National Civil Rights Museum – Virtual Tour

The National Civil Rights Museum traces the history of the civil rights movement in the United States from the 17th century to the present. The museum is built around the former Lorraine Motel, which was the site of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968.

The museum consists of a complex of historic buildings in Memphis, Tennessee, with exhibits on the history and legacy of the civil rights movement.

During the segregation era, the Lorraine Motel operated as lodging that catered to African American clientele. Among its guests through the 1960s were musicians that including Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Wilson Picket, and many others.

Following the assassination of King, Room 306 where King died, and the adjoining room were maintained as a memorial to the activist leader.

Eventually, a museum complex was developed, and in 1991, the museum was opened to the public.

The foundation also became the custodian of the police and evidence files associated with the assassination, including the rifle and fatal bullet.

Recreation of Martin Luther King’s Cell in Birmingham Jail

Highlights of the National Civil Rights Museum

Room 306 where Dr. King was staying when he died
A replica sanitation truck – Dr. King came to Memphis to support an AFSCME sanitation workers’ strike
A replica of the bus Rosa Parks rode in Montgomery, Alabama, before initiating the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955-56
A model of the U.S. Supreme Courtroom where the Court ruled that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional in 1954
Recreation exhibit of Martin Luther King’s Cell in Birmingham Jail
Interactive kiosks with audio, images, and video about the civil rights movement
Several vehicles of historic value relevance to the period

Statues of Protesters with Signage

National Civil Rights Museum

Museum: National Civil Rights Museum
City: Memphis
State: Tennessee
Country: United States
Opened: 2014
Type: History museum
Category: National Museum of the United States
Location: 450 Mulberry St, Memphis, TN, United States

The site of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968

National Civil Rights Museum Map

National Civil Rights Museum – 360 Views

Virtual Tour of the National Museums of the United States

National Civil Rights Museum

A Tour of the Top Museums in the USA

National Civil Rights Museum

~~~

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
– Martin Luther King Jr

~~~

Photo Credit: Adam Jones, Ph.D. / CC BY-SA (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0); Thomas R Machnitzki / CC BY-SA (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)