ReZoom

A summer road trip in search of historic sites and museums is as American as rock ‘n' roll. So why not combine the two for a tour of some of America's finest music museums?

From high-tech architectural wonders to funky little hands-on shrines, here are some places where the past not only comes alive, but it rocks.

The first two on the list, Cleveland's Rock Hall of Fame and the Experience Music Project in Seattle are obvious. But down in Tennessee and Mississippi, a batch of the best museums are within a day's drive on Tennessee's Music Highway (I-40) and down the Delta blues' main artery, Highway 61.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
1 Key Plaza, 715 Erieside Ave., Cleveland
216-781-7625
Carl Perkins' big-bodied, blonde Gibson Switchmaster guitar, Duane Allman's sunburst Les Paul, John Lennon's eyeglasses and handwritten manuscripts from a host of rock gods are all part of this massive, I.M. Pei-designed repository of music memorabilia on the shores of Lake Erie. Sun Records founder Sam Phillips, the man who discovered Elvis and Howling Wolf, wept openly when he first saw the recreation of his first Memphis studio at the Rock Hall. Interactive exhibits, documentary films and live shows make for complete rock experience. The first really big, really serious music museum covers a huge part of American popular music, from early Delta Blues to hillbilly music, early R&B and right up to Van's Warped Tour.
Museum Admission: $20. Consecutive two-day passes: $30, $21 for seniors, $20 for children.

Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame
Seattle Center 325 Fifth Ave. N., Seattle
206-367-5483
The Pacific Northwest is not known as a cradle of American music, but in recent years it's become a destination for rock fans heading to the Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame. Named for Seattle icon Jimi Hendrix's band, the Frank Gehry-designed facility offers a full array of interactive exhibits, workshops, lessons and more. It's the dream-come-true for founder and Seattle native Paul Allen, one of Bill Gates' original Microsoft partners (and sixth richest man on earth.) With the EMP, Allen puts his software billions where his heart is, creating a state-of-the-art music and sci-fi museum. Being in the Pacific Northwest, EMP is a good alternative to the Cleveland facility for anyone west of the Rockies.
Museum Admission: $15.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
222 Fifth Ave. S., Nashville
615-416-2001
From Elvis' Cadillac to Hank Williams' Martin guitar and bluegrass founder Bill Monroe's 1923 Gibson F5 (the most valuable mandolin in the world), the Country Music Hall of Fame is a complete portrait of country music. From its deep roots in the British Isles and the Appalachian mountains to today's biggest country-pop stars, it's all here. There's a definite Nashville/Grand Ole Opry slant, but the branches spread wide. If the Grand Ole Opry is the Mother Church of Country Music, then the Country Music Hall of Fame is the Vatican, a repository of sacred relics.
Museum Admission: $17.95, $16.95 for seniors; One-year membership: $25.

The Stax Museum of American Soul Music and Stax Music Academy
726 E. McLemore Ave., Memphis
901-946-2535
Stax was the Memphis Sound in the '60s: Booker T. & the MGs, the Memphis Horns, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Wilson Pickett, Carla and Rufus Thomas and Isaac Hayes. A lovingly recreated replica of the original building, the museum includes priceless instruments like Booker T's Hammond organ and Donald "Duck" Dunn's Fender bass, along with museum centerpieces like Isaac Hayes' 1972 Caddy, bought for $26,000. The facility also houses Stax Music Academy, an educational facility for inner-city kids. Stax celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2007, with concerts and special events, making it a good time to make the trip.
Museum Admission: $10 adults, $9 for seniors.

Sun Studio
706 Union Ave., Memphis
901-521-0664
If you're looking for Elvis, Graceland has the glitz, but Sun has the soul. In this unimpressive storefront east of downtown, Sam Phillips ran Memphis Recording Service, working first with the cream of Memphis blues and R&B singers and then a new generation of white kids trying to play that music their own way. With Elvis leading the pack, they created a revolution that's not over yet. If you want to stand where rock ‘n' roll was born, this is the spot. This is sacred ground where the music, not just the myth, was actually made.
Museum Admission: $10.

The Delta Blues Museum
Third Street, Clarksdale, Miss.
662-627-6920
Southbound from Memphis about 80 miles on Highway 61, the legendary blues highway deposits you into "the Birthplace of American Music" in Mississippi. And in the heart of the Mississippi Delta is the epicenter of the blues: Clarksdale. The Delta Blues Museum retells the history of the blues in a low-key, authentic manner that includes exhibits of atmospheric, award-winning photos. Clarksdale is undergoing a blues renaissance with new restaurants and nightclubs, including Morgan Freeman's appropriately named Ground Zero juke joint. (The Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival is Aug. 10 – 12.) Across the bridge in Helena, the Arkansas Heritage and Blues Festival is Oct. 4. 6.) Museum Admission: $6, $3 for children.

Larry Nager