Dolly Parton promised she would always find a way to keep the lights on for her fans, and now she has done it one more time. On September 29, just weeks after her death at 80, the SongTeller Hotel and a sweeping new museum called “Dolly’s Life of Many Colors” opened their doors in Nashville.
It is not a somber place. It is exactly as joyful and colorful as the woman it honors.
Dolly Parton’s Life, In Many Colors
The 20,000-square-foot museum is billed as the most comprehensive exhibition of Dolly’s life ever assembled, tracing the journey from a one-room Tennessee cabin to the top of American music. Among the treasures on display are her wedding dress and her last official recorded concert, moments the public had never been invited into before.
Visitors will also get to experience the museum through Dolly’s own words. Before her death, Parton filmed special segments designed to guide guests through the different chapters of her life, making the attraction feel more like a personal tour than a traditional museum. The experience begins with a recreation of the small cabin where she grew up in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains before moving through her rise to country music stardom, Hollywood success, and the creation of Dollywood. Her sister Rachel Parton George and niece Rebecca Seaver helped lead the museum’s design and curation, making the collection a family project as well as a celebration of her remarkable career.
A Place Built To Feel Like Her
The adjoining SongTeller Hotel holds 245 rooms and two venues, Jolene’s and Parton’s Live, created in partnership with Herschend Family Entertainment, the company behind Dollywood, according to Afar. The opening lands in a season of goodbyes, not long after her final, smiling public appearance.
The hotel offers more than a place to spend the night. At the top of every hour, one of Dolly’s songs plays through its Listening Lobby, while a special songwriting and journaling hour invites guests to try creating music of their own. The hotel’s two entertainment venues also spotlight Nashville talent. Jolene’s features rising singers and songwriters, while Parton’s Live hosts intimate performances and songwriting sessions. Dolly’s niece Jada Star is among the musicians featured in the programming, carrying the family’s musical traditions into the new attraction.
Dolly always said she would be there for her people. Turns out she meant forever.
