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Revisions to Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music, Will Open as Planned on May 14
NASHVILLE, Tenn., MAY 5, 2010 -- The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum is preparing to re-open its doors this weekend, Museum officials announced today. The Museum has been closed since Monday, May 3, due to the catastrophic flooding in downtown Nashville and surrounding areas, and subsequent loss of electrical power.
Additionally, Museum staff continue to work on updates to the Museum's permanent exhibition, Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music, and those revisions will be completed as scheduled on May 14, 2010. The accompanying opening weekend programs set for May 14-15 will also take place as planned.
"We would like to thank all of our friends and patrons who have expressed concern about our situation and offered to help," said Director Kyle Young. "The Museum has sustained minor damage, but the exhibits and collections-located on the second, third and fourth floors of the building-are safe and dry and were never in danger. Emergency generators are powering climate control systems to keep the collection safe and to allow crews to work on cleanup."
At the height of the downtown flooding on Monday, the Museum had five and a half feet of water in one of its mechanical rooms, which is located below ground level. Water also came into the Ford Theater, which is at street level on the corner of Fourth Avenue South and Demonbreun Street. The theater sustained some minor damage, and personnel from American Constructors (which built the Museum) have already begun repair and restoration efforts.
Hatch Show Print and Historic RCA Studio B also came through the rain and flooding unscathed. The venerable poster shop is open now, and Studio B tours will resume when the Museum re-opens.
Our Saturday, May 8, Songwriter Session will feature Marcus Hummon, the writer of many hits, including "Bless the Broken Road." The session will not be streamed live on our Web site as originally announced.
Also join us for our Family Program (Introduction to Square Dancing) on Saturday, and our Instrument Demonstration (with Tim May and Gretchen Priest-May) on Sunday.
This weekend's film screening (Brenda Lee Live from Tokyo) has been cancelled.
Updated information about re-opening, Museum programming and more can be found on the Museum's website, www.countrymusichalloffame.org.
Accredited by the American Association of Museums, the Country Music Hall of Fame® and 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's mission is the preservation of the history of country and related vernacular music rooted in southern culture. With the same educational mission, the Foundation also operates CMF Records, the Museum's Frist Library and Archive, CMF Press, Historic RCA Studio B, and Hatch Show Print.
More information about the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum is available at www.countrymusichalloffame.org or by calling (615) 416-2001.
*Photo was taken by Jude Ferrara Monday, May 3. The street has since been cleared.