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Tennessee: the lorraine motel.

By DavGreg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18715627

On April 4, 1968, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated here at the Lorraine Motel, just a day after delivering his prophetic "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech at the  Mason Temple Church of God in Christ . Built in 1925, the Lorraine Hotel was a typical Southern hotel accessible only to whites in its early history; it was renamed the Lorraine Motel after the second floor was added. However, by the end of World War II, the Lorraine had become one of the few black establishments, and one of the only hotels providing accomodations to African Americans. Early guests to the Lorraine included Cab Colloway, Count Basie, and other prominent jazz musicians, in addition to later celebrities such as Roy Campanella, Nat King Cole , and Aretha Franklin. Partly because of its historical importance to the black community of Memphis, Martin Luther King chose to stay at the Lorraine during the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers strike. 

King, Ralph Abernathy , Andrew Young and other black leaders came to support 1,300 striking sanitation workers. Their grievances included unfair working conditions (on rainy days, black workers had to return home without pay while paid white supervisors remained on the job, and black workers were given only one uniform and no place in which to change clothes), and poor pay (the highest-paid black worker could not hope to earn more than $70 a week). Following a bloody confrontation between marching strikers and police, a court injunction had been issued banning further protests. King hoped their planned march would overturn the court injunction, but such plans were cut short on April 4, 1968 when an assassin shot and killed King on the balcony of King's room. In 1991, the Lorraine Motel was converted into the National Civil Rights Museum . The Lorraine Motel was chosen for inclusion in the African American Civil Rights Network in March 2018.  The African American Civil Rights Network recognizes the civil rights movement in the United States and the sacrifices made by those who fought against discrimination and segregation. Created by the African American Civil Rights Act of 2017, and coordinated by the National Park Service, the Network tells the stories of the people, places, and events of the U.S. civil rights movement from through a collection of public and private elements.

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Last updated: June 18, 2020

Local Treasure: The National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel

On the day of his birthday, January 15 is the day we reflect on the legacy of the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Here in Memphis, we honor that legacy at the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, the site of Dr. King’s murder by an assassin’s bullet on the evening of April 4, 1968. The motel is a local, national, and global treasure, a pilgrimage for millions worldwide.

Histories of the motel are plentiful. Here are a few primary sources that capture brief histories of this historic place:

The Lorraine Motel, from the National Park Service National Register of Historic Places

Built in 1925, the Lorraine Hotel was a typical Southern hotel accessible only to whites in its early history; it was renamed the Lorraine Motel after the second floor was added. However, by the end of World War II, the Lorraine had become one of the few black establishments, and one of the only hotels providing accommodations to African Americans. Early guests to the Lorraine included Cab Colloway, Count Basie, and other prominent jazz musicians, in addition to later celebrities such as Roy Campanella,  Nat King Cole , and Aretha Franklin. Partly because of its historical importance to the black community of Memphis, Martin Luther King chose to stay at the Lorraine during the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers strike.

Read more about the Lorraine Motel from the National Park Service>>

1968: “A Crime Scene Turns Into a Memorial to Dr. King,” from the New York Times Unpublished Black History

Less than two weeks before George Tames took this photograph in 1968, the hotel balcony he captured was full of life. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was making plans for dinner and discussing music for a coming meeting, requesting “Take My Hand, Precious Lord.” 

Then came gunfire. Dr. King fell. He was pronounced dead an hour later. 

Absence is a story that’s never easy to tell, in word or image. News photography in particular thrives on drