2018 Top 20 Places to Take Kids in and around Memphis
Best Places for Kids in the Memphis region!
The best places to take kids in Memphis, based on KidsOutAndAbout's annual reader survey. But there is LOTS more to do in Memphis! Get great ideas here! What is listed below are far from the only opportunities for family fun and learning; they're just what was voted this year.
Memphis Zoo
We are combining learning with fun by creating a classroom in the wild animal kingdom! When you take a field trip to the Zoo, you'll get up close and personal with some of the world's most exotic creatures while also applying important initiatives in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) curriculum. Book your Zoo trip today.
The Fire Museum of Memphis
Memphis' Hottest Attraction!!! America's premier interactive fire museum is in the legendary Fire Engine House No. 1 in downtown Memphis. Step back in time to a turn-of-the-century firehouse. Fight the flames of a burning skyscraper from a snorkel basket simulator. Take a look at the horse-drawn era of firefighting from the horse's perspective! Test your ability to find an escape route to survive a fire. Feel the heat of the Fire Room. Learn about the most devastating fires in the history of Memphis. Discover the proud history of Memphis' first African-American firefighters. And many more hot attractions!
Children's Museum of Memphis
Hands-on interactive museum with 21 exhibits - from a tornado to honeybees to airplane to karaoke - lots to do with kids 1-12 and their families!
Mississippi River Museum
The museum is comprised of 18 galleries that showcase 10,000 years of history in the Lower Mississippi River Valley. The exhibits detail early inhabitants in the valley to modern day transportation and contain over 5,000 artifacts; including two full size boat replicas which you can board and explore.
Mud Island River Park
Experience the River on The River!! See the Mighty Mississippi River up close. Hike down our 5 block long riverwalk model and see the Mississippi in miniature. Explore the 18-gallery Mississippi River Museum including two full size boat models you can board!
Graceland
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE) is the corporate entity that was created by the Elvis Presley Trust to conduct business and manage its assets. EPE was wholly owned by the Elvis Presley Trust/Lisa Marie Presley until 2005.
Pink Palace Museum
The Pink Palace Museum is one of the largest facilities of its kind in the Southeast. You can walk through a replica of the first self-service grocery store in the country, Clarence Saunders' Piggly Wiggly. Explore the cultural and natural history of the Mid-South through exciting exhibits, dioramas, and audio-visuals. Trace Memphis' development from the time of Spanish explorers through the Civil War and the yellow fever epidemics.
Memphis Railroad and Trolley Museum
The Memphis Railroad & Trolley Museum is located at 545 South Main Street, Suite 121, on the ground floor of the Central Station in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The museum is dedicated to documenting the local history of Railroad and the Memphis Trolleys. The museum provides static exhibits as well as video documentation and railroad model dioramas.
Go Ape Treetop Adventure
Park visitors (ages 10+) can now zip, swing and climb through the trees! Go Ape is a great outdoor adventure for families, friends and groups. The course is set within a gorgeous pine forest and borders Pine Lake, one of the Shelby Farm Park's 20+ bodies of water. Your group will be equipped with harnesses, pulleys and carabiners, given a 30 minute safety training, and then let loose into the forest canopy, free to swing through the trees.
Lichterman Nature Center
Located in the heart of metropolitan Memphis, the Center features exciting new exhibits, lush gardens featuring native wildflowers and trees, and a tradition of excellence in environmental education set in the midst of 65 acres of lake, meadow, and forest. Home to a wide variety of plants, birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals, Lichterman is an urban nature center, easily accessible to the people who need it the most, the people who live in the city.
CTI 3D Giant Theater
The Memphis Pink Palace Family of Museums' CTI 3D Giant Theater uses RealD 3D digital, provided by D3D.
Autozone Dome at the Sharpe Planetarium
Get ready to unlock new territories in your imagination as you are swept up in exploring every corner of our vast universe. This totally different, updated experience is a step into the future! Our 145-seat theater-in-the-round immerses you in a totally new level of sight, sound, and comfort. The dome is 50 feet in diameter and reaches 32.5 feet off-of-floor. The screen area is 3, 925 square feet, making it the largest projection screen in Memphis.
Coon Creek Science Center
Within the grounds of Coon Creek Science Center, located in rural McNairy County, Tennessee, lies one of the most important fossil sites in North America. Acquired by the Pink Palace Family of Museums in 1988, this property contains a treasure lode of superbly preserved Upper Cretaceous marine shells and vertebrate remains left there 70 million years ago when the water of the Gulf of Mexico receded.
Get Air Memphis
Indoor trampoline park featuring wall-to-wall trampoline, dodgeball court, foam pit, slack lines, Archery Tag, Hoverball, Ninja Courses, and much more!
Jumping World
At Jumping World we think staying physically active and healthy can be fun. We welcome children and adults of all ages into our facility. Our main court has the longest trampoline lanes in the country along with two dodge ball courts and a slam dunk court for guests to get some serious air. We have a separate court for kids ages 1-5 as well as a water-walking ball and cylinder.
Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park
Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park is the next dimension in sports, fun and fitness. SZ offers fun physical activities, games and entertainment for people of all ages, size and abilities on our patented 3-D walled playing surface. It's the ultimate "PLAY" experience for almost any age!
Golf and Games Family Park
Golf and Games Memphis is the perfect place for a group outing, with our many attractions and 40+ acres of space. Whatever the size or needs of your group, Golf and Games Memphis is more than happy to accommodate you.
Memphis Botanic Garden
Memphis Botanic Garden strives to enhance lives by connecting people with nature, increasing awareness and appreciation of our environment. Our 96-acre property includes 28 specialty gardens, which provide an in-depth look into various families of plants, flowers, and trees.
Dixon Gallery and Gardens
Founded in 1976 by Hugo and Margaret Dixon, the Dixon Gallery and Gardens is a fine art museum and public garden distinguished by its diverse and innovative programs in the arts and horticulture.
Metal Museum
The Metal Museum is the only institution in the United States devoted exclusively to the advancement of the art and craft of fine metalwork. This is achieved through exhibitions, collections, conservation, restoration and consulting services, classes, internship opportunities, artist residencies and apprenticeships, research and onsite fabrication of artwork and architectural elements.
