Johnny Cash Museum

The Johnny Cash Museum sits at 119 Third Avenue South in downtown Nashville, in the heart of the Broadway honky-tonk district. It opened in 2013 and is the world only museum dedicated exclusively to the life and work of Johnny Cash. The collection was assembled by Bill Miller, a lifelong Cash collector who spent decades acquiring artefacts directly from Cash, his family, and associates.

The museum houses personal items, stage costumes, instruments, handwritten lyrics, letters, and photographs spanning Cash entire career. Highlights include his black performance suits, multiple guitars, original lyric sheets for Folsom Prison Blues and Ring of Fire, personal correspondence with June Carter Cash, and artefacts from the Folsom and San Quentin prison concerts. Cash personal Bible — heavily annotated in his own hand — is one of the most striking items on display.

The museum also operates Johnny Cash Bar and BBQ next door. The location on Third Avenue places it within walking distance of the Ryman Auditorium, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the honky-tonks of Lower Broadway — the stretch of Nashville where Cash played his earliest shows.

The museum is open daily and requires a ticket for entry. Most visitors spend one to two hours. Audio guides are available. The museum is fully accessible and centrally located, making it easy to combine with other Nashville music landmarks in a single day.