As the museum/park series comes to a close this week, we’ll turn our focus to downtown for a look at three must-see museums.


National Civil Rights Museum - 450 Mulberry Street
www.civilrightsmuseum.org

Located at the Lorraine Motel, the site of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination on April 4, 1968, the National Civil Rights Museum traces the history of the American civil rights movement, offering visitors a poignant encounter with the people and events central in the centuries-old struggle and examining ways to promote human rights globally today.

The museum’s permanent exhibits chronicle 1619 through the present day, with the most attention given to the 1950s-1960s.  Through a combination of displays, interactive exhibits, and historic audio and video, visitors get a powerful glimpse at the perseverance of seminal civil rights figures such as Rosa Parks, the “Little Rock Nine,” James Meredith, Martin Luther King, Jr. and the unheralded thousands who struggled for racial equality in the face of hostile bigotry and discrimination.  No matter how many times you attend the museum, the stories never lose their impact.

The second portion of the museum, located in the motel, provides a somber examination of  King’s final days, his assassination, and the aftermath and eventual capture of James Earl Ray.  This section of the museum also contains a tribute to many who have lost their lives in the fight for rights across the world as well as exhibits entitled American Legacy and the Freedom Awards, the latter profiling recipients of National and International Freedom Awards.



Belz Museum of Asian and Judaic Art – 119 South Main St.
www.belzmuseum.org

Founded by entrepreneur Jack Belz and his wife Marilyn, the Belz Museum is home to exquisite, priceless imperial Asian, Judaic, and European art.  The Asian artwork, focusing on the Qing Dynasty of China (1644 CE -1911 CE) and earlier dynasties, comprises the majority of collection.  The jade and ivory pieces are simply stunning.  Even the simplest layman of art appreciation will marvel at the intricacy and brilliance of the work.  (The most impressive piece, in my estimation, is the jade dragon ship).  The Asian collection also contains several acquisitions Belz made while traveling as well as 80 historical Chinese puppets donated by Wang Yuanfeng, a Chinese film and television producer.

The Judaica collection (literal and historical art relating to Judaism) contains modern Judaic ritual objects and the work of renowned Israeli artists such as Dani Kafri, Nicki Imber and Ofra Friedland.

The museum also houses an assortment of captivating natural minerals and gems and art from several European countries, including Russian lacquer boxes and Scandinavian art glass.



Fire Museum of Memphis – 118 Adams Ave.
www.firemuseum.com

It’s awfully hard to quibble with the Fire Museum’s claim to be “America’s premier interactive fire museum.”  Housed in the famous Fire Engine House No. 1 downtown, the museum offers visitors insight into the history of firefighting in Memphis, stepping back in time to explore the time of horse-drawn firefighting and early 20th century firefighting equipment and to examine the most disastrous fires in the city’s history.  The interactive portions of the museum are particularly fascinating for children.  The Snorkel Basket Simulator gives riders a chance to mimic the experience of riding in a snorkel basket and trying to extinguish a fire.  The Escape Maze teaches kids how to safely exit a burning house while the Fire Room allows visitors to experience what it’s like to be in a home on fire.  And, of course, no interactive fire museum would be complete without a fire engine for kids to board.

The museum’s displays include a host of antique badges, helmets, and lanterns as well as some of the most legendary fire engines in the city’s history, such as the E.H. Crump Steamer, the 1912 R.A. Utley American LaFrance Pumper, and the 1929 American LaFrance Pumper.