A new US$47.5m (£30m, EUR34m) national attraction examining the heritage of African American music is being planned for Nashville, US, with a proposed opening date of 2013.

The National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) is to focus on the impact of African Americans on contemporary music in the US, with roots in around 50 genres. It had been proposed that the attraction would also cover art and culture under the banner of the Museum of African American Art, Music and Culture, but its focus has been redefined.

NMAAM will provide 16,000sq ft (1,486sq m) of floorspace for temporary and permanent exhibits; a 215-seat performance hall; a reading room; and community classrooms. Other planned features include a 64ft (19.5m) Tower of Impact to symbolise the National Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as a museum shop and boutique café.

NMAAM executive director Paul Roberts said: "NMAAM will encompass musical distinctions that reinforce the impact of African Americans across the country and around the world." Details: www.nmaam.com