With summer rapidly approaching, now is the time to start planning your summer fun and getaways! Why not incorporate a trip to the museum into your plans.

    A trip to the Music Museum can be one of the best weekend getaways or one-day staycation depending on the proximity. Surprise your partner or spouse with a romantic visit to one of the many iconic music museums across the United States. Additionally, visiting a  music museum can be a very cool start to kicking off your summer fun and an inexpensive way to open up the summer.  Therefore, if you want a touch of fun, adventure and to rekindle your love life, why not plan a daytime date to one of  5 BackBeat R&B’s Music Museum picks. So put one of these or all 5 on your bucket list.

1. MOTOWN MUSEUM– Step back in time and learn how a small studio in the US created some of the world’s greatest music.  Located in Detroit, MI, and home to the world’s famous music label and icon, Motown Records. This former home of Berry Gordy Jr. promoted such legendary artist as The Jackson 5, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, The Miracles, Stevie Wonder and many more. The Motown Museum was established by Berry Gordy’s sister Esther in 1985, where tourist can visit studio A to relive the recording days of their favorite artists or group. So, plan a trip to Hitsville USA and get a glimpse of how one man’s dream became his reality to a lot of famous musicians.   https://www.motownmuseum.org/

   2. STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC-  1957 was the start of something big for Jim Stewart founder of Satellite Records.  A Banker by day and a Fiddler by night he knew he could make it as a musician. He had no experience in the record producing industry and in 1957 he cut his first record called “Blue Roses”, a country song with low production quality. So, he decided he needed money to get better quality to purchase equipment. In 1960, his sister Estelle refinanced her house to fund the studio’s move from Brunswick, Tenn. to a former movie theatre on McLemore Ave. in Memphis. The company was renamed Stax, a combination of the first two letters of Stewart and Axton’s last names. Where great music was made check it out!   http://staxmuseum.com/museum/

   3.  The National Jazz Museum in Harlem– “The National Jazz Museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate, its’ also a thriving center for jazz that stimulates hearts, minds and reaches out to diverse audiences who enjoy this quintessential American music. The Museum was founded in 1997 by Leonard Garment, Counsel to two U.S. Presidents, and an accomplished jazz saxophonist. Abraham D. Sofaer, a former U.S. District Judge gave the initial gift in honor of his brother-in-law Richard J. Scheuer, Jr., and matching funds from the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone”. For more info click the link:   http://jazzmuseuminharlem.org/about-us/who-we-are/   

   

4. American Jazz Museum in St. Louis Mo- The American Jazz Museum exhibits jazz through interactive displays and visual arts exhibition in their Art Gallery, Photography Gallery, the Blue Room Jazz Club, and the Gem Theater performing arts center. Experience the free Blue Jam Festival on Mondays or the Free Indigo Hour featuring Delynia Jannell and many other weekly artists during the month of May. The great thing about this museum is affordability, especially for the music couple who is retired and on a fixed income.     https://americanjazzmuseum.org/   

5. The Recording Academy Grammy Museum L.A Live-  Explore and celebrate the legacy of all forms of music at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles.  Analyze the art and technology of the recording process and the history of the Grammy Awards. There are many exhibits showcasing historic musical artifacts as shown in the Columbia Records 360 exhibit. Check out the costume exhibits worn by Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez and Kayne West.   click link: https://www.grammymuseum.org/

The music museums are a must-see for lovers of R&B, Jazz, and the Blues, so fine-tune your sense of music history and start your summer off with right with a great staycation.