Museum Archives - The Birthplace of Country Music

Celebrating America250 at the Museum

Education Exhibits Museum

July 14, 2026

Posted on July 14, 2026July 16, 2026 by Erika Barker

This year, across the country, communities are commemorating America’s 250th anniversary through a variety of programs and events. Cultural organizations have been planning for this national milestone for years. Groups such as the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) have been holding regular meetings, preparing resources such as handbooks and field guides, sending periodic updates and reminders about what is going on nationally, and otherwise helping smaller organizations across the country connect on a national scale to best plan how to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary in their own communities.

For our part, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum is hosting two exhibits related to America 250, a mobile museum, several film screenings, and Songs of the Revolution(s), a concert that will combine history and music in an engaging extravaganza!

Several years ago, as the 250th had just begun to appear on the horizon, national organizations like the Smithsonian and AASLH tasked all American museums and cultural centers with highlighting the connections between their content and the story of America’s birth. The Birthplace of Country Music Museum, which centers around a 20th-century event, doesn’t have an obvious direct connection to the American Revolution. However, music connects us all. So the museum’s curatorial team put their heads together and, in partnership with the Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail, Mountain Empire Children’s Choral Academy (MECCA), and Theatre Bristol, developed a program that will take participants on a journey through America’s many revolutions by exploring the music of those movements.

Songs of the Revolution(s) will explore revolutionary moments in American and Virginian history through song and spoken word – from the American Revolution and the Civil War, to the fights for civil rights and women’s suffrage, to the evolution of industry and internet, and more. This concert will connect important moments when groups, communities, and even individuals brought about change throughout our nation’s history to musical pieces that reflect those changes.

From May to December, we are screening a special Smithsonian Channel Film Series exploring America’s 250th through a variety of subjects. Starting on the first Saturday of the month, each film will air daily at 2:00 pm for a full week (except Mondays), providing multiple opportunities to check out the film. These screenings are free and open to the public. July’s film was called A Star Spangled Story: Battle for America and a complete list of films can be found on our website, where we have created a central hub for America 250th events in Bristol, TN/VA. On the 26th of this month, in addition to the documentaries, we are also screening one of our favorite films that taps into both museums and national history, National Treasure!

This fall, we have teamed up with the City of Bristol, Virginia to bring three unique 250-themed exhibitions to Bristol. The exhibitions, Give Me Liberty: Virginia & The Forging of a Nation, and We The People: The World in Our Commonwealth, were curated by the Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC) and will be supplemented with regional research conducted by museum staff to include Tennessee and related local history. The VA250 Mobile Museum Experience, titled Out of Many, One, was curated by VA250, The American Revolution 250 Commission.

Give Me Liberty: Virginia & The Forging of a Nation explores the unique and essential Virginian people, events, and sites that helped bring liberty and democracy to a nation. By highlighting the complex, diverse, and inspiring history that is America’s story, the exhibition provides context for the coming of the Revolution and brings visitors into the core of the action from 1774 through 1776, spotlighting how the American Revolution was a war, and more than a war. Give Me Liberty will be on display October 12–November 23, 2026.

We The People: The World in Our Commonwealth is hosted by the City of Bristol, Virginia, and will be on display at the BCMM October 26–December 7, 2026. The exhibition brings together distinct voices and perspectives on the immigrant experience and presents the deeply personal narratives of individuals born across the world who sought freedom, opportunity, and refuge by immigrating to the United States. Pairing historic accounts with contemporary stories, the exhibition highlights the profound way immigrants have both shaped and been shaped by this nation.

Out of Many, One is a hands-on, interactive, and immersive “museum on wheels” housed in an expandable tractor-trailer that has been traveling throughout Virginia and beyond since 2025. Hosted by the City of Bristol, Virginia, this VA250 Mobile Museum Experience is free and open to the public. It will be parked at BCMM from October 27–31, 2026. The exhibit explores the true meaning of America’s first motto, e pluribus unum, and demonstrates that the American Revolution isn’t just the story of a war, it is the story of world-changing ideas, courageous men and women, and a belief in the promise of freedom. Out of One, Many brings all of these stories together in one place and provides a more complete picture of the American Revolution.

