BRISTOL, TN-VA – VMFA on the Road provides visitors the opportunity to see and experience authentic works of art from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
This state-of-the-art experience is an Artmobile for the 21st century. By way of VMFA’s Statewide Partners program, which includes 1,000 community centers, small museums, colleges, and universities, VMFA on the Road brings enriching art experiences to thousands—literally meeting people where they are. This state-of-the-art mobile museum and education studio will be at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum and open to school groups, drop-in visitors, and Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion festivalgoers for several days in September.
Brought to you from the collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Artmobile’s exhibit Virginia as America: Navigating Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness explores the American ideal that was first expressed in the Declaration of Independence. Fourteen works of art—paintings, prints, and decorative objects—provide an alternative lens by which to understand our past, encouraging us to consider the hopes and challenges of those founding principles and their persistent relevance for realizing a “more perfect union.”
This VMFA exhibition is in recognition of VA250, the Commonwealth of Virginia’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Revolutionary War, and the Independence of the United States.
A Family Visit Guide is available online, and paper copies will be available at the Artmobile for visitors to use and take with them.
Visit Information:
School groups have an opportunity to visit the Artmobile on Wednesday, September 9 and Thursday, September 10, 2026 at no cost. The VMFA on the Road Artmobile will be open to middle school, high school, and college groups at this time.
Several time slots are available for school group visits, and schools can book multiple/consecutive time slots if needed. Educators can pick from a variety of learning activities for their student visit.
A tour of the Artmobile is designed to be a 30-minute experience. An optimum visit has 10–12 students (with one adult); larger groups will be divided into groups of 20 (with two adults). Teachers can also add a guided tour of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum’s special exhibit Charles Vess: The Book of Ballads (also a 30-minute experience) to your visit to the Artmobile at no cost. This exhibit is a wonderful companion to the Artmobile experience, giving students and teachers the chance to learn about regional artist and illustrator Charles Vess and explore his beautiful fantasy-style artwork inspired by Appalachian ballads.
For further information about a VMFA on the Road Artmobile experience for students and to book a tour, please contact Tobias Gosfield at Tours@BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org. All bookings must be made by September 2, 2026.
Drop-in visitors are welcome on Wednesday, September 9 and Thursday, September 10 when the Artmobile is not booked for students; visitors should check the schedule online. Drop-in visitors are also welcome Friday, September 11 to Sunday, September 13 during Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion. The Artmobile will be just outside Bristol Rhythm festival gates, and is free and open to the public. The Birthplace of Country Music would like to remind the public to please remember entry into the festival footprint requires a 2026 wristband.
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