What could be better than nature combined with music and entertainment? Enjoy the outdoors and live music in Overton Park, a small shell theater where Elvis once played that hosts concerts in the summer. Listen to jazz, classical or blues music while you gaze at the stars. Occasionally, old films are shown and live performances are hosted here. This is a great place to take children, since there is lots of room for them to play and use their imaginations.
The Dixons were a childless couple who collected art, both fine and decorative and left it all to the city when they died. The travelling exhibits, are often spectacular and have included Faberge eggs, glassworks by Seattle artist Dale Chihuly, and an explosion of color from Raoul Dufy. The 17-acre (7-hectare) garden is usually open for strolling, except during outdoor concerts, picnics, or theater productions. The museum shop often has items from Memphis' Great Wonders exhibits! The museum is free for everyone on every Saturday between 10 am to noon.
The National Ornamental Metal Museum is the only one in the country dedicated to ornamental metalwork. Exhibits often include such diverse objects as silver tea services, swords, jewelry and weathervanes. See a blacksmith at work forging works of art. An annual exhibit in May features the fantastic devices people use to barbecue, timed to coincide with the Memphis in May Barbecue Contest. The museum is set in a lovely spot on the banks of the Mississippi, and the lawns are sometimes used for weddings and other private parties.
Center for Southern Folklore is worth the visit if you want to sit and hear some blues or have a beer and learn about Southern culture. This private, non-profit organization is dedicated to informing people about Southern history with an emphasis on music and art. The interior, decorated by local artists, is eclectic and includes a gift shop and coffee bar. The gift shop is a great place to get books or albums featuring Memphis and Memphis artists. They also have live music Friday and Saturday evenings.
In honor of the ancient Egyptian counterpart to the modern American city of Memphis, the local university maintains a museum featuring a good representation of the usual items from the City by the Nile, including a mummy, papyrus, and various implements and household goods. Another permanent exhibit is the Spirit of Africa, which has artifacts and sculptures from West Africa. In addition - and somewhat unexpectedly - the museum houses an interesting collection of miniatures of American furniture and a good smattering of American and European prints.
The C.H. Nash Museum at Chucalissa is a prehistoric American Indian archaeological site dating back to the 15th Century. The site was occupied, abandoned and reoccupied several times throughout its history, spanning from 1000 to 1550 A.D. The museum, named after its founding director, curates an extensive collection of artifacts recovered during a 40-year period of systematic excavations. The site features a Mississippian mound complex, a nature trail and arboretum, a hands-on archaeology lab, and exhibits that explore the history and life-ways of Native Americans of the historic and prehistoric southeastern United States.
Center for Southern Folklore is worth the visit if you want to sit and hear some blues or have a beer and learn about Southern culture. This private, non-profit organization is dedicated to informing people about Southern history with an emphasis on music and art. The interior, decorated by local artists, is eclectic and includes a gift shop and coffee bar. The gift shop is a great place to get books or albums featuring Memphis and Memphis artists. They also have live music Friday and Saturday evenings.
WC Handy Park Pepsi Pavilion is a venue in Memphis known for hosting great blues acts and other prominent musicians. Past shows have included The Flaming Lips and George Clinton. It's named after W.C. Handy, a composer and musician also known as the "Father of the Blues." Experience great music in a beautiful outdoor setting at this venue. The park also hosts the Sessions in the Park Indie Music Showcase. Free and open to to all, this music venue is an integral part of Memphis's thriving music culture and offers great performances at little to no cost!
This is a place you can't miss out on if you happen to a music fan where artists of all genres, races, and cultures are recognized for their contributions to the field of music. Their wall of fame features some of the biggest names of rock n' roll, blues, and pop such as Justin Timberlake, B.B King, Elvis Presley and John Cash who have visited this place while being inducted into the hall of fame. The building also includes a museum that features a large collection of records that were made by some of the inductees.
If you wanted to see how Memphis looked like about six or seven decades earlier, Withers Collection Museum & Gallery is the right place to head to. The museum has a wide and varied collection by Ernest C. Withers. There are photographs that represent the city's political dynamics, African-American lifestyles, and the changes in the social lives of people. The museum offers guided tours and group tours as well.
High Cotton Brewing Company puts Memphis on the beer map, with its collection of succinct Southern-inspired brews. If you're a fan of beer, this is the place to be, its cozy taproom and fabulous collection of brews makes it one of the most loved places in the city. At the taproom you can sample some of the finest beers, along with a few seasonal and rare brews. The brewery also organizes tours, wherein visitors can get glimpse of the meticulous procedures of crafting a pristine batch of beer.
The Burkle Estate which is also known as Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum is a historic one. Built in 1849, some historians believe this estate was part of the Underground Railroad network which was set up to free the slaves and help them. This house is now open to the public and guided tours are offered explaining and educating them about the life and times of the slaves and this house. With the furnishings and relics well maintained, this house is worth a visit.