As you can see, the Museum is looking forward to celebrating America250 with our community. We hope to see you at any (or all!) of these exhibits and programs so we can share this moment together.

Fireworks showing VA250 over a mobile museum truck — The Mobile Museum parked at the “Fourth at the Fort” event at Fort Monroe in Hampton, VA. Photo credit to Aileen Devlin.

Erika Barker, Curator of Exhibits and Outreach at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum

Advocacy Means Action: Help Protect Museums and Libraries Today

Museum Tourism Uncategorized

March 27, 2025

Posted on March 27, 2025March 27, 2025 by Erika Barker

By Erika Barker, Curatorial Manager at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. Featured image of Erika on Capitol Hill for AAM’s 2025 Museum Advocacy Day.

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What is Advocacy?

As various political and social issues continue to flood our feeds on social media, one word often stands out. Advocate. Everyone seems to want to identify as an advocate or encourage others to advocate for something. But what is advocacy, and why would someone even want to do that?

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, advocacy is the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal. And this can be any cause! You can advocate at home for more equitable treatment from your parents, or at work for better workplace policies for you and your coworkers, or for national issues that are important to you or your loved ones.

To be an effective advocate, though, strategic action is important – from learning about the issue and speaking up about it to friends, family, and your networks to sharing your views with your political representatives and getting involved with organizations who are supporting or working toward meaningful change related to the issue. In other words, it is more than just a desire to make changes; it is also about the action behind that desire.

Group of museum and arts advocates with Virginia State Senator Todd Pillion

What does this have to do with museums?

Just like any other industry there are causes and concerns that affect all museums. Organizations like the Tennessee Association of Museums (TAM), and the Virginia Association of Museums (VAM) have annual advocacy days at the state level. The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) organizes their annual Museums Advocacy Day each February where museum professionals from across the country gather at Capitol Hill to advocate together at the national level. The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) shares advocacy updates with its members and participates in a variety of advocacy events at the state and national level. The American Library Association (ALA) also published this helpful FAQ about the Executive Order. All of these organizations – along with many others – help distribute information and make resources available to all museums and their supporters so that anyone can help advocate on behalf of their favorite museum!

Group of Museum professionals from the Virginia Association of Museums in the Senate building.

Why does this matter right now?

On March 14, President Trump issued an Executive Order calling for the elimination of the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS). This federal agency – the only one dedicated to directly supporting American museums and libraries – does a huge amount of good for museums and libraries across the country, especially ones located in small or rural communities like ours.

Did you know that there are more museums in America than McDonalds and Starbucks combined? It shows just how much Americans love museums! Museums generate more than $50 billion dollars and support 726,000 jobs – they are definitely a good thing for our economy, not to mention our state of mind. And museums and libraries across the United States are hugely valued by their communities – they provide accessible educational resources; offer a wide range of programs, trainings, and workshops; preserve local and national history; partner with other organizations to serve their audiences; and so much more. The American Alliance of Museums shares many more facts about museums’ impact on American communities; you can also check out the American Library Association for more information on libraries and their impact.

IMLS funding is central to museums and libraries, and to the ways that they serve their communities. IMLS’s budget makes up only 0.0046% of the federal budget (that is less than $1 per taxpayer each year), and they use that money to provide grant support and resources to museums and libraries on a variety of levels. On both sides of the political spectrum, museums are valued as educational and cultural resources. Research shows that 96% of Americans want to maintain or increase federal funding for museums and approve of lawmakers who act to support museums.

Group of museum and arts advocates with Virginia State Delegate Israel O’Quinn

The Birthplace of Country Music Museum received an IMLS grant in 2021–2022, specifically targeted at helping institutions like ours recover from the pandemic. The grant provided support for educational training for our museum docents (the people who lead tours), disaster training (to make sure all our staff and volunteers know how to respond during a disaster so we can keep our visitors and collections safe), and a wide range of professional development opportunities for our curatorial team. The benefits of the classes, webinars, training courses, and conferences we attended – and the partnerships we forged through these opportunities – are still being felt today. None of that would have been possible without the IMLS grant.

