Memphis Botanic Garden is a collection of gardens that covers over 96 acres (39 hectares) in East Memphis. The lovely Japanese garden, with its bridges, ponds and goldfish is a favorite with visitors, who come for the candlelight evening tours in the summer. In the spring, the Ketchum Iris Garden glows with a myriad of colors, while the Municipal Rose Garden is at its best in May, June, and September. There is even a Sensory Garden that is designed to appeal to all five senses.
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.
Located in the buzzing neighborhood of Cooper-Young, Memphis Made Brewing Co. is responsible for a chuck of the city's excitement. Makers of some of the finest brews available in the city, this brewery never fails to keep its fans happy, by producing a fresh, new variant of beer each year. A Dimly lit space, with a typical pub ambiance, the taproom is the scene of absolute excitement. Here you can sample some of the fine brews on available tap, before purchasing a bottle of which you enjoyed the most. From German-style Kolsch beer to all-American craft, no matter what your preference, this brewery will sure have one to suit it.
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.
Not so much a museum as an educational indoor playground, this place is full of interactive activities for kids. Youngsters can climb a skyscraper, explore a fire engine or "ride" a police motorcycle. Children especially love the miniature grocery store, where they can push their carts and "shop" for staples, and the playing bank, where they can write checks. Special exhibits and activities are also offered every month, including puppet shows and live music.
The Fire Museum is located in the first firehouse in Memphis. Kids will love the video games and interactive videos that simulate firefighting, while parents will appreciate the exhibit of unusual firefighting equipment from the last two centuries. If you take the restored trolley from Union or Beale, you can disembark at the museum, then walk up the street to the National Civil Rights Museum, in the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.