Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

This summer, I hung around Ohio a lot between house sits (link for a discount to do the same!), starting with Cedar Point in Sandusky. I then made a big circle around Ohio, and on my way through Cleveland, I stopped to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which is a total hoot! Chock full of rock music memorabilia, it’s far more than just a hall of fame wall.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame definitely has a unique layout. When you walk in and have your ticket scanned, the whole glass pyramid is an open atrium with crisscrossing escalators and full-sized cars, and other large-scale props hanging from the ceiling.

On this floor is a cafe, a stage with near back-to-back live entertainment, and a large gift shop. You end up back here when your tour is done. And if you’re worried about stairs or escalators (the main way to get around) there are also elevators and a dedicated plan to make sure the museum is accessible to all abilities.

Main Exhibit Hall

It’s Been Said All Along: Voices of Rage, Hope, and Empowerment

You start the tour down one floor in the main exhibit hall. Before entering the main space, there’s a small special exhibit on musical artists as the voice for social justice. It reminded me of visiting the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.

Roots of Rock

Then, the permanent exhibits walk you through the origins of rock and roll, from folk, blues, gospel, and more, with listening stations along the way. Then comes a big room for Elvis Presley, who combined these earlier influences into rock and roll as we know it.

There is case after case displaying rock in its various iterations over the years: Memphis to San Francisco, psychedelic rock to punk, to heavy metal. Clothes belonging to Etta James, Hank Williams, and Mavis Staples. Stevie Wonder’s sunglasses. Double-necked electric guitars and knee-high boots, and punky spikes. There is so much to look at!

Superbowl Special

A big exhibit in the middle of this floor showcases 55 years of halftime shows and how they’ve evolved into the spectacle they are now. Make sure to find the case with Left Shark.

Legends of Rock

Then you get into a section with some of the most interesting and prized items in the collection, like ZZ Top’s guitars, David Bowie’s stage costumes, and Michael Jackson’s bedazzled glove! (Which has a spotlight of its own and slowly revolves like a hand-shaped disco ball.)

Dresses for the Supremes, jackets belonging to Elton John and BB King, and handwritten lyrics for Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” can be found in this area. And that’s just the stuff I took pictures of and can remember. There is SO MUCH MORE! Your personal musical tastes may dictate what you really think is amazing.

Next, a corridor dedicated to hip-hop leads into a large room with one side dedicated to the Beatles and the other to the Rolling Stones. A video plays interviews and music from each Beatles’ albums as they light up on the wall. Awards and clothes and even John Lennon’s iconic round glasses are found in the cases.

Right Here, Right Now

There’s a theater chronicling American Bandstand through the years (and where you can sit down for a while.) Then you end with a section with more contemporary artists. There are outfits from Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Harry Styles, and Billie Eilish. One of Sia’s iconic wigs hangs out next to Taylor Swift’s rhinestone microphone. There’s also a circular room dedicated to more local artists.

The Garage

While the bottom floor comprises the bulk of the memorabilia collection, the other floors offer just as much (or more of the same, depending on how you look at it.) From the bottom floor, you can take an escalator up two floors to The Garage, the newly reopened live band experience.

Set up like a real garage, you can test your skills on various band instruments or participate in a jam session, aided by Garage staff employees. While there’s live entertainment on the stage by the cafe, having a full-out jam band going really adds to the overall energy of the museum.

Nearby, you can design and print your own band logo. You end up with two free stickers, one to keep and one to stick on one of the columns nearby, already wallpapered floor to ceiling with others’ designs.

Hall of Fame

Up on level 3 is the actual hall of fame, in a light-filled room with inductees etched in marble (I think), organized by year. On an inner wall are listening stations where you can call up any year, any inductee, and listen to their music. There’s also a small gallery featuring memorabilia for the current year’s inductees.

Also on this floor is the Power of Rock theater experience, a 15-minute show with lights and “show effects.” It’s really just several clips from induction ceremonies edited together with some moving screens and a light show designed to make you feel like you’re really there. It’s fun, but it’s not like a 4D theater or anything. I thought there’d be a bit more rumble in the seats or smoke effects and lasers, but no. Still, it’s only 15 minutes long and worth experiencing!

Pink Floyd’s The Wall

The fourth floor is a partial platform open to the rest of the atrium. Behind a heavily stylized wall and several creepy figures is a lounge and bar where you can relax for a bit.

Legends of Rock, continued

Up on levels 5 & 6 are more cases featuring Tina Turner, Cher, Stevie Nicks, Bon Jovi, Bob Dylan, Whitney Houston, the Grateful Dead, and more. It’s like they had so much stuff, they started stuffing it into the attic. Up in a little tower are four alternating videos that discuss some of the gear used in rock shows. I don’t seem to have any pictures of this area – I think it was just too crowded.

Gift Shop

You exit the top floors via a staircase that feels like you’ve totally gone off-road – the official path gets confusing in the upper floors. But if you walk down this staircase, you’ll end up in the expansive gift shop on the first floor.

Every band tee or poster you could want is here, plus other clothes, jewelry, postcards, stickers, and more. And it’s really nice quality too. There’s even a special curtained room in the back where the really expensive memorabilia is. You can get to the shop without buying a ticket and can order online as well.

Tickets

Adult tickets for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are $30 or $20 for kids 6-12. There are discounts for local residents, first responders, active and retired military, and college students. Tickets in each of these categories are $25 each. I don’t think you can buy tickets at the entrance. You must purchase ahead of time online. You’ll get a ticket emailed to you, and they scan your phone or printed ticket when you arrive.

You can also become a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with unlimited visits. Prices range from $50 for one person (“Rocker” level) to the $25,000 (“Icon”) level for admission for two plus two guests per visit and entry into the donor’s circle. (Though you can also get admission for two plus two guests, or two plus all the kids under 18 in the household, at the $140 “Roller” level.)

Hours and Special Events

Hours in the fall are 10 am – 5 pm and until 9 pm on Thursdays. There are special events all the dang time, live concerts, panel discussions, there’s even a yoga experience coming up this month. Some are virtual; some are even free. Check the website for up-to-date details.

Parking

While the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is in downtown Cleveland, it’s separated from the rest of downtown by the highway and almost on the banks of Lake Erie and the Cleveland Harbor. The whole area is touristy, with a science museum and football stadium next door. There’s loads of parking garages around the stadium and the science museum – the closest garage parking is at the science museum. I actually found street parking on 9th street, right at the entrance to the Rock Hall. There’s a line of street parking along there going back to a dock, which also has paid parking, I believe.

Overall, it’s a fantastic place to visit if you even have a passing interest in music and rock and roll, and even if you’re just passing through town, like me. There’s so much here from so many artists, there will surely be something that sparks your interest.