We also participate in Museums for All – an initiative of IMLS, administered by the Association of Children’s Museums. This program makes it possible for more than 1,400 museums to offer free or reduced cost admission for those receiving food assistance (SNAP benefits) simply by presenting their EBT or WIC cards and a photo ID. Taking part in this program means that we can make our museum more accessible and welcoming to people of all socio-economic backgrounds.

BCMM’S Director of Community and Government Relations Leah Ross with Caren Merrick the Secretary of Commerce and Trade for the Commonwealth of Virginia

Advocacy vs. Lobbying: What’s the Difference?

Advocacy is about raising awareness, educating the public – including elected officials, and encouraging civic engagement on important issues—like speaking out to protect IMLS funding. Lobbying, on the other hand, involves directly influencing legislation by asking elected officials to vote for or against a specific bill. While nonprofits lille ours can advocate freely, lobbying has legal limitations depending on the organization’s status. By reaching out to your representatives and sharing why IMLS and BCMM matter, you are engaging in advocacy, not lobbying.

Group of people sitting in various chairs in a formal office setting. — Group of arts advocates in Tennessee State Representative Timothy Hill

Okay, so what can I do to help?

Without funding from agencies like IMLS our ability to serve our community will be directly impacted. And therefore, now we need YOUR help to take URGENT ACTION as an advocate for museums and libraries!

There is a letter being circulated to members of the House of Representatives this week asking the Administration to reconsider the executive order that would gut IMLS funding. The deadline for members of Congress to sign onto the letter is tomorrow, Friday, March 28. With the deadline fast approaching, a phone call would be the most effective way to reach your representative. HERE is a call template specifically asking representatives to sign the letter!

After taking that specific action, the best way to advocate is to continue to reach out to your representatives – via phone call, email, or letter – and tell them why something is important to you. The more we share our thoughts and views with elected officials, the more likely they are to act.

Call your members of Congress. Find their phone numbers and a draft script for supporting museums HERE.
Write to your members of Congress. Get started with the AAM template letter HERE and PERSONALIZE it with your stories! These emails have significantly more impact when you customize them and tell YOUR story to YOUR elected officials.

Personal stories go a long way! When you talk to your representatives, be sure to tell them why museums and libraries matter to you specifically. How have you benefited from museums and libraries? How does your community benefit from these institutions? What resources or educational programs have you participated in at your local museum or library? And so much more! The calls and email templates are great, but they have way more impact when you customize them and tell YOUR story to YOUR elected officials. Social media can also be a great way to let people know about issues you care about and encourage them to advocate with you.

BCMM’S Director of Community and Government Relations Leah Ross with Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin.

Finally, keep an eye out for future opportunities to advocate for museums! It is possible that related federal agencies upon which museums rely for funding (such as the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)), and by extension the state agencies who administer pass-through grants from these agencies – will be affected by similar proposed cuts in the future. If you see news about this, reach out to your senators and representatives again, and help keep museums and libraries central to our communities!

“It’s Alive, It’s Alive!”: Frankenstein Instruments Brought to Life

Collections Education Museum Uncategorized

November 21, 2024

Posted on November 21, 2024November 20, 2024 by Rene Rodgers

By Rene Rodgers, Head Curator at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum.

November 21 marks the 103rd anniversary of the release of the movie Frankenstein (the book by Mary Shelley upon which it was based was published on January 1, 1818). For those who don’t already know, Frankenstein is the doctor rather than the monster – and Frankenstein’s poor monster only became a true monster after being rejected and alienated by the person who created him and the society around him. As he says at one point in the book, “I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend.”

With this anniversary, we want to share some non-fiendish instruments (depending on your perspective!), ones that are made up of elements of different instruments with a mish-mash of musical qualities. “Frankenstein instruments,” if you will!

