The Country Music Hall of Fame, downtown

If you have time for only one music attraction while in Nashville, make it the spectacular Country Music Hall of Fame (222 5th Ave. S at Demonbreun St., 615-416-2001), a sleek, contemporary building housing the world's most impressive collection of memorabilia related to this important music genre - and it's not just the current country pop music that's celebrated here but bluegrass, rockabilly, R&B, folk, rock, and the many sub-categories that make up country-western music. The museum has exhibits on its more than 100 inductees (George Strait, the Everly Brothers, Waylon Jennings, Charley Pride, Faron Young, Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, Tammy Wynette, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Loretta Lynn, Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash, Kitty Wells, Minnie Pearl, Patsy Cline, Bill Monroe, Jim Reeves, Eddy Arnold, Tex Ritter, Roy Acuff, Hank Williams, and the list goes on...and on). But you'll also find all kinds of cool artifacts and displays, and there are frequent rotating temporary exhibits. The Hall of Fame also offers guided tours of the legendary Studio B. The Hall of Fame is downtown, close to Broadway and its honky-tonk clubs as well as Ryman Auditorium, the Sommet Center sports arena, and the Nashville Convention Center.