Memphis abounds with opportunities for cultural and musical enrichment, which are embodied in its many museums and organizations. The Brooks Art Museum is the largest art museum in Tennessee, and according to the Brooks Museum website, it "houses a collection of fine art from antiquity to present." Aside from its astounding collection of fine art, Brooks also offers free family events, visiting lecturers, terrace concerts, performances, a restaurant, and a museum store, making it a center of cultural activity in Memphis. During the day, don't pass up a peaceful walk through the Memphis Botanic Garden. The garden covers 96 acres of lakes and woodlands, which has been landscaped and divided into various themed display gardens. The Japanese Garden of Tranquility is a notable point of interest.
Some of the biggest musical icons in American history have risen out of Memphis. Amongst those artists are Luther Ingram, Carla Thomas, Jerry Lee Lewis, and "the king" himself, Elvis Presley. A must-see sight is the Graceland Mansion in downtown Memphis, which was once home to Elvis Presley and is available for guided touring. Just several minutes from Graceland is the Sun Studio, a humble recording studio where big-name artists, such as Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, struck their first record deals and ignited the precursory flames of rock n' roll. The Sun Studio website states that "if music was a religion, then Memphis would be Jerusalem and Sun Studio its most holy shrine." Recall Motown favorites at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Revere the musical genius of Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles, just to name a few. The museum rests on the original site where the Stax record company transformed "unknowns to icons."
Downtown Memphis boasts the iconic Beale Street, a major entertainment venue. Beale Street made a name for itself in the roaring twenties, when it established its presence as a party street rivaling downtown New Orleans in its bawdy and provocative nature. Teeming with premier nightclubs, theatres, and restaurants, it also harbored a dark side involving gambling, voodoo, prostitution and murder. Presently, listen to live blues, rockabilly and bluegrass music at clubs, such as the BB King Restaurant or the Blues City Cafe, and encounter your fair share of Elvis impersonators. Take a ride on the "mighty Mississippi" to complete your weekend. Several river boats provide day tours of the Mississippi river, such as the Memphis Queen.
