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Everything you see and do in Memphis makes more sense when you begin here. The marble, 1922 Pink Palace Mansion built
by Piggly Wiggly grocery store magnate Clarence Saunders houses the IMAX Crew Training International Theater, Sharpe Planetarium, and exhibits that include Memphis history, geology, America’s first self-service grocery store, Clyde Parke Miniature Circus, and visiting displays. 3050 Central, 901-320-6320, www.memphismuseums.org.
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This unique, not-for-profit AAA affiliate of the St. Louis
Cardinals plays April-September at AutoZone Park, the finest ballpark
ever built below the major league level, located in
the heart of Downtown. 200 Union, 901-721-6000, www.memphisredbirds.com.
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A wide variety of sight-seeing cruises with concessions
and commentary on the sights and history of the Mississippi
River. Evening music cruises with dinner, holiday cruises,
and private charters. Wheelchair access on most trips. Closed
January-February except by appt. Foot of Monroe at Riverside Drive,
901-527-BOAT, 800-221-6197, www.memphisriverboats.net.
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This Smithsonian Institution exhibition tells the story of music pioneers who overcame racial and socio-economic barriers to create the music that shook the world. A comprehensive Memphis music experience, from the rural music of the 1930s through Memphis’s musical heyday in the '70s to its global musical influence today. Audio-guided tour and gift shop. FedExForum, corner of Beale and Third,
901-205-2533, www.memphisrocknsoul.org.
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Restored to the elegance of their 1912-1940 predecessors,today’s trolleys run from the South Main Historic Arts District
to the Pinch District, along the picturesque riverfront, and from Downtown to the Medical Center. Passengers may board at any of 35 handicapped-accessible stations. Enjoy the sights of Downtown as you travel to your next trolley-served attraction. 901-274-6282, www.matatransit.com.
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The 76-acre zoo provides naturalistic homes to more than 3,500 animals representing
500 species. Get nose-to-nose with polar bears and sea lions in the Northwest Passage.
The breathtaking CHINA exhibit features giant pandas Le
Le and Ya Ya, and experience Yellowstone with grizzly bears and gray wolves at Teton Trek. Overton Park,
2000 Prentiss Place, 901-276-WILD, www.memphiszoo.org. |
Memphis's signature "welcome sign" in the west plays host to numerous festivals, concerts, contests, and other major events throughout the year.Interactive water sports available, and parks along the riverfront make Ol' Man River the perfect backdrop for picnics, kite flying, strolling, and other outings. The River Walk provides a panoramic view of Memphis's crown jewel.
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Proud members of the Central Hockey League, two-time President’ Cup champions, and the longest-running professional sports franchise in the Midsouth takes to the ice for thunderous play and exciting games October-March. DeSoto Civic Center, I-55 and Church Rd, 662-342-1755, www.riverkings.com. |
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World-class museum with 18 galleries showcasing 10,000 years Lower Mississippi Valley history. More than 5,000 artifacts, plus traveling exhibits and special events. Full-scale reproduction of the front third of an 1870 steamboat; re-creation of a Civil War battle; full-scale reproduction of a Union gunboat; galleries following Delta music; and 4,000-gallon aquarium. Open April-October. Mud Island River Park, 125 N. Front, 901-576-7241, 800-507-6507,
www.mudisland.com.
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America’s premier
Mississippi River Park, a unique historical, cultural,
and educational facility dedicated to telling the Mighty Mississippi's story. Walk the 1/2-mile scale
model of the Lower Mississippi. Visit the museum. Enjoy green spaces to jog, bike, and picnic, or experience the water firsthand in
a canoe, kayak, or pedal boat. Concerts and
reception venues. Open April-October. 125 N. Front, 901-576-7241, 800-507-6507, www.mudisland.com.
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Located at the Lorraine Motel, the assassination site of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the museum chronicles key episodes in, and the legacy of, the American civil rights movement from 1619 to present day. The museum's collections, exhibitions, research, and educational programs exist to broaden the understanding of, and inspire participation in, civil and human rights efforts globally. 450 Mulberry, 901-521-9699, www.civilrightsmuseum.org.
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The only museum in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to the
exhibition and preservation of fine metalwork. Changing
exhibitions range from jewelry and hollowware in precious
metals to architectural wrought iron. Metal-working
demonstrations and classes in on-site smithy. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the spectacular
view of the Mississippi River from the grounds. 374 Metal
Museum Dr, 901-774-6380, 877-881-2326, www.metalmuseum.org.
