Tourism in Memphis, Tennessee facts for kids
Memphis, Tennessee, is a city full of exciting places to explore! You can visit museums, art galleries, and cool parks. It's also home to Graceland, the famous house of Elvis Presley, and the lively Beale Street entertainment area. Plus, there are many fun sporting events to enjoy.
Memphis has some amazing art museums. The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, started in 1916, is the oldest and biggest art museum in Tennessee. Another museum, the Dixon Gallery and Gardens, focuses on a style of art called impressionism. Downtown, you can find the Peabody Place Museum, which has a huge collection of Chinese art from the 1800s.
Graceland, the former home of Rock 'n' Roll legend Elvis Presley, is one of the most visited houses in the United States. Over 600,000 people from all over the world visit it every year!
Contents
- Discover Memphis Art Collections
- Exciting Museums in Memphis
- Fun at the Children's Museum of Memphis
- Learn About Cotton at The Cotton Museum
- Explore Graceland: Elvis Presley's Home
- Understand History at the National Civil Rights Museum
- Discover Metal Art at the National Ornamental Metal Museum
- Journey Through Science at the Pink Palace Museum
- Groove at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music
- Hear Music History at Sun Studio
- Experience Music at the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum
- Other Cool Museums
- Other Fun Attractions
- Enjoy the Music on Beale Street
- Discover Southern Culture at the Center for Southern Folklore
- See How Guitars Are Made at Gibson Guitar Factory
- Explore Memphis Arts with Live From Memphis
- Walk Among Stars on the Memphis Walk of Fame
- Meet Animals at the Memphis Zoo
- Explore Mud Island River Park
- Step Back in Time at Victorian Village
- Other Fun Places to Visit
- Parks, Gardens, and Cemeteries
- Amazing Performing Arts in Memphis
Discover Memphis Art Collections
Explore Art at the University of Memphis
The Art Museum at the University of Memphis has the largest collection of ancient Egyptian items in the Southern United States. It's like stepping back in time to see artifacts from thousands of years ago!
Visit the Brooks Museum of Art
The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is the oldest and largest fine art museum in Tennessee. It has a wide range of art, from old Italian paintings to French Impressionists and modern artists. You can see art from different times and places! This museum is located in Overton Park, which also has the Memphis Zoo and the Overton Shell Auditorium.
Wander Through Dixon Gallery and Gardens
The Dixon Gallery and Gardens is a smaller art museum that focuses on impressionism. It features beautiful paintings by famous artists like Monet, Degas, and Renoir. Outside, you can explore four lovely gardens with Greco-Roman sculptures.
See Chinese Art at Peabody Place Museum
Downtown Memphis is home to the Peabody Place Museum. It holds the largest collection of 19th-century Chinese art in the entire country. You can see amazing artworks from a different culture and time period.
Exciting Museums in Memphis
Fun at the Children's Museum of Memphis
The Children's Museum of Memphis is a fantastic place for kids to learn and play. It has many hands-on activities. You can explore a skyscraper maze, sit in a real airplane cockpit, or even pretend to work in a grocery store!
Learn About Cotton at The Cotton Museum
The Cotton Museum opened in 2006 in a historic building where cotton used to be traded. This museum tells the story of the cotton industry and how it shaped the daily life, art, and growth of the Memphis area. You'll learn how cotton goes from a plant to the fabric we wear! It's a great place to understand Memphis's history.
Explore Graceland: Elvis Presley's Home
The Graceland property is a huge attraction! It includes the famous Graceland Mansion, Elvis Presley's Memphis entertainment complex, and The Guest House at Graceland hotel.
The Graceland Mansion was the home of Rock 'n' Roll legend Elvis Presley. It's the second most visited house in the United States, after the White House. Over 650,000 people visit it each year! You can see where Elvis lived and even visit the Meditation Garden, where he and his family are buried.
Across the street, you'll find Elvis Presley's Memphis. This big complex has two of Elvis's private airplanes, his amazing collection of automobiles and motorcycles, and lots of other Elvis items. There are also shops and restaurants where you can grab a bite to eat.
If you want to stay close, The Guest House at Graceland is a new hotel right near the mansion. It has restaurants, meeting spaces, and a theater for shows. Graceland also hosts special events throughout the year, like Christmas lighting, Elvis's birthday celebration, and Elvis Week in August.
Understand History at the National Civil Rights Museum
The National Civil Rights Museum is a very important museum. It's located at the former Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr. was shot. The museum shows the history of the American civil rights movement, from the end of slavery to more recent efforts for equal rights. Every year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a parade and celebration take place outside the museum.
Discover Metal Art at the National Ornamental Metal Museum
The National Ornamental Metal Museum is the only museum in North America dedicated to beautiful metalwork. It's located on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. You can see historic buildings, a working blacksmith shop, and a sculpture garden. Every October, they host a "Repair Days Weekend" where you can watch skilled metal artists fix broken metal items.
