Family Vacations: National Civil Rights Museum

This Memphis museum pays tribute to the many people involved in the struggle for civil rights in the United States. Built around the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated in 1968, the museum chronicles the history of civil rights activities from the beginnings of slavery through the end of the 20th century.

Exhibits focus on such events as the Civil War, the Supreme Court decision to desegregate schools, the lunch counter sit-ins, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the March on Washington. Multimedia presentations and full-scale exhibits bring the civil rights movement to life for children. They'll see a public bus similar to the one ridden by Rosa Parks when she refused to move to the back seats, the burned shell of a freedom-ride Greyhound bus, and the actual motel room where Dr. King stayed before he was slain.

National Civil Rights Museum Information

Address: 450 Mulberry St., Memphis, TN

Phone: 901/521-9699

Hours of Operation: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Wed. - Sat., Mon.; 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Sun.

Admission: $12 adults; $8.50 kids

To learn more about family vacation destinations, see:

Family Vacations: Learn about hundreds of family vacations in destinations all over North America.
Tennessee State Guide: Learn more about the many family-friendly activities in Tennessee.
Scenic Drives: For those who think that getting there is half the fun, we have compiled more than 100 of the most scenic drives throughout the country.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laura Sutherland is a widely acknowledged authority on family travel and has published several books on the topic, including Best Family Ski Vacations In North America and Tropical Family Vacations.