Memphis brings together music history and civil rights with outdoor excursions and wildlife watching. These themes come to life in very different places: at the Stax Museum through music and exhibits, on Beale Street with live music, and at the National Civil Rights Museum through the history of civil rights. Shelby Farms Park and the Shelby Farms Greenline offer a different focus. When planning a trip, you can weigh these options according to your interests rather than assuming there is just one theme.
Music History at the Museum and on Beale Street
At the Stax Museum, the tour begins in an authentic church from the Mississippi Delta, dating to around 1906 and rebuilt inside the museum. Another part of the tour takes you to Studio A, where visitors can stand in a faithful recreation of the converted movie theater in which Stax artists made recordings. The Hall of Records provides an overview of releases from the label and its subsidiaries. It displays every album and single released by Stax and its subsidiaries between 1957 and 1975.
Beale Street offers a different emphasis. It is a National Historical Landmark; three downtown blocks are home to nightclubs, restaurants, museums, and shops. Live music is available throughout. For planning your trip, it helps to understand the difference between the two music destinations: the Stax Museum focuses on a specific history of music in a museum setting, while Beale Street brings together different kinds of venues and establishments featuring live music. You can decide which side you want to shape your stay based on your interests.
Civil Rights History at the Lorraine Motel
The National Civil Rights Museum is located in the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Its subject matter ranges from 17th-century slavery and the American civil rights movement to contemporary issues of civil and human rights. Interactive presentations and exhibits convey the history of civil rights and its lasting influence.
The focus here is not just one historical moment, but also the development of a broad subject through to the present day. Visitors to Memphis interested in civil rights history will find this expressly historical and contemporary focus at the museum. This distinguishes it from the music offerings: the exhibits at the National Civil Rights Museum are devoted to civil and human rights, while Stax and Beale Street explore different aspects of music history.
Outdoor Activities, Craftsmanship, and Wildlife Watching
Shelby Farms Park covers 4,500 acres. The Shelby Farms Greenline, by contrast, is a specific paved biking and walking trail: it is 10.65 miles long and connects downtown Memphis with downtown Cordova through the park. These figures describe different things—the size of a park and the length of a trail with named endpoints. If you are interested in biking or walking, you can consider the Greenline as a separate option without equating its length with a walking time or difficulty level.
The Metal Museum also offers a different perspective on craftsmanship. Its exhibits focus on historic and contemporary metalworking; the grounds also include a blacksmith shop. At the Memphis Zoo’s Tropical Bird House, visitors can walk through the central free-flight area while birds fly overhead. Each attraction has a clear focus: metalworking in a range of historical contexts at one, and an experience among free-flying birds at the other.
Choose Your Accommodation Based on Your Interests
This way, your search can reflect your own interests without requiring a set order of visits.
Discover more destinations: Fisherville, Collierville, Brunswick, Bartlett, Millington.
View the broader travel overview: Shelby.
