Memphis, Tennessee

National Civil Rights Museum

The museum is built around the former Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. Its exhibits trace the struggle for civil rights from slavery to today.

Official visitor website

All landmarks

Photo: Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The story

Civil Rights & Social Change

Why it matters

The museum is built around the former Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. Its exhibits trace the struggle for civil rights from slavery to today.

Why it may matter to you

It connects the civil rights movement to wider human rights struggles that many newcomers know from their own countries.

The fuller story

Exhibits discuss violence, legal battles, and ongoing debates about how to remember and continue the movement's work.

Plan your visit

Hours, prices, reservations, and closures change. Check the official visitor website.

Time to allow: 2–3 hours (our estimate)
Setting: Mostly indoor
Tickets and reservations: Admission is charged. Check the official visitor website.
Getting there: Downtown Memphis; parking and rideshare are common.
With family: Some content is intense; read ahead with children.
Seasons and weather: Year-round indoor visit.
Accessibility: See the operator's website for accessibility information.

Times are estimates and distances are straight-line. Citizen Navigator is an independent educational resource. Visitor access and conditions change. Confirm current details with the destination's official operator.