Journey Through Science at the Pink Palace Museum
The Pink Palace Museum and Planetarium is Memphis's main science and history museum. It has exhibits on everything from ancient history to chemistry. It also features one of America's largest planetariums and an IMAX Theatre for amazing movies.
The Pink Palace also tells stories about Memphis history. One cool exhibit is a replica of the first Piggly Wiggly store. This was the very first self-service grocery store, invented by a Memphian named Clarence Saunders in 1916!
Groove at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music
The Stax Museum of American Soul Music celebrates the city's musical heritage. It has a huge collection of items, photos, and exhibits about soul music. You'll learn about the famous Stax Sound and other great music styles.
Hear Music History at Sun Studio
Sun Studio is a legendary place where many famous musicians got their start. Elvis Presley recorded his first songs here! Other stars like Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins also began their careers at Sun Studio.
Experience Music at the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum
The Memphis Rock N' Soul Museum tells the amazing story of the musicians who created music that changed the world. It shows how these pioneers overcame challenges to make music that blended different cultures and sounds.
Other Cool Museums
Other museums in Memphis include the Fire Museum of Memphis and the Memphis Railroad & Trolley Museum.
Other Fun Attractions
Enjoy the Music on Beale Street
If you love Blues music, you have to visit Beale Street! This is where a young B.B. King used to play his guitar. Today, you can still hear street performers playing live music, and bars and clubs feature live entertainment all day and night.
Discover Southern Culture at the Center for Southern Folklore
The Center for Southern Folklore celebrates artists and musicians from the Southern United States. They host public performances and exhibitions. The Center also organizes the Memphis Music and Heritage Festival every Labor Day weekend.
See How Guitars Are Made at Gibson Guitar Factory
At the Gibson Guitar Factory & Showcase, you can see how famous Gibson guitars are made. You'll learn about the detailed process and can even listen to live music showcases. Many famous musicians, like B. B. King and Chuck Berry, played Gibson guitars.
Explore Memphis Arts with Live From Memphis
Live From Memphis highlights local artists, musicians, and filmmakers. They host various public events and have an online collection of Memphis art. They also organize the Music Video Showcase and the Li'l Film Fest.
Walk Among Stars on the Memphis Walk of Fame
The Memphis Walk of Fame is a public display on Beale Street. It's like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but it's just for Memphis musicians, singers, writers, and composers. You can find stars for legends like W. C. Handy and B. B. King.
Meet Animals at the Memphis Zoo
The Memphis Zoo is located in midtown Memphis and has many animals from all over the world. You can see mammals, birds, fish, and amphibians. Popular exhibits include the Northwest Passage, with amazing polar bears, and the zoo's panda exhibit, which is one of only a few in North America.
Explore Mud Island River Park
The Mud Island River Park is on Mud Island in downtown Memphis. It's famous for its River Walk, which is a miniature model of 1,000 miles of the Lower Mississippi River! You can walk along the model, seeing tiny cities and bridges. The park also has the Mississippi River Museum, with 18 galleries about regional history, including a life-size replica of a civil war era riverboat.
Step Back in Time at Victorian Village
Victorian Village is a historic area in Memphis with beautiful Victorian-era mansions. Some of these old homes are open to the public as museums, letting you see how people lived long ago.
Other Fun Places to Visit
The Memphis Pyramid re-opened in 2015 as the Bass Pro Shop Pyramid. It's more than just a store! It has a bowling alley, an archery range, restaurants, and a 100-room hotel called Big Cypress Lodge. It's a unique and fun place to visit in downtown Memphis. You can also enjoy Memphis Queen riverboat cruises on the Mississippi River.
Parks, Gardens, and Cemeteries
Memphis has many beautiful parks. Some major ones include W.C. Handy Park, Riverfront Park, Tom Lee Park, Audubon Park, and Overton Park, which has the Old Forest Arboretum of Overton Park. The Lichterman Nature Center is a great place to learn about nature, and the Memphis Botanic Garden is full of lovely plants. Shelby Farms park, on the eastern edge of the city, is one of the largest urban parks in America!
You can also visit historic cemeteries like Historic Elmwood Cemetery, which is one of the first garden cemeteries in the South.
Amazing Performing Arts in Memphis
Memphis is home to many large performing arts groups. The Memphis Symphony Orchestra performs at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts downtown.
Ballet Memphis is the region's only professional ballet company. They perform at the Orpheum Theatre. Opera Memphis performs at the Clark Opera Memphis Center.
Other major theaters in the city include Playhouse on the Square, Circuit Playhouse, Theatre Memphis, and Theatre Works. You can also find information about comedy and improv shows from The Memphis Comedy & Improv Alliance.
