Culture of Memphis. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

The city of Memphis was established in 1819 and inherited its name from the ancient capital of Egypt. Novel and beautiful city of Memphis features only few of historical landmarks and sights however these will be enough for several days of city exploration. Memphis is the native city of the “King of Rock-and-Roll” Elvis Presley. One of the central streets of the city hosts a monument commemorating the world renowned musician.

Music fans from all over the world are arriving at the city to visit the legendary Sun Studio where the albums of the legend were recorded. The Graceland residence should also be mentioned in the story of music of Memphis. The house was home of music legend Elvis Presley. It was exactly the place to witness family life of the musician shared with Priscilla, his wife. Today the residence of the musician is reequipped into a museum which keeps the collection of private things, marvelous onstage dresses and plates and records. The territory of the residence also hosts a small souvenir shop offering original and exciting memorable souvenirs.

The Rock 'n' Soul museum should necessarily be visited as well. The museum offers its visitors an engaging music excursion. On the entering to the museum the visitors get headphones and then enjoy the showpieces in accompaniment of music. The same interesting and exciting place to visit will be the Pinc Place museum which was established in a scenic residence of billionaire Clarence Saunders. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The museum is devoted to natural science. One will find many odd showpieces in its collection such as gigantic animated models of prehistoric dinosaurs. The territory of the museum features a great planetarium. The National Civil Rights Museum should also be on the tours agenda. Despite its serious and strict name the collection of the museum is rather exciting and informative and the excursion will be of great interest as for kids so for adults.

The most impressive and exciting place for hiking will be the Beale Street as it hosts the monument commemorating the King of Rock-and-Roll. Among numerous sights and landmarks which are worth noticing one should visit the Mississippi River Museum. It is located in the scenic park on a river bank. Travelers being not limited in time for touring should necessarily visit the city suburbs which also host numerous significant landmarks and sights of tourist interest. River cruises are the most popular sort of entertainment among city guests.

In Memphis, many things are associated not only with the name of Elvis Presley and rock'n'roll, but also with related genres such as blues and soul. Memphis Music Hall of Fame located near Hard Rock Cafe presents items related to cult musicians in one way or another (among them are ZZ Top, BB King, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison), as well as video interviews. It is also notable for the fact that most of the exhibits are interactive. To get a closer look at the history of soul music, head to the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. This one displays personal belongings of musicians (Aretha Franklin, The Jackson Five, Tina Turner), as well as video materials. A souvenir shop can be found at the exit.

Another museum is dedicated to blues (the Blues Hall of Fame Museum). It keeps personal items of bluesmen who have made a significant contribution to the history of music. The organization, among other things, presents the best musicians who play in this style with honorary awards. The Metal Museum is dedicated not to heavy metal and hard rock, as one might think first, but to works of art created from metal. Earlier, before the legendary Sun Studio was opened in Memphis, the city was known as a major cotton industry center. Therefore, in 2006, the Cotton Museum was opened on the grounds of the Memphis Cotton Exchange, thanks to which tourists can learn more about this industry and its development, as well as its impact on everyday life.

Together with little travelers, it will be especially interesting to visit two museums - first of all, this is the Children's Museum of Memphis with hundreds of interactive exhibits (toys) and activities (a climbing wall, a children's town, a simulator). Visiting the museum, children can learn how those and other things work. Secondly, it will be interesting for young tourists to explore the Railroad & Trolley Museum, which introduces visitors to the history of the railway. There are hundreds of interactive train models in its arsenal. Well, there is one more place that all kids love in Memphis - a sculpture depicting ducks located in front of the Peabody Hotel (locals call it The Peabody Ducks).

Memphis is rich not only in museums - there are also religious sights here (although there are not many of them). A fine example of Gothic architecture is St. Mary's Catholic Church built in 1870. The interior of the shrine is no less interesting than its exterior - stained glass windows and an altar are especially noteworthy. The Temple of Deliverance Church built in 1975 is worth a visit too. One of the city's most interesting historical sites is Elmwood Cemetery founded in 1852. Here one can find many war graves from the period of the Civil War, the First and Second World Wars, the Vietnam War. Most of the tombstones can safely be called works of sculptural art. The cemetery is also interesting for movie buffs - several scenes from the "The Firm" (1993 film) were shot here.

The cemetery is by far not the only good place to go for a walk - the city has beautiful parks and gardens. One of these is Memphis Botanic Garden with a wonderful collection of plants (irises, roses, “the butterfly garden”, the Japanese garden, and the grass garden). Lying on the bank of the picturesque Mississippi River, Tom Lee Park is equally noteworthy. The park itself is dedicated to the hero, who saved many people from M.E. Norman steamboat that capsized in the Mississippi River in 1952. In the same year, he died of cancer and was awarded posthumously. Two years later, in 1954, the park was named in his honor, as well as an obelisk that suffered from Hurricane Elvis in 2003 and severe storms in 2017. In October 2006, a monument to David Alan Clark's work was erected in the park.

In Memphis, you can find several beautiful architectural monuments of the Victorian era, which are a "living history park" with preserved interiors, household items, and exteriors. Among them are Woodruff-Fontaine House, Victorian Village Historic District, as well as Mallory-Neely House. The Historic Mason Temple, in which the legendary Martin Luther King made his last speech, is also located in Memphis and is worth a visit. It'd be a good idea to combine a visit with a tour of the National Civil Rights Museum. Performances taking place at The Orpheum and Cannon Center For The Performing Arts would be ideal for cultural enrichment in the city.