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  • Press Release

Museum Launches Community Counts To Provide Museum Access For Local Youth And Their Families

July 06, 2017
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Exterior of Country Music Hall of Fame taken from a drone.
Community Counts
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Thursday, July 6, 2017 – Today, the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum announced the launch of Community Counts, a new initiative that will increase access to the museum for youth and families in Davidson County and bordering  counties, including Cheatham, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson and Wilson. An audience of local children and families got a big surprise this morning when Nashville Mayor Megan Barry joined museum CEO Kyle Young and museum Chairman of the Board of Officers and Trustees Steve Turner on stage for the special announcement prior to a performance of String City: Nashville’s Tradition of Music and Puppetry. The museum, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2017, developed Community Counts to enhance the museum’s robust commitment to local youth and the Nashville community. Through Community Counts, youth (ages 18 and under) who live in the counties mentioned above will receive free walk-up admission outside of school hours, and up to two accompanying adults  will receive a 25 percent discount on admission. Also through Community Counts, Davidson County residents of any age can visit the museum for free by checking out a Community Counts Passport from any Nashville Public Library. In addition, local families who are enrolled in public assistance programs may purchase an annual family membership for $5. Additional detail on each of these components is included below. “At its core, the museum is, and has always been, committed to education surrounding the historical importance of country music. Learning about the rich history of the genre and about those who helped shape it allows us not only to cultivate a sense of pride in our state, but also to understand the significance of Tennessee’s cultural contributions to American history,” said museum CEO Kyle Young. “In 2016, nearly 100,000 guests participated in over 1,000 programs led by our museum educators. Community Counts is an extension of our long-standing commitment to serve our locals and provide them with unforgettable experiences.” Regarding the community impact of the museum's new initiative, Nashville Mayor Barry said, "This will be a terrific resource for Davidson County students and families to learn more about the role country music has played in making Nashville what it is today. I appreciate the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's strong commitment to giving back to the Nashville community." “We are thrilled to partner with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to offer patrons access to this institution. Our work is all about bringing stories to life, and you can’t be the public library in Music City without including music in that mission. I hope Nashvillians will get their free library card, check out the Community Counts Passport at our locations, and also discover our free music resources.” As a nonprofit organization that serves a global audience, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum maintains a deep commitment to the Middle Tennessee community. Last year the museum served nearly 9,000 Davidson County students— roughly the equivalent of 10 percent of Metro Nashville Public School students. Through the Taylor Swift Education Center, the museum offers unique, hands-on experiences that include curriculum-connected activities for school groups, tailored programs for toddlers, weekend workshops for teens, as well as interactive experiences for all ages in the Dinah & Fred Gretsch Family Gallery. The Community Counts initiative will further expand the museum’s educational offerings by introducing three new programs:
  • Free Admission for Youth from Davidson County and Bordering Counties:
All youth (ages 18 and under) from Cheatham, Davidson, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson and Wilson counties will receive free walk-up admission to the museum outside of school hours. This is an expansion of the museum’s long-standing policy of providing free admission to all Metro Nashville Public School students visiting as school groups. Up to two accompanying adults receive 25 percent off admission to the museum. This applies to groups of ten people or less. For groups of ten or more, click here for more information about the museum’s group tour options.
  • COMMUNITY COUNTS Passport at the Nashville Public Library:
In a new partnership with Nashville Public Library, Davidson County residents of any age who have a library card can check out a Community Counts Passport to visit the museum at no cost. This program enables up to two Davidson County adults to visit the museum on their own or to accompany their children on a museum visit. All 21 library locations will have Community Counts Passports with a total of 65 available. Passports must be picked up in person at a library location.
  • Family Membership:
Households from Davidson and contiguous counties who are enrolled in public assistance programs can purchase a family membership for $5.00. Regularly $100.00, this membership includes unlimited access to the museum’s galleries and programs during regular business hours for an entire year, as well as discounts at museum restaurants and stores and invitations to member-only events. For more information about the program, visit: https://countrymusichalloffame.org/CommunityCounts For our official museum rules of conduct, museum policies, and patron acknowledgments click here.

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The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum collects, preserves, and interprets country music and its history for the education and entertainment of diverse audiences. In exhibits, publications, and educational programs, the museum explores the cultural importance and enduring beauty of the art form. The museum is operated by the Country Music Foundation, a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) educational organization chartered by the state of Tennessee in 1964. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and in 2015 and 2016 welcomed over one million patrons, placing it among the ten most-visited history museums in the U.S. The Country Music Foundation operates Historic RCA Studio B, Hatch Show Print® poster shop, CMF Records, the Frist Library and Archive, and CMF Press. Museum programs are supported by the Metropolitan Nashville Arts Commission and the Tennessee Arts Commission.

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The Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums

             American Alliance of Museums Accredited