Two Frankenstein instruments that touch on the history of the 1927 Bristol Sessions and old-time music are the harp guitar and the banjo ukulele – the names of both make the origins of their different parts obvious! The harp guitar is basically a guitar with the addition of a second neck, either curved or straight, that bears several unstopped open strings, which are usually plucked individually as is done when playing the harp. The harp guitar was never commonly used in mainstream American music, but it possibly appears on the 1927 Bristol Sessions in the distinctive gospel recordings by Alfred Karnes who was skilled on the instrument and known to play it. Some scholars believe that he played it on “I Am Bound For The Promised Land,” “When They Ring The Golden Bells,” and “To The Work.” However, others question whether Karnes played harp guitar at all on these songs. The harp guitar is difficult, if not impossible, to hear when played in an ensemble, and Karnes might have used a traditional guitar instead, or perhaps only played the extra strings on the harp guitar now and then.

A large guitar with an extra neck and open strings resembling a harp. — Harp guitars, like this model by The Gibson Company, became popular in the 1910s and appeared throughout the United States as part of mandolin orchestra ensembles. On display at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, loaned from the collection of Joseph R. Gregory

Banjo ukuleles – more commonly called banjo ukes and also known as banjoleles – look like a reduced version of a banjo with the standard body/head of the banjo and the shorter neck and four strings of the ukulele. Banjo ukes were particularly popular during the 1920s and 1930s, giving performers the ease of playing and tuning found with the ukulele with the sound and volume of the banjo. Popular on the vaudeville circuit, they have also been played by country and bluegrass musicians, and often are used in comedic playing styles. Other banjo hybrids include the banjo dulcimer (or dulci-banjo), the mandolin banjo (or banjolin), and the bass banjo.

five different sizes and styles of banjo ukes. — Several different banjo ukes showing the varying sizes and design features. Ukulele magazine, Fall 2016

The kazoo is another instrument that often takes on the form of or is combined with different instruments. For instance, kazoos can look like trumpets or saxophones, amongst other instruments or musical items (like a microphone). And there are also trumpet, trombone, and French horn kazoos that come closer to their partner instruments’ sizes. While these kazoo mixes are similar to other Frankenstein instruments in that they look like they are a mix-up of different instruments together, they are still played – and mostly still sound – like kazoos, without taking on any of the musical qualities of the partner instrument. If you want to know more about kazoos in general, check out our Instrument Interview HERE.

A collection of differently shaped kazoos including ones that look like a saxophone, trumpet, and boat. — A collection of differently shaped kazoos. Courtesy UC San Diego Library

One of the weirdest Frankenstein instruments is the ukelin, an instrument we’ve highlighted on our blog before. Of the Frankenstein instruments, the ukelin is closest to a monstrosity – not in appearance but in its effects on those who tried to play it! The ukelin utilizes two sets of strings for a total of 32: one set of sixteen melody strings and another set of four groups of four bass strings all tuned to a different chord. On the neck of the instrument, the first set of strings is akin to a violin, and there are guiding posts located on the neck to show the player where to move the bow in order to elicit the desired melody. On the body of the instrument, the accompanying chords are meant to be plucked or picked to the song being played. Ukelins were first patented in 1923 and became quite popular in the 1930s – they were sold door-to-door by traveling salesmen who would disingenuously convince potential customers that the instrument was easy to play and would make them into a musician within days or even hours. Once bought, however, the actual playing proved to be a real challenge. There were too many strings doing different things, and once they fell out of tune, they were nearly impossible to get back into tune, soon resulting in a cacophony of unpleasant sounds. Inevitably, these instruments soon ended up either given away, stored and forgotten in attics, or perhaps even trashed by someone whose patience ran too thin while trying to make beautiful music…which is why we have two ukelins in our collection!

an instrument resembling a wide and flat ukulele with extra strings on the neck. — With this ukelin in the museum’s collection, you can see the full instrument, along with its bow and a tuning key to the left. The two up-close photos show the ukelin’s deceptively beautiful decorative elements (hiding the monster within!) and its built-in cheat sheet for the chords that can be played on the instrument. Photograph © Birthplace of Country Music; gift of Bruce Maass.

