What's New in Memphis

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What's New in 2010
Memphis has loads of old favorites for you to visit and revisit, but some of those old favorites are expanding and improving. Take a look below to see what all you haven't already experienced in some of Memphis' first-class attractions.

Graceland, Home of Elvis Presley
www.elvis.com
Elvis Presley: Fashion King
Have you ever wondered what you might find if you were allowed to open the door to Elvis Presley's personal closet at Graceland? This new exhibit allows visitors to explore fashion trends set by the King of Rock 'n' Roll with his unique style and custom-made clothing. See the evolution of Elvis' outfits from an artist's sketch to the final product. You'll see how these custom creations were made, fit for a King.

The unique exhibit showcases everything from Elvis' handmade shirts and suits to his iconic stage wear and flashy jewelry, giving visitors a firsthand look at how to dress like rock royalty.

Justin Timberlake's Mirimichi
Grand Reopening September 4
mirimichi.com
Justin Timberlake's new exceptional golf course that proves stimulating to golfers both through the difficulty of the course and visually through the landscape, while being good stewards of the environment. This eco-friendly course is the first golf course in the country to receive official Audubon Classic Sanctuary certification.

The course will be closed from January 15 - September 4, 2010 as it accelerates three years of course improvements. Some of the enhancements to improve the experience at Mirimichi will include improvements to the drainage, bunkers and greens; framed by extensive additions to wetlands, wildflowers and native grasses to showcase the course’s aesthetic beauty, all in keeping with Mirimichi’s commitment to ecological sustainability.

The par-72 golf course will stretch over 7,400 yards from the tips, but will offer five different tee boxes to appeal to golfers of all abilities. Golfers will be treated to lush fairways, scenic vistas, four waterfalls, six lakes, and two creeks that meander through the holes. Water comes into play on 15 of the fairways. The area's natural landscape is enhanced by returning native plant species to the course and working with the natural elevations.

Features a Callaway Performance Center offering customized club fitting using the Callaway Performance Analysis System which is only one of only nine in the country.

My Big Backyard
www.memphisbotanicgarden.com
Bring to life the best of every backyard adventure you ever dreamed of.This $5.8 million project, called My Big Backyard, features 16 unique educational and imagination-inspiring areas for children to learn, explore, play, and dream.

Every child deserves to spend time with nature in an imaginative, safe environment...My Big Backyard will do just that! With spaces catering to toddlers, children with special needs, a water feature, and more, there will be something for everyone, especially visitors who are kids at heart!

From a tree top adventure that ventures into the tree line, to a tunneling excursion that lets kids live and see the world as a worm sees it; from the excitement of a sudden rainstorm complete with thunder, to a creek full of critters; from a place to learn how to garden, to a place to just run and play, My Big Backyard offers engaging adventures for children of all ages.
A centerpiece to My Big Backyard is the Guest House, a permanent structure with a large porch, restrooms, and a classroom large enough to accommodate 45 children. Education is a core undertaking for Memphis Botanic Garden. In the past year, the Children's Education department hosted 27,000 children for formal programs and conducted outreach programs for another 9,000. The total of 36,000 children served represents 3.5 times the national average for large U.S. public gardens. With My Big Backyard, Memphis Botanic Garden will have an even larger impact on the children of the Memphis and Mid-South community.

"This is a significant addition to the Memphis Botanic Garden and to our city in that it will provide a wonderful, engaging resource and will be a major tourist attraction for our area," said Jim Duncan, Executive Director of the Memphis Botanic Garden. "Our objective is to provide a safe, educational, fun, and inexpensive destination for children and their families, and one they will want to visit often. In a world of video games and heavily orchestrated schedules, escaping to the imagination of a big backyard is a part of growing up that so many children miss. We hope to fill that void."

Memphis Zoo’s Teton Trek
www.memphiszoo.org
Rated the number one zoo by TripAdvisor in 2008 and just minutes from downtown, the Memphis Zoo continues to get better and better. The Zoo's newest exhibit, The Fred and Diane Smith Family Teton Trek is a stunning 4 acre exhibit and a thrilling journey out west giving visitors the chance to see grizzly bears, elk, Timber wolves, arctic waterfowl, sandhill cranes and trumpeter swans. Embark on a hike through the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and learn about the wildlife, history, and culture of this fascinating part of the United States.

Shelby Farms Park enhancement plan
www.shelbyfarmspark.org
The invaluable Shelby Farms Park will be updated and expanded throughout 2010. Already larger than New York City’s famed Central Park and home to a wide variety of species from birds to buffalo and everything in between, Shelby Park will receive new trails, new and updated playgrounds and enhancement of Patriot Lake. A special focus will be placed on the ecology the economy and the very fabric of the neighborhoods, the city and the region. Hurry up and walk, run, or bike over to Shelby Farms and take advantage of what the new and improved park has to offer.

Shelby Farms Greenline - opening late summer 2010
Seven miles of greenway will be along a former rail bed. The paved pedestrian and bike trail will connect Midtown Memphis to Shelby Farms Park.

