Memphis, the 19th largest city in nation according to the U.S. Census Bureau, is a popular vacation destination for families. In addition to Memphis' well-known sights that adults frequently visit, such as Graceland and the National Civil Rights Museum, there are many entertaining and educational attractions available for kids.
The Children's Museum of Memphis was built to resemble a child-sized city, and it offers a large variety of interactive programs, activities and exhibits. Features include a kid-sized grocery store and a pretend dentist office that allows children to practice on a puppet. Other permanent exhibits include Football Lockers, a child-sized replica of the University of Memphis football team's locker room, complete with uniforms and helmets children can dress up in; Bookatarium, a reading area with books for children of various reading levels, complete with story time and seating for parents and children; Honeybee Hives, a glass-enclosed set of honeybee colonies where children can see the world of bees up close, and try on beekeeper suits; and WaterWORKS!, a 50-foot model of the Mississippi River, with an aquifer pump, live fish and a water wheel.
The Children's Museum of Memphis also has rotating exhibits and programs that vary throughout the year.
Childrens Museum of Memphis
2525 Central Ave.
Memphis, TN 38104
901-458-2678
cmom.com
The Memphis Pink Palace Museum & Planetarium is operated by the City of Memphis and aims to teach kids about the Mid-South through a variety of topics, including history, science, technology and nature. The museums include natural history and cultural exhibits, astronomy programs, a planetarium that seats 165, an Elvis laser light show and the Union Planters IMAX Theater. Other points of interest include a collection of Civil War memorabilia, medical history museum, a dinosaur fossil and mineral collection, and the Clyde Park Miniature Circus. A variety of special events and exhibits are held throughout the year.
Memphis Pink Palace Museum & Planetarium
3050 Central Ave.
Memphis, TN 38111
901-320-6320
memphismuseums.org
The Memphis Zoo is home to over 400 species of animals, including some that are exotic and endangered. Highlights of the zoo include Animals of the Night, an exhibit devoted to nocturnal animals such as the aardvark, wombat and binturong; Primate Canyon, an outdoor, naturalistic exhibit featuring a variety of apes and monkeys, such as the Sumatran orangutan and Sulawesi macaques; CHINA, one of only four zoo exhibits in the U.S. that houses the endangered giant panda, along with other species native to China, such as the hooded crane and white cheeked gibbon; the Herpetarium, an exhibit that houses snakes, lizards, frogs and alligators, including the green mamba, one of the most venomous snakes in the world; and Once Upon a Farm, a replica of an early 1900s farm, complete with a duck pond, working pump well, prairie dog tunnels and an old-fashioned train ride encircling the exhibit . In addition to the many restaurants, concessions and rides available, the Memphis Zoo also has a large gift shop.
Memphis Zoo
2000 Galloway
Memphis, TN 38112
901-276-9453
memphiszoo.org