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Built in 1928, the 2,500-seat Orpheum is one of the few remaining elegant movie palaces of the ‘20s. A $5 million renovation in the early 1980s included refurbishing ornamental plasterwork, crystal chandeliers, and original furnishings
plus remodeling backstage and technical areas. The theater presents a variety of events, from Broadway shows and concerts to films and dance performances. Main at Beale, 901-525-7800, Tickets: 901-525-3000, www.orpheum-memphis.com. |
This 342-acre public parkwas one of the city's first parks, dating to 1902. Nine-hole golf course, 1.4-mile fitness trail,
playgrounds, open play fields, wooded trails, picnic pavilions,
Rainbow Lake formal gardens, and Veterans Plaza. Also home
to Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis Zoo, and the Levitt Shell, where Elvis performed his first paid concert. 2080 Poplar, golf course:
901-725-9905 |
A Georgetown atmosphere located in the heart of Memphis
and Midtown. Offers local theater,
specialty shops, and
local restaurants. Madison and Cooper. |
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Mobil Four-Star, AAA Four-Diamond historic Downtown landmark first opened in 1869. Local developer Jack Belz restored the legendary hotel to its original splendor, kicking off Downtown’s revitalization when it reopened in 1981. The South's Grand Hotel includes the famous march of the Peabody Ducks, newly renovated rooftop Duck Palace, gift shops, restaurants, retail, and history. 149 Union, 901-529-4000, www.peabodymemphis.com.
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Peabody Place is at the center of everything that is Downtown Memphis. Dining. Shopping. Entertainment. You'll find it all at Peabody Place. Surrounded by key attractions such as The Peabody Hotel and within one block
of Beale Street and AutoZone Park, this entertainment destination
is at the center of it all! It includes brand-name stores, entertainment center, coffee kiosk, and some of Memphis's best restaurants. 150 Peabody Place at Third, 901-261-PLAY,
www.belz.com. |
Memphis’s first neighborhood, settled by Irish immigrants
in the mid 1800s, is reborn as a shopping and entertainment
area. Given its name from the gaunt appearance of the immigrants
who resided there after fleeing the great potato famine
in Ireland, The Pinch includes live music, pubs, coffee
shops, specialty stores, and more. North Main and Jackson Avenue. |
A two-room museum and educational outreach program provides visitors with earthquake information about the New Madrid seismic zone through interactive displays, maps, and computer programs.
Printed information also available. Located on the University of Memphis campus, the museum is part of the Center for Earthquake Research and Information. 3918 Central, appt. only: 901-678-1723, www.ceri.memphis.edu. |
This 130-seat planetarium hosts astronomy shows, educational programs, stargazing,
and laser light concerts inside the Memphis Pink Palace
Museum. 3050 Central, 901-320-6320, www.memphismuseums.org. |
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The largest metropolitan park in the country provides picnic shelters, as well as meeting rooms.Iincludes 31 fishing lakes; walking and biking trails; bird watching; 54-acre lake for sailing, wind surfing, and pedal boating; off-leash dog area; herd of American bison; disc golf course; horse stables; Agricenter International’s exhibition center and Show Place Arena; and farmers market. 500 N. Pine Lake, 901-767-PARK, www.shelbyfarmspark.org.
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Explore this way station on the Underground Railroad at
Burkle Estate. A secret cellar and trap doors reveal the
escape route of runaway slaves. Startling displays of ads,
auctions, and artifacts help tell the story of the slave
era this 1856
antebellum hideaway. 826 N. Second, 901-527-3427, www.heritagetoursmemphis.com. |
Historic neighborhood
birthplace of musical luminaries as Aretha
Franklin, David Porter, Memphis Slim, Memphis Minnie, and others.
Home to Royal Studios, where Hi Records recorded
soul greats Al Green, Ann Peebles. The 17,000-square-foot Stax Museum of American Soul
Music, the only soul
music museum in the world, stands at the original site of Stax Records. 926 E. McLemore, 901-946-2535,
www.soulsvilleusa.com. |
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Where culture, style, and charisma fuse. Anchored by the historic Central Train Station on the south and the
Orpheum Theatre on the north, the city’s official historic arts district offers a diverse neighborhood of fine arts, specialty shopping, restaurants, bars, and live music. Art Trolley Night every last friday of the month, and an outdoor Memphis Farmers Market every Saturday, mid-April–October. 901-578-7262, www.southmainmemphis.net, www.memphisfarmersmarket.org. |
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