Top 10 Historic Sites in Memphis, Tennessee (TN)

October 22, 2021 Marlin Saiz

Memphis is a pilgrimage for those wanting to visit the birthplace of the blues, of soul and of rock 'n' roll. On Beale Street, W.C. Handy put down on paper the first written blues music. Elvis, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash all recorded at the historic Sun Records, which is now a museum. Graceland, the second most-visited home in America, welcomes visitors from around the world who yearn for a peek into the life of "the King." Beyond the music, Tennessee's largest city also offers much more. It has more sunny days each year than Miami, and combines southern tradition and hospitality with modern amenities. You'll enjoy great dining (be sure to sample the barbecued ribs), art galleries and exciting nightlife.
Restaurants in Memphis

1. National Civil Rights Museum - Lorraine Motel

450 Mulberry St, Memphis, TN 38103-4214 +1 901-521-9699 [email protected] http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org
Excellent
82%
Good
14%
Satisfactory
3%
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5.0 based on 8,750 reviews

National Civil Rights Museum - Lorraine Motel

At the place of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'S death in 1968 in Memphis, TN, the National Civil Rights Museum is a renowned educational and cultural institution. The Museum chronicles the American Civil Rights Movement with compelling presentations of iconic exhibits, oral histories of lesser-known civil rights foot soldiers, and visceral, in-the-moment experiences. Visitors will learn through emotionally charged, multi-user, multi-touch interactives, and a visually engaging, contemporary exhibit design that guides you through five centuries of history. Bring the whole family.

Reviewed By annmarieduffy - New York City, United States

National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorrainne Motel. Chilling seeing this famous site as we turned the corner to enter. Site of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. etched in our memories. Amazing exhibitions, chronologically bringing you through-the Slave trade, many hero’s including educators & pastors, the Civil War, 13, 14 & 15 Constitutional Ammendments , Jim Crow, Rosa Parks, with both her bus & the burnt out bus of the Freedom riders & of course MLK & his speech’s, the hotel room to Obama’s election. It finished with all the Civil Rights hero’s throughout the world & then award winning Civil Rights workers including many different fields such as Gore for the environment, Marlo Thomas for St Judes children’s hospital, Jimmy Carter, Anwar Sadat, Gorbachev & of course Mandela. One of my biggest shock was that 5 million Africans were captured & enslaved in Brazil & another 5 million brought to the Caribbean. 388,000 were brought to North America & 9,000 to Europe. Now looking at the Slave Trade Database 10.7 million survived of the 12.5 million people transported. Horrific history.

2. Historic Mason Temple

938 Mason St, Memphis, TN 38126-5219 +1 901-578-3800 http://cogic.net/cogiccms/default/cogic-history/th
Excellent
89%
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5.0 based on 9 reviews

Historic Mason Temple

3. Fire Museum of Memphis

118 Adams Ave, Memphis, TN 38103-2012 +1 901-636-5650 [email protected] http://www.firemuseum.com
Excellent
58%
Good
28%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
4%
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4.5 based on 188 reviews

Fire Museum of Memphis

Memphis' Hottest Attraction!!! America’s premier interactive fire museum is in the legendary Fire Engine House No. 1 in downtown Memphis. Step back in time to a turn-of-the-century firehouse. Fight the flames of a burning skyscraper from a snorkel basket simulator. Take a look at the horse-drawn era of firefighting from the horse’s perspective! Test your ability to find an escape route to survive a fire. Feel the heat of the FEDEX Fire Room. Learn about the most devastating fires in the history of Memphis. Discover the proud history of Memphis’ first African-American firefighters. And many more hot attractions!

Reviewed By ronp227 - Boca Raton, United States

For all ages especially for children, Fire safety learning at its best The hands on fire simulation is very impressive and a must stop for all fire house enthusiasts.

4. Slave Haven / Burkle Estate Museum

826 N 2nd St, Memphis, TN 38107-2302 +1 901-527-3427 http://www.slavehavenundergroundrailroadmuseum.org/
Excellent
68%
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4.5 based on 689 reviews

Slave Haven / Burkle Estate Museum

Visitors can tour the tunnels used by runaway slaves who stopped at this plantation, one of the stations of the Underground Railroad.

