Community Pop-up: Musical Instrument Petting Zoo

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is bringing its Musical Instrument Petting Zoo to William Edmondson Homesite Park & Gardens on Saturday, October 24. It's a traveling installation that lets budding musicians get hands-on with new and familiar instruments, with instructors on hand to offer guidance as you go. This particular pop-up is presented in support of the William Edmondson Arts & Culture Festival, so it's part of a larger celebration of the arts in the neighborhood.

If you've never come across a petting zoo like this, the idea is pretty straightforward: instead of just looking at instruments behind glass, you actually pick them up and try them out. You'll find a mix of instruments you might recognize and some you've probably never seen in person, and the instructors are there to help you make your first few sounds. It's designed for people who are just starting out or who have always been curious about how a particular instrument works but never had one within reach.

The session is open to all ages, so it works as much for a kid's first time holding a guitar as it does for an adult who's finally decided to see if they have a knack for something new. It's run on a walk-up basis, which means you don't need to book a slot or sign up in advance—you just show up when you're ready. And since it's a pop-up in the park, museum admission isn't required to take part.

You'll find it at William Edmondson Homesite Park & Gardens, 1400 14th Ave. S, in Nashville, on Saturday, October 24, from 1 PM to 4 PM. It's free to the public.