National Civil Rights Museum
Memphis, TN
Built into the former Lorraine Motel. A moving walk through the history of the civil rights movement.
The National Civil Rights Museum is housed in the former Lorraine Motel in Memphis, where Martin Luther King Jr. was shot on April 4, 1968, on the balcony outside Room 306. The museum opened on September 28, 1991, and reopened on April 5, 2014, after a renovation. The exhibits trace the history of the civil rights movement, including recreated buses tied to the Montgomery bus boycott and the Freedom Riders, as well as a sanitation truck from the 1968 strike. Room 306 is preserved as a memorial.
The museum includes a second building across the street, the former Young and Morrow Building, from which the fatal shot is said to have been fired; it covers the assassination and the investigation. The museum stands in the South Main Arts District of downtown Memphis. Allow enough time for both buildings, and check opening days and tickets in advance.
- Nearest town
- Memphis, TN
- Category
- History & culture
- GPS
- 35.1344, -90.0578
- Editor's pick
- ★
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually April–May and October. Still fine, with some compromises, in June, September and November. Hot in July–August. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Featured in these trip guides
Nearby
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Campsites nearby
- Graceland RV Park and CampgroundMotorhome stopover6 mi from National Civil Rights MuseumMotorhomes
- T. O. Fuller State Park CampgroundCampsite7 mi from National Civil Rights Museum · 45 pitchesTentsCaravansElectricity
- Memphis KOA JourneyMotorhome stopover13 mi from National Civil Rights MuseumMotorhomes
- Agricenter Rv ParkMotorhome stopover14 mi from National Civil Rights MuseumMotorhomes
- Dogwood Ridge CampgroundCampsite15 mi from National Civil Rights MuseumCaravans
- Mid-South RV Park (Closed)Motorhome stopover24 mi from National Civil Rights MuseumMotorhomes
All campsites in Tennessee · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is National Civil Rights Museum?
National Civil Rights Museum is in Memphis, TN, at GPS 35.1344, -90.0578. It is about 61 mi from Oxford.
Can you camp near National Civil Rights Museum?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Graceland RV Park and Campground, about 6 mi away; within 25 mi there are 11 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass National Civil Rights Museum?
National Civil Rights Museum is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Music highway: Nashville to New Orleans.
What is there to see near National Civil Rights Museum?
Places worth a stop nearby: Sun Studio (1 mi), Graceland (6 mi), Delta Cultural Center (52 mi) and Rowan Oak (61 mi).
When is the best time to visit National Civil Rights Museum?
The most pleasant months are usually April–May and October. Still fine, with some compromises, in June, September and November. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)