Your Trip to Memphis: The Complete Guide SEE FULL GUIDE prev next Live Music Venues Memphis Music Festivals Southern Food in Memphis Best Restaurants in Memphis Beale Street Nightlife Top Memphis Breweries The Best Time to Visit Memphis Memphis International Airport Guide Hotels in Memphis Neighborhoods to Know Public Transportation Day Trips From Memphis The Best Memphis Tours Top Things to Do Free Things to Do Things to Do With Kids State Parks Near Memphis The Best Memphis Parks Museums in Memphis Your Trip to Memphis: The Complete Guide close Overview United States Tennessee The 10 Best Museums to Visit in Memphis By Alyson Krueger Alyson Krueger Alyson Krueger is a freelance journalist based in New York City. She writes regularly about the city and her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 11/09/19 Memphis has a collection of world-class museums. No matter what brings you to the city, you'll have a museum to fit your interest. Maybe you're in town to take in the famous music scene? Don't miss Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley, or the Rock 'n' Soul Museum. If you're a lover of the outdoors, the Dixon Gallery & Gardens is the right place for you. The entire family will learn a lot at every institution and have a great time too. 01 of 10 Graceland TripSavvy / Taylor McIntyre View Map Address Memphis, TN 38116, USA Get directions Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley, is the second most visited home in the United States. Only the White House gets more guests. You can walk in the footsteps of The King, seeing where he slept, watched television, and ate his famous fried peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches. His gold jumpsuits, pink Cadillac, records, and private airplane are all on display. Ticket prices vary. See the choices at Graceland's official website. 02 of 10 National Civil Rights Museum TripSavvy / Taylor McIntyre View Map Address 450 Mulberry St, Memphis, TN 38103-4214, USA Get directions Phone +1 901-521-9699 Web Visit website On April 4, 1968 Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated while staying at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. Now the site is a museum that tells the story of America's struggle for civil rights from the 17th century to the present. The museum is interactive and gripping for both children and adults. You will board a segregated bus, stage a diner sit-in, and hear stories from protestors and leaders. 03 of 10 National Mississippi River Museum View Map Address 350 E 3rd St, Dubuque, IA 52001, USA Get directions Phone +1 563-557-9545 Web Visit website The Mississippi River is one of the most important bodies of water in the United States. And this museum, located on a peninsula in the river, teaches you all about it. There are 18 galleries that take you through the river's 10,000 years of history. You'll meet the people who settled on the river or braved its strong currents to deliver goods. There are five galleries dedicated to the Civil War; don't miss the gunboat reproduction. The highlight of the museum is a scale model of the river—1,000 miles of it—that you can walk along outside. The museum is seasonal so check the website to see if it's open when you're in town. 04 of 10 Pink Palace Museum TripSavvy / Ivey Redding View Map Address 3050 Central Ave, Memphis, TN 38111, USA Get directions Phone +1 901-636-2362 Web Visit website The Pink Palace Museum has something for everybody. History buffs will love the ancient fossils and dinosaurs. Science lovers will cherish the planetarium that takes visitors into outer space. If you're into architecture, don't miss the newly renovated mansion. The building was the home of Clarence Saunders, the Founder of Piggly Wiggly, and made of pink Georgian marble. Ticket prices vary depending on which activities you want to do. The museum is free on Tuesday until 1 p.m. (not including the planetarium or theater.) Get more information on the museum's website. Continue to 5 of 10 below. 05 of 10 Rock 'n' Soul Museum Mike Brown / Stringer/Getty Images View Map Address Just South of Beale at FedExForum, 191 Beale St, Memphis, TN 38103-3715, USA Get directions Phone +1 901-205-2533 Web Visit website It's only fitting that the birthplace of rock 'n' roll has an institution dedicated to the music. This Smithsonian museum tells the story of the musical geniuses who changed the world by creating uplifting, get-off-your-chair tunes. And it wasn't always easy. You'll learn how cotton pickers sang while they worked and how Black performers broke through segregation to get their music to wider audiences. The museum is located on Beale Street, so after you learn all about rock 'n' roll, you can head into a bar and hear some live. 06 of 10 The Children's Museum of Memphis TripSavvy / Ivey Redding View Map Address 2525 Central Ave, Memphis, TN 38104-5926, USA Get directions Phone +1 901-458-2678 Web Visit website The Children's Museum of Memphis is the ultimate play space for imaginative children. Some exhibits prepare them for the future, like a grocery store, a bank, and a garage where they can practice the activities they will be doing as an adult. There is a FedEx plane where they can climb inside and see how packages get delivered. There are rides, dance floors, a train, a light bright, and multiple other places for them to play all day. Don't miss the Grand Carousel—this 1909 carousel has been restored and offers a magical adventure for the entire family. 07 of 10 Metal Museum Courtesy of Metal Museum View Map Address 374 Metal Museum Dr, Memphis, TN 38106-1514, USA Get directions Phone +1 901-774-6380 Web Visit website Culture Vultures 4.2 The Memphis Metal Museum is no ordinary art museum; Everything in it, from the jewelry to the benches, is made of metal. Families will love learning how metal is extracted from the earth and turned into all kinds of useful tools for humans. You can walk around the grounds and see elaborate artwork and sculpture. The 3.2 acres of land has excellent views of the neighboring Mississippi River and downtown Memphis. Those wishing to learn more can enroll in one of the many classes or gallery talks on offer. See the schedule on the museum's website. 08 of 10 Memphis Brooks Museum of Art TripSavvy / Ivey Redding View Map Address 1934 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN 38104-2765, USA Get directions Phone +1 901-544-6200 Web Visit website The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is not just the oldest art museum in the state of Tennessee; it's also the largest. The museum constantly has rotating exhibits that challenge your mind and make you re-think what art is. One month you might be browsing paper murals; the next ancient China collections. Check out the events schedule before your visit. The museum hosts numerous panels, films, children events, wine events, and more. Continue to 9 of 10 below. 09 of 10 Dixon Gallery & Gardens Dixon Gallery and Gardens View Map Address 4339 Park Ave, Memphis, TN 38117-4626, USA Get directions Phone +1 901-761-5250 Web Visit website This art museum would be enough on its own. Its permanent collection includes over 2,000 pieces of art including rare Impressionist masterpieces. But this institution also has 17 acres of land full of blooming flowers, sculptures, bridges, fountains, and more. The museum is also famous for its special events and family friendly activities. Your little one can even turn into a mini master. 10 of 10 Stax Museum of American Soul Music Raymond Boyd / Contributor/Getty Images View Map Address 926 E McLemore Ave, Memphis, TN 38126, USA Get directions Phone +1 901-261-6338 Web Visit website In the 1960s Stax Records produced the greatest number of gospel, funk, and blues recordings. The company is credited with creating the music genres. Now, its former headquarters is the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Tour a Mississippi Delta Church where gospel music started. Browse historic recording equipment. Even listen to never before released records and dance to them in the dance hall. 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