Nashville has long been known for its music scene, but there is so much more to this southern mecca of culture. The creative community is booming and talented artists have painted the town colorful with beautiful street art. A trip to Music City isn’t complete without checking out the amazing Nashville murals scattered around the city.
When we travel, our favorite thing to do is get lost exploring. We aren’t big on touristy areas because off the beaten path is where you really find the heart and soul of a town. To find the best places, you have to ask the locals for directions, drive down some alleys, get lost a few times, and do the occasional u-turn in the middle of the road. (No? Just us then). Tracking down local street art is a fun way to see an entire city in a day.
We recently spent a weekend in Music City and spent one day hitting as many Nashville murals as possible. The pictures we snapped as we criss-crossed the city are some of my favorite souvenirs from the weekend. This is a collection of our 12 favorites, organized by neighborhood. I included a map at the bottom of the post with all the murals marked, so you can find your way to them all (without the u-turns).
EAST NASHVILLE MURALS
Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton is one of my favorite artists…well, to be honest…she is one of my favorite humans. I basically want to be her when I grow up. She is the perfect package of talent, sass, heart, and fabulous hair. So, when we found out that local artist Kim Radford had recently painted this gorgeous tribute to Queen Dolly outside the 5 Spot in East Nashville, it went to the very top of our “Must See” list and the pics didn’t disappoint.
Where to Find It: 1006 Forrest Ave
GERMANTOWN MURALS
You Do You
This one took a little bit of searching to find. It is located in a narrowish alley behind Peyton Steaks. But, I love the sentiment, so we were determined to find it! Just take care when setting up your shot. The mural is across the street from a parking garage entrance, so keep an eye out for cars.
Where to Find It: 1401 3rd Ave North
Kindness Is…
Our world can use a little more kindness and I love that this one lets you fill in your own definition of kindness. The colors are so bright and fun, they photograph beautifully. Visit early or mid-day to avoid harsh shadows across the artwork. We stopped right after brunch and the lighting was getting harsh.
Where to Find it: 1120 4th Ave North
Harmony
We had not been looking for this mural, but I am so glad we found it. Or maybe it found us. Harmony is on the same wall as Kindness Is… (You can see they share the same green background.) We stopped the car to get pics in front of the Kindness mural, but this one stopped us in our tracks.
Easily one of the most striking murals in Nashville – Harmony – was painted by Ty Christian to celebrate “the power of love, unity, and equality”. Christian’s work is actually available in prints. Order this one at his website.
Where to Find it: 1120 4th Ave North
Love Heals Every Body
If Harmony is one of Nashville’s most striking murals, Love Heals is undoubtedly one of the most poignant. Located on the side of Thistle Farms, a non-profit dedicated to helping survivors of prostitution, trafficking, and addiction to build new lives, the message runs deep.
Where to Find It: 5122 Charlotte Pike (on the side of Thistle Farms)
THE GULCH MURALS
What Lifts You…Wings
Possibly one of Nashville’s most recognizable murals is What Lifts You – Wings by renowned artist Kelsey Montague. Located just down from Milk & Honey, be prepared to stand in line to get the perfect shot. Yep, its that popular.
Where to Find It: 302 11th Ave South
Nashville Walls Project Colorful
Big, bright, colorful, and perfect for Instagram worthy shots, this mural is in the parking lot directly across from Milk & Honey. So, snap some pics and then head to one of the best brunch spots in Nashville.
Where to Find It: 214 11th Ave South
TWELVE SOUTH MURALS
Draper James Stripes
Nashville’s 12 South neighborhood is home to the flagship location of Reece Witherspoon’s shop, Draper James. This boutique is full of southern goodness and easily my favorite stop on our shopping trip.
But the girls couldn’t get enough of the bold blue and white striped wall outside. We came back a second time for even more pics!
Where to Find It: 2702 12th Ave South
I Believe In Nashville
There are two of these iconic murals that embody the spirit of Nashville rising after the tragic tornadoes of 2019 and the economic hit COVID delivered to the hospitality industry in 2020. This one is right across the street from Draper James.
Where to Find It: 2702 12th Ave South
Lego Man
This little guy is so cute! Even our boys wanted pics with him. Nashville artist, Chris Tidwell signs all of his artwork Forbecks and has scattered his lego men throughout the city in hopes of reminding people to play well together. I love the sentiment, and even the boys couldn’t resist a pic with their favorite childhood toy.
Where to Find It: Near White Bison Coffee
Looking Pretty In Music City
This colorful mural is just outside the Madewell store and the sherbet color palette just makes you happy. It is super long, so it is perfect for multiple interesting pics.
Where to Find It: 2705 12th Ave South (corner of 12th Ave & Dallas Ave on the side of Madewell)
DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE MURALS
Legends Corner
No trip to Nashville would be complete without a visit to Broadway and the Legends Corner mural is located on the side of the saloon by the same name. The historical Ryman Auditorium sits just behind Legends Corner, so don’t miss a visit to the home to the Grand Ole Opry.
We were there right after they painted over Taylor Swift with Brad Paisley and some fans were still not happy! On the far end was a sketch for a new artist to be added. If you visit, let us know who they put by Dolly!
Where to Find It: 428 Broadway (On Legends Corner and next to Ryman)