Reviewed By 24Long

Fascinating and heartrending story of a German immigrant businessman who offered his home and possibly his livelihood to provide a haven for runaway slaves during the run-up to the Civil War. Both guides, Greg and Asia, shared stories covering the slave trade, Memphis’ slave markets, how the Underground Railroad worked, to the system Mr.Burkle used to get runaways safely to Cairo, IL and beyond. Fascinating look at mid-18th century life in Memphis. Please create a pamphlet about the history this house represents. This story needs to be heard.

5. Sun Studio

706 Union Ave, Memphis, TN 38103-3218 +1 901-521-0664 [email protected] http://www.sunstudio.com
Excellent
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4.5 based on 11,405 reviews

Sun Studio

Sun Studio - The place where an 18 year old Elvis Presley recorded his first song. It’s well-known in the music industry as "The Birthplace of Rock 'N' Roll" and the most famous recording studio in the world. Opened by rock pioneer Sam Phillips in 1950, this national Historic Landmark is where superstar musicians like Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and countless others started their recording careers. Today, Sun Studio still serves as a recording studio in the evenings while hosting public tours during the daytime hours.

Reviewed By Sharonmarierose - Gardiner, United States

Made a visit to Sun Studios w my 10 year old Elvis obsessed son .. We Lucked out & got Lhana as our tour guide .... such an amazing spirit & she’s super passionate about the music & history of Sun. A great experience & memory , well worth everything :)

6. The Peabody Ducks

149 Union Ave The Peabody Memphis, Memphis, TN 38103-2638 +1 901-529-4000 http://www.peabodymemphis.com/peabody-ducks/
Excellent
52%
Good
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Satisfactory
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Poor
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4.5 based on 6,223 reviews

The Peabody Ducks

How did the tradition of the ducks in The Peabody fountain begin? Back in the 1930s Frank Schutt, General Manager of The Peabody, and a friend, Chip Barwick, returned from a weekend hunting trip to Arkansas. The men had a little too much Tennessee sippin' whiskey, and thought it would be funny to place some of their live duck decoys (it was legal then for hunters to use live decoys) in the beautiful Peabody fountain. Three small English call ducks were selected as "guinea pigs," and the reaction was nothing short of enthusiastic. Thus began a Peabody tradition which was to become internationally famous.® In 1940, Bellman Edward Pembroke, a former circus animal trainer, offered to help with delivering the ducks to the fountain each day and taught them the now-famous Peabody Duck March. Mr. Pembroke became The Peabody Duckmaster, serving in that capacity for 50 years until his retirement in 1991. Nearly 90 years after the inaugural march, ducks still visit the lobby fountain at 11 a.m

Reviewed By Ocean_Rover_Blue_Wat - Lafayette, United States

The Peabody Ducks march through the hotel lobby and into the fountain at 11 am and their return through the lobby up to their rooftop suite is quite an amazing look back into history. So much fun!

7. Magevney House

198 Adams Ave, Memphis, TN 38103-1922 +1 901-526-4464
Excellent
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4.0 based on 6 reviews

Magevney House

This stately house held the first Catholic mass in the city and is now newly restored to its 1850s grandeur.

8. The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange

65 Union Ave, Memphis, TN 38103-5196 +1 901-531-7826 http://memphiscottonmuseum.org/
Excellent
37%
Good
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Satisfactory
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Poor
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Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 280 reviews

The Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange

Reviewed By oklambsrus - Colbert, United States

Lots of history. Make sure that you take time to listen to the interviews in the original phone booths and the videos at the desk. The history and information within the videos will give you an inside perspective of the era.

9. First Baptist Beale Street Church

379 Beale St, Memphis, TN 38103-3105 +1 901-522-9073
Excellent
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4.0 based on 4 reviews

First Baptist Beale Street Church

10. Davies Manor Plantation

9336 Davies Plantation Rd, Memphis, TN 38133-4250 +1 901-386-0715 [email protected] http://daviesmanorplantation.org/
Excellent
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4.0 based on 37 reviews

Davies Manor Plantation

This historic property, located in Bartlett, includes the oldest log home in Shelby County open to the public, thirty-two acres of plantation land, and numerous outbuildings. These outbuildings range from a tenant cabin to a commissary to a gristmill to an outhouse. Additionally, the property contains several gardens, including a kitchen garden and a medicinal herb garden. In the future, visitors will also be able to enjoy an arboretum and nature trails. Our current interpretive program primarily consists of docent-led tours of the log home and a self-guided walking tour of the grounds and outbuildings.

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