Finally, none of these Frankenstein instruments should be confused with what is known as the Frankenstein guitar, the name given to Eddie Van Halen’s guitar by his devoted fans. This wonderfully different instrument was first properly introduced to the world with Van Halen’s (the band) debut album in 1979. Not only was it played by Eddie Van Halen, but it was also essentially built by him from different parts, concepts, and personal innovations. Basically, the guitars he could buy didn’t have all the qualities or abilities he needed to perform the music he wanted to play – so he created exactly what was needed to make him one of the most revered rock guitarists of all time. You can read more HERE about this extraordinary player and his Frankenstein guitar (and even get a replica of your own!).

magazine cover with a young man with big wavy brown hair and an unbuttoned blue shirt. He is posed with his arms crossed and wearing a red guitar with whit and black stripes. — Eddie Van Halen and his Frankenstein guitar were on the cover of Musician magazine in 1982. https://vanhalengear.com/frankenstrat/

Veteran Volunteers: Celebrating the Service of Museum’s Volunteers

Museum

November 11, 2024

Posted on November 11, 2024November 6, 2024 by Guest Blogger

“While we can never do enough to show gratitude to our nation’s defenders, we can always do a little more.” – Gary Sinise, Actor.

As Volunteer Coordinator at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, I want to show my gratitude to the veterans in our volunteer family. I have always held great respect for all veterans. I was closely raised by my grandfather Hubert who served as a marine in Vietnam. My best friend Don joined the Marine Corps after the terror attacks on September 11, 2001. Both men were a major influence on my life, and through them, I have learned to always respect our country’s service men and women.

A young woman and elderly man standing with their arm around each other under a tree. — Myrissa with her grandfather, Hubert.

Veterans Day is a celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. Now, I may be biased, but I think the Birthplace of Country Music Museum is supported by some of the greatest men and women who are always willing to serve and sacrifice for the common good and who love our country as much as they love country music. While working with them, I have come to learn that many of our volunteers have also served in the United States Military. So, on this Veteran’s Day weekend, I want to show my gratitude by sharing a little bit about the service history some of our veteran volunteers!

Harvey Anderson served for 22 years in the United States Navy on active duty as a Naval Aviator. Harvey said that his time in the Navy taught him, “we are a team and that I need to take care of and support those service members under my command.” He also shared that his most enduring and long-lasting friendships were formed and cultivated in the US Navy.

A man in a U.S. Navy uniform sitting behind a desk with clasped hands on the desk. — Harvey Anderson, Commanding Officer of Nuclear Weapons Training Group Atlantic in 1995.

Bill Wright served for six years with the Air National Guard.

Z Cannon served for 21 years active duty with the United States Army, and 25 years after that working for the Veterans Affairs.

Man in a white shirt with a lanyard talking to another man in overalls and a hat. — Richard Horner talking to a visitor while volunteering as a Gallery Assistant in the museum.

Richard Horner served in the United States Army from 1968 to 1970. Richard’s time with the Army taught him patience, discipline, respect, and caution.

Joe Moore served for 27 years in the United States Marine Corps. He was on active duty for 20 years and then spent seven years in the Reserves. Joe says his military service made him cherish the freedoms this country has that many take for granted in this country.

Man in Marine uniform standing under a red sign that reads "MNF-1 Coalition Operations." — Joe Moore.

Cindi Sommers served in the United States Navy from 1977-1983. Cindi said everything she learned in the Navy has greatly influenced her life. She left for boot camp just two months after she graduated from high school. However, she claims that the best part of her naval career is that she met her husband (of 46 years!) while they were both in electronics training in Memphis.

Young woman with short blonde hair in Navy uniform. — Cindi Sommers.

The opportunity to sit down with our veteran volunteers and learn a little more about them has probably been one of my favorite things I have done as Volunteer Coordinator so far. I am glad to have had this chance to honor them for their service to our country. These men and women have made great contributions not only to the museum as dedicated volunteers but also to our country as defenders of the nation.

Myrissa Pierce is the Assistant Museum Manager and Volunteer Coordinator at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. She’s also a full time Graduate Student at The University of Oklahoma (Boomer Sooner!), and loves all things Disney, Marvel, Anime, Taylor Swift, music, her dog, and her five cats.