Woodland Discovery Playground - opening November 2010
Construction has begun on a new play area at Shelby Farms. The landscaped area will feature a unique willow arbor snaking through a series of themed playgrounds for different ages and ability levels. The landscape rethinks natural, creative and interpretive play and the artistic design will make the new play landscape a destination for children of all ages.

Wolf River Pedestrian Bridge - opening late 2010
The Wolf River Bridge is a beautiful pedestrian bridge connecting the Wolf River Greenway and neighborhoods south of the Park into the Park at the Wolf River Trails near the Lucius Burch Natural Area. The bridge will allow pedestrians access to the Park without using a vehicle and will serve as the first leg of a comprehensive connection plan that will eventually get pedestrians over or under every road structure in the Park without having to cross traffic. The elegant, natural design of the bridge privileges sight lines, vistas and a sense of arrival.

Beale Street Landing
www.memphisriverfront.org

Construction is under way in making the Mississippi river accessible for everyone from downtown Memphis. The Beale Street Landing project will feature five different park spaces on different elevations that will have seating areas and water features. It will also include a 480 foot long floating dock for the classic Memphis riverboats, a grass covered ramp under which will be a 13,000 square foot glass-walled building for ticket sales, gift shop and small restaurant as well as an underground parking garage with space seventy cars. So wander down to the Beale Street Landing and marvel at the size of the river or just relax and take in the beauty of a sunset over the water.

Levitt Shell
www.levittshell.org
Located just minutes from downtown, Levitt Shell is nestled in the heart of Overton Park in midtown Memphis. The talented performers coupled with its picturesque surroundings, make this the most enchanting place to take in an outdoor concert or show. With an exciting line-up of performances, there are endless reasons to head to the venue that has hosted local acts, Elvis and everything in between.

Orpheum Theatre
www.orpheum-memphis.com

The historic grandeur of the Orpheum Theatre is truly unparalleled. Come see one of today’s most popular shows and find out what makes the Orpheum so special.

Broadway Season:
The Color Purple: August 24 - 29, 2010
Wicked: October 13 - 31, 2010
9 to 5 the Musical: November 2 - 7, 2010
Dreamgirls: November 30 - December 5, 2010
Shrek the Musical: January 18 - 23, 2011
Young Frankenstein: March 8 - 13, 2011
Monty Python's Spamalot: May 6 - 8, 2011
Disney's Beauty and the Beast: June 14 - 19, 2011

Remaining 2010 Summer Movie Series:
Casablanca: September 17, 2010

B. B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center
http://www.bbkingmuseum.org/

B. B. King has shaped the Memphis Blues to be what it is today and influenced musicians all over the world. He is, no doubt, a fixture in Memphis history and culture. But before there was Memphis for this music legend, there was Mississippi. Venture over to Indianola, Mississippi and explore the fascinating story of the rise of the King of Blues. The museum also explores the intriguing blues culture and the recipe for creating the sultry sound of the heartbeat of American music.

C.H. Nash Museum at Chucalissa
cas.memphis.edu/chucalissa

Touching is allowed in the new Hands-On Archaeology Lab exhibit at the C.H. Nash Museum at Chucalissa. Everyone is encouraged to handle and examine prehistoric stone tools, ceramic shards and exotic raw materials - the same ones archaeologists analyze. Exhibits on the cultures of the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations, pottery vessels and the history of the region surrounding Chucalissa have been updated and expanded. The newly dedicated arboretum is set along a nature trail to allow visitors a casual stroll through one of the prehistoric village areas that surrounded the earthen mounds at Chucalissa.

AutoZone Park
www.memphisredbirds.com
Come see the Memphis Redbirds play at AutoZone Park in the heart of downtown Memphis. Named the nation's number one minor league park by Baseball America, AutoZone Park is a great place for family fun. Enjoy the game from lawn seats on the Bluff, play games on the boardwalk and walk the open concourse without missing a minute of the game.

Dixon Gallery and Gardens
www.dixon.org
Stroll through the Dixon's beautiful sculpture-dotted gardens and come into the museum to view a large permanent collection of post-impressionist art.

Exhibits:
The Woman's Point of View
Helen Turner
June 27 - September 19, 2010

Quiet Spirit, Skillful Hands
The Graphic Work of Clare Leighton
June 27 - September 19, 2010

In the Blood: John Torina and Clare Torina
July 2 - September 26, 2010

Playhouse on the Square - New Theatre Now Open
www.playhouseonthesquare.org

Playhouse on the Square's new 350-seat theatre is now open. The new theatre is located in Midtown Memphis, just minutes from downtown. The theatre hosts all of Playhouse's regular season shows as well as ballets, operas and chamber concerts. With no seats more than 10 rows from the stage, the new Playhouse on the Square is one of the premiere places to see live theatre in Memphis.

Memphis The Musical
www.memphisthemusical.com

Memphis The Musical wins several 2010 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Book of Musical, Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre, and Best Orchestrations of a Musical to Daryl Waters and David Bryan.

Memphis the Musical is the story of a boy and a girl and the birth of rock 'n' roll. A young white DJ meets a soulful black singer who can't break out of the underground clubs in Memphis. As their musical collaboration hheats up, so does their love. The show opened at the Schubert Theatre in New York City on September 23, 2009. Catch it if you can!