PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (WJHL) — After three years of dreaming, the Dolly Parton Experience will be open to the public Friday. The $13 million immersive experience is three times the size of the former Chasing Rainbows Museum.
From life in Locust Ridge to the bus to Nashville to Hollywood and the international stage, you can walk through Dolly’s life as if you’re on the journey with her. “She plays a big influence in how we go about telling her story, but to see her emotionally connect with what we’ve done to honor her and her legacy and her story of her life from beginning to end is probably one of the top career moments for me in my entire 40-year history,” said Eugene Naughton, the President of the Dollywood Company. The tour bus is still on site but there is an all-new show and exclusive fan shop.
But perhaps one of the most anticipated parts is Behind the Seams, telling Dolly’s life through her rhinestoned costumes. “Choosing is like picking your favorite kid. I love all of the pretty, sparkly garments.
I pick my favorite colors first usually, but I wanted to make sure that we had all eras of Dolly,” said Rebecca Seaver, the Director of Museum and Archive Services. “I hope people feel close to her. I hope they know that she loves her fans and that she wants them to be close to her in this way and that she saved it all for them.
And so I hope that they walk away knowing that they’re loved by their queen.” Seaver is also Dolly’s niece. She said this p.
