Way down yonder off the Cumberland, the Alan Jackson Museum is officially open for business.
Located in downtown Nashville at 121 3rd Avenue South, Alan Jackson's Silverbelly Whiskey Distillery and Museum is now operating at full capacity following a soft opening in June.
The attraction — which touts itself as the only country music museum and whiskey distillery combination in the world — showcases more than 600 artifacts fromJackson's career.
“He’s a country music icon, and we just wanted to give his fans in the years to come a place to go and relive all of those memories," said museum CEO Robbie Goldsmith.
"It's a way for Alan and his team to continue his legacy here in Nashville."
The museum recently unveiled nearly 100 new artifacts from Jackson's
June 27 farewell concert at Nissan Stadium, including stage-worn clothing, instruments and memorabilia from the historic show.
"All of his attire, the set list, the guitar, everything used from that show is now on display here at the museum,” Goldsmith said.
Jackson's final concert marked his retirement from touring, a choice he made after a years-long battle with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, a progressive, degenerative neurological and nerve disorder that causes balance and mobility in addition to muscle weakness.
The concert, which featured tribute performances from George Strait, Carrie Underwood, Luke Combs, Eric Church and more, drew a crowd of 55,000 people. It grossed more than $34.729 million, becoming the highest-grossing concert in live music history.
Beyond artifacts from this summer's show, the museum is showcasing items that span Jackson's nearly 40-year career.
Some artifacts on display include the singer's first motorcycle, which he bought after signing his record deal in 1987, the waterski and wardrobe from the "Chattahoochee" video, and the chair Jackson used while writing early hits like “Here In The Real World.”
The museum also showcases a piece of metal from the World Trade Center and stone from the Pentagon, artifacts connected to Jackson's song "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)," which he wrote in the weeks following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Widely considered one of music's most enduring responses to 9/11, the song captured the grief and uncertainty felt across the country following the attacks. In 2003, it earned the Grammy Award for best country song.
"One of the biggest questions we get is 'How involved is Alan?'" Goldsmith said, explaining Jackson owns the museum and distillery and has been hands-on, in addition to his family.
"This is truly, you know, a family affair," Goldsmith said, adding the participation creates a more "concrete legacy."
Mattie Jackson, Alan's daughter, is the master blender behind Jackson's whiskey brand, Silverbelly Whiskey.
There's a whiskey tasting bar in the museum, Goldsmith said, adding that VIP tours include access to a speakeasy showcasing rare and unreleased whiskeys, some of which aren't accessible anywhere else.
Plus, there are also whiskey flights, cocktails, bottles for sale, and a “bottle your own” on tap, as well as live music.
The museum's opening coincides with a new milestone in Jackson's career.
His catalog has been certified for 85.5-million units, which places Jackson among the top 10 highest-selling country artists in U.S. history.
Tickets for both the museum and the distillery are available at alanjacksonmuseum.com.
Contributing: Chris Parton
Audrey Gibbs is a music and culture reporter at The Tennessean. You can reach her at agibbs@tennessean.com or on Instagram at @audreyraegibbs.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Alan Jackson's museum opens in Nashville
