Why The Newest Dollywood Attraction Makes Dolly Parton “So Emotional”

The Dolly Parton Experience at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is now open, and Parton herself can’t seem to believe how good the “digital museum” turned out. 

The multimedia exhibits showcase the legend’s iconic costumes, hairstyles, her life on the road, and so much more. 

“It tells my story, from my childhood all the way through my career... all the people that I've worked with,” Parton said in a recent interview with CBS Mornings. “You go through everything from my family... the clothes, the hair, the story…” 

The Tennessee native told Anthony Mason that she had the idea of the experience for years, but witnessing the finished product touched her in a way she didn’t expect. 

"You know how they say sometimes that when you start to die, your whole life flashes before you?" Parton said. "Well, it about killed me going through there 'cause I got so emotional."

Visitors can engage interactively by "Dressing Dolly," choosing Parton's wardrobe and selecting a guitar for her. 

"I dress her every day," Parton laughed as she took Mason on a tour of the exhibit.

The 78 year old consulted her extensive personal archives to help design the project. It includes videos of backstage moments and other rarely seen footage.

“It stirs a lot of emotion in me,” Parton told Knox News when the experience opened in May. “I've lived it and I've done it, but it just brings back a lot of memories to me.”