Dolly Parton’s Nashville hotel and museum draw fans at grand opening

Downtown Nashville welcomed a major new music attraction on Tuesday (October 6) with the official opening of Dolly Parton's SongTeller Hotel alongside the adjacent Dolly's Life of Many Colors Museum.

A crowd of fans gathered on Commerce Street as butterfly-shaped confetti rained down during the ribbon-cutting ceremony, set to the tune of Parton's hit song "9 to 5."

Located steps from Broadway, the 245-room boutique hotel and interactive museum showcase decades of Parton's career through vintage stage costumes, custom pop art, gold records and rare handwritten notes. The venue also highlights her philanthropic work, including Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

Mike Ostendorf, CEO of design and development firm AOA, described the project as a fast-paced labor of love aimed at honoring Parton's legacy.

"There was a very large team involved in this, and they were involved from the beginning," Ostendorf said during the opening ceremony. "We wanted it to be perfect. We wanted to represent Dolly's warmth and character and spirit."

Fans explored the multi-story space, performance venues and display cases housing original instruments.

"As soon as I walked through the doors, you could feel her presence here," said long-time fan Gage Briany. "It was incredible."

The complex is now open to the public, offering visitors an immersive look at Parton's music, style and career.

Camera: JC Whittington Production, editing, and writing: Suheir Sheikh/Reuters