See for yourself how legends were made and how they lived. Experience the places where the first notes of musical history were recorded and where music became a way of life.
Graceland
Now that the legendary home to Elvis Presley and his family is a National Historic Landmark, we can argue that a trip to Memphis that doesn’t include a tour of Graceland is an act of treason against the state. Well, maybe just against the city of Memphis. Either way the 14-acre home of the King is a must-do for any visitor. Take in the mansion, the Hall of Gold, “Sincerely Elvis” museum, the vintage automobile collection and his airplanes. That’s right, there’s more than one.
Beale Street
When the blues migrated north from the Delta it found a permanent home in Memphis, and that home is alive and well today on Beale Street. Dance to the many bands and artists that perform in open-air Handy Park or spend a night sliding in and out of any number of nightclubs, like B.B. King’s Blues Club, Rum Boogie Café or King’s Palace. If good food in authentic settings appeals to you, be sure and visit two of our newest restaurants, EP Delta Kitchen and Bar’s Delta-inspired cuisine, and Itta Bena, a warm, friendly place to eat, drink, and have fun in an historic Beale Street environment. Or better yet, hit the district in May when the city jams with music, food and fun during our annual Memphis in May festival.
Gibson Beale Street Showcase
From the body to the bridge, from the fingerboard to the fret, the pieces have come together for over 100 years from Gibson Guitars. Take an unforgettable tour of the Memphis guitar factory and watch highly skilled luthiers craft the one instrument most associated with pop music and culture, the Gibson guitar.
Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum
No place better dramatizes and organizes the cultural and social ramifications of Memphis’ musical connection to the world better than this Smithsonian Institution seven-gallery chronicle. With over 100 songs, the audio tour is a museum in and of itself.
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
2008 marks the 5th Anniversary for this 17,000-square-foot museum – on the original site of Stax Records – and home to more than 2,000 cultural artifacts, celebrating the music made famous by Otis Redding, Booker T. and the MGs, Isaac Hayes, the Bar-Kays, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Earth, Wind & Fire and more. In additional to Stax music and memorabilia, you’ll also find exhibits dedicated to the artists of Muscle Shoals, Motown, Atlantic and Memphis’ own Hi Records.
Sun Studio
Sam Phillips’ famous recording studio is ground zero for rock and roll’s explosion onto the world stage. Literally packed with memories and memorabilia, the “Birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll” gives visitors a chance to hear historical outtakes and even touch Elvis’ first microphone. Experience the stories that put legends like Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and more on the map, and see why artists like U2, Tom Petty and Maroon Five continue to flock here today.
Center for Southern Folklore
A melting pot for everything Southern, the Center for Southern Folklore celebrates the region’s wonders, lifestyles, people, history and cultures. The facilities here include the Folklore Store, which showcases original music, books and works by local artists, as well as an entertainment hall that features live jazz, blues, rockabilly, soul and gospel performances.
W.C. Handy Home and Museum
Composer, teacher, publisher, bandleader and businessman, William Christopher Handy is credited as the first musician to document the raw, emotional lyricism of the blues. His modest Beale Street home-turned-museum may be small, but it is the axis upon which Memphis music turns, and quietly captures the spirit of Old Beale like no other place on Earth.