Ryman Auditorium

About

Ryman Auditorium stands in downtown Nashville, a block up from the honky-tonks of Lower Broadway. It opened in 1892 as a gospel tabernacle and later spent three decades as the home of the Grand Ole Opry, which earned it the nickname the Mother Church of Country Music. It is still a working concert hall, with wooden pews and a capacity of 2,362, and it hosts shows in almost every genre.

By day the Ryman runs tours. The Self-Guided Tour takes about an hour and includes the Soul of Nashville video, exhibits on the stars who played here, and a souvenir photo on the stage when available. The Guided Backstage Tour runs about 90 minutes, half with a guide going backstage, and a two-hour VIP tour adds more. In fall 2026 the self-guided tour costs $25 plus tax through Oct. 31, the backstage tour $42.52 plus tax, and the VIP tour $62.02 plus tax.

Daytime tours run every day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., but the Ryman often closes early for tours on show days, so check the special hours on the website before you go. Evening concert tickets are sold through AXS, online or at the box office in the building.

There is no Ryman lot. Paid lots and street meters surround the building, and the city's downtown parking site lists public options. A gift shop near the entrance sells Hatch Show Print posters and other souvenirs. The Country Music Hall of Fame and the Johnny Cash Museum are a few blocks away, and the Grand Ole Opry House, the Opry's current home, is about 20 minutes east at 2804 Opryland Drive.

Accessibility

Ryman Auditorium is wheelchair accessible for tours and shows. Both the Backstage and Self-Guided tours are fully wheelchair accessible, and a backstage elevator gives tour guests access to every area of the backstage tour.

For concerts, wheelchair-accessible seating is available at every public event, on both the Main Floor and the Balcony. One elevator in the lobby reaches the balcony. Buy accessible seats through AXS or in person at the AXS box office and say that you need accessible seating. Each accessible seat comes with one adjacent companion seat, and extra guests are seated as close as possible. If you arrive in your own wheelchair and want to move to a pew, staff will store your chair, and complimentary wheelchairs are available on request during shows. Guest Service staff can help you reach your seat.

All restrooms at the Ryman are wheelchair accessible. They are in both the upper and lower lobbies, and the upstairs restrooms beside the concessions counter are open only during concerts.

Parking is in paid lots and street meters around the building, with no Ryman lot. Some shows use strobe lights or fog machines; when they do, a sign is posted before you enter the auditorium. In an emergency, the elevators are locked, and exits are on the west, north and east sides of the main floor. Service animals and guide dogs are welcome. Send questions about accessible seating through the Contact page on ryman.com.

Checked by Accessible America, September 2026. Report a change

More accessible places in Tennessee

• Adventure Science Center (Nashville)
• Country Music Hall of Fame (Nashville)
• Music City Center (Nashville)
• Grand Ole Opry (Nashville)
• Nashville Zoo at Grassmere (Nashville)
• Topgolf Nashville (Nashville)

Photo credits

• The red brick Ryman Auditorium with its tall arched windows and gabled front in Nashville.: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)
• The Ryman's curved wooden balcony and pews filled with a concert crowd.: Artaxerxes, CC BY 4.0 (source)
• White double doors and stone steps at the Ryman's historic Fifth Avenue entrance.: Abbie Myers, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)