Photo by TJ Dragotta on Unsplash
What if you could step inside a song — and history itself? A visit to Nashville’s National Museum of African American Music is a full-body, full-heart adventure into the sounds that shaped a nation. It’s a place where rhythm, resilience, and innovation come alive.
I’m Mindy Peterson, host of Enhance Life with Music podcast, where we explore the ways music can make our lives better. And this is Microhance, a micro-dose of musical enhancement.
Today’s micro episode is about a recent musical microadventure I experienced when I was in Nashville. I had the opportunity to visit the National Museum of African American Music, which just opened in 2021. I was blown away by this experience. It was a full-on immersive, neuroaesthetic experience where you can mix your own song, have a rap battle, and show off moves in a dance booth. There’s a corridor of floor-to-ceiling screens that make you feel like you’re at the concert or event that’s taking place on-screen; large touch screens that allow deep-dive explorations into musical genres and other topics; and a wristband that allows you to create and save sonic souvenirs that can be downloaded when you get home.
The museum’s tagline is “Educate. Preserve. Celebrate.” And they definitely do this through the interactive experiences, as well as what you would expect in a museum: short films; visual art; galleries with photos and memorabilia; educational & historical info.
Another tagline – and gallery – at the museum is “One Nation Under a Groove,” which reminded me of Dr. Portia Maultsby‘s brilliant Timeline of African American Music, an interactive visual showing the relationships of a wide range of musical genres to each other and their African origins. I’ll put a link in the show notes – if you haven’t seen it, definitely check it out.
This museum is definitely one of those museums that are not static experiences – they’re constantly evolving and changing AND have extensive outreach and education with resources that reach beyond their onsite visitors. Resources like:
- Camps for students
- A FREE Institutional Summit held in October every year (available to anyone, particularly geared toward educators)
- YouTube channel programming; and
- Social media initiatives
- to name just a few.
If you find yourself near Nashville, be sure to go. Maybe you can even time your visit to take in one of their regular events, like Heartbeat Saturday or Sounds & Cinema. And if you can’t visit in person, check out those educational resources I mentioned.
When you experience places like the National Museum of African American Music, you realize that “One Nation Under a Groove” isn’t just a phrase — it’s a testament to how rhythm, resilience, and creativity have built bridges across generations, cultures, and political divides. Music doesn’t just tell our stories — it connects, empowers, and transforms us, one beat at a time. Music holds the power to honor the past, inspire the present, and shape the future.
I’ll put pictures of my visit in the show notes.
If you’ve had a recent recent – or favorite – musical microadventure, I would love to hear about it.
You can always connect with me on email (mindy@mpetersonmusic.com), Facebook, Instagram, X, or LinkedIn.
I’m Mindy Peterson, and I hope this inspires you to enhance your life with music.
Other episodes you may enjoy:
- Ep. 25: Role of Spirituals within African American Culture, with award-winning musician and educator Bruce Henry
- Ep. 47: In honor of George Floyd: The role of music in social justice; with Bruce Henry
- Ep. 196: The Beat of the Land – Music’s Role in Native American Culture and Identity; with Anton Treuer, PhD
- Ep. 200: Country Music History is American History; with The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Katherine Palmer, DMA
- Ep. 81: MIM – A place that showcases music’s unique ability to both preserve diverse cultures AND bring those cultures together; with Katherine Palmer, DMA
- Ep. 41: Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a look at how music preserves Mexican heritage and connects cultures, with Eugene Rodriguez
- Ep. 7: Sound of Your Heritage: Music’s Role in Jewish Culture & Celebrations (Hazzan Alisa Pomerantz-Boro)
- Ep. 117: Sound of Your Heritage: What role does music play in Norwegian culture & celebrations? With Melissa Holm-Johansen, DMA
View all Microhance episodes
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