AOA Unveils Dolly's Life of Many Colors Museum in Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 8, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- AOA, an award-winning design, production, and project management studio, has unveiled the creation of Dolly's Life of Many Colors Museum, a comprehensive exhibition dedicated to the life and career of the legendary country music icon. The museum, located on the third floor of Dolly Parton's SongTeller Hotel, spans over 20,000 square feet and offers visitors an immersive journey through Dolly's life and achievements.

AOA, led by Chief Creative Executive and Co-Founder Tom Acomb, served as the sole creative and production partner for the museum. The project, which took two years to complete, involved translating more than 20 distinct themed environments into a cohesive and seamless experience. The museum's design and curation were overseen by Dolly's niece, Rebecca Seaver, and her sister, Rachel Parton George, ensuring that Dolly's story was told in her own voice.

The museum's exhibits are a blend of Dolly's artifacts, decades of archival media, and Dolly's autobiographical narration. These elements are woven together to create a performance that collaborates to tell Dolly's story. AOA's team was intentional in every aspect of the design, from the color palettes and textures to the fonts on signs and the background music. The museum's smallest details, such as a recreation of the Wishy Washy laundromat where Dolly met her late husband Carl Dean, are paired with animated retellings and her actual wedding dress on public display for the first time.

The project's greatest challenge was transforming the third floor of what was originally an office tower into a museum. AOA led the project across its full lifecycle, from concept design and development to architecture, interior design, graphic design, media design and production, mockups and prototypes, previsualization, scenic paint and fabrication, show set design, technical direction and integration, project management, and construction oversight. The team worked closely with trusted fabrication and technical partners to ensure that the museum's 20,000 square feet of space felt like a continuous walk-through experience.

Technological tools were also integrated into the museum to enhance the guest experience. AOA developed an original piece of technology that allows guests to experience Dolly on stage in a virtual performance. The performance is perspective-corrected and lit to match the room in real time, creating a seamless blend of the physical and digital spaces. The museum also features a centralized show-control system that synchronizes audio, video, lighting, and interactive media throughout the space. Additionally, a hands-free assistive-listening system offers personalized audio and multilingual captioning.

Dolly's Life of Many Colors Museum is part of a larger vision for Dolly Parton's SongTeller Hotel, a 240-room property created in partnership with Herschend, the world's largest family-held themed attractions company. The hotel, which opened in Nashville, is Dolly's love letter to the city and is designed to be a one-of-a-kind experience. The hotel's storytelling spirit extends beyond the museum and into the guest experience, with two on-site entertainment venues, Parton's Live and Jolene's, featuring live music performances, culinary creations, craft cocktails, and more.

AOA, with a track record of 400+ completed projects across six continents, specializes in immersive destinations, themed entertainment, and experiential storytelling. The studio's capabilities span all aspects of the project life cycle, from concept to design to project management to completion, creating memorable destinations that resonate with audiences around the globe. The museum offers its own dedicated entrance and features two distinctive and expansive retail stores offering official Dolly Parton merchandise and exclusive collections.