Memphis soul does not begin and end with music. It goes beyond Otis and Al, beyond Ann and Carla, beyond the beats and rhythms that defined a city. It’s something found in all the attractions and events in Memphis. Below you’ll find a list of some of these soulful attractions:
Memphis Zoo
The 100-year-old Memphis Zoo is one of the nation’s finest. Home to some 3,500 animals representing over 500 different species, the zoo’s main attractions are giant pandas Ya Ya and Le Le, the Once Upon A Farm exhibit and the all-new Northwest Passage exhibit, featuring swimming polar bears, bald eagles and a sea lion show you can almost touch.
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art
See the works of artists like Renoir, enjoy the occasional wine tasting or do lunch on the terrace at “the gem of Overton Park.” A registered National Landmark, the Brooks Museum features an impressive permanent collection of items ranging from the ancient to the modern.
Memphis Pink Palace Museum
The 36,500-square-foot home of Memphian Clarence Saunders—father of the self-service grocery and founder of supermarket chain Piggly Wiggly— is now home to a wide-ranging collection of fascinating historic, scientific and technological attractions, including a planetarium and world-class IMAX theater.
AAA Memphis Redbirds
A little bit Wrigley, a little bit Camden, a whole lot of fun. Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, the Memphis Redbirds are one of Memphis’ great sports success stories as they make their home at AutoZone Park, widely considered the finest baseball park below the major league level.
Memphis In May
A sea of music, pork and people, this is what tranquil riverfront Tom Lee Park, in Downtown Memphis, becomes once a year. This month-long celebration draws tens of thousands of visitors every spring, and features the world-famous Beale Street Music Festival, World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest and annual international events honoring a selected foreign nation (Spain, 2007).
FedExForum
With eighty club boxes and fifty executive suites, there’s no question FedExForum is a den of luxury when it comes to watching basketball, but the home to both the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies and the University of Memphis Tigers Basketball team also moonlights as a special event venue. From major concerts to American Idol auditions, FedExForum is the premier venue in the region.
The Orpheum Theatre
Built in 1928, this ornate performance palace was once a vaudeville venue. In the late 1990’s, it was restored to the condition of its gilded glory days. The Orpheum now hosts a variety of performances each year, including live music, comics, touring Broadway shows and a summer film series of popular classics. Tour time varies with shows. Call for schedules and group discounts.
March of the Peabody Ducks
If it looks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck, it must be in the lobby of one of the most elegant hotels in the South. Every day at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., catch a one-of-a-kind promenade as the world-famous Peabody Ducks make their way from the elevator to the majestic fountain in the lobby of the Peabody Hotel.
Children’s Museum of Memphis
The Children’s Museum of Memphis brings science, math, health and art to life in ways that both stimulate and educate children of all ages. A variety of interactive and role-playing exhibits let kids experience the thrill of piloting their own airplane, designing their own home, managing their own bank account and much more.
From music landmarks to restaurants, from the FedExForum to the acclaimed zoo, from the elegant hotels to the mystical nightclubs on legendary Beale Street, few cities offer as much to do as Memphis.
For a full view of all that Memphis has to offer, click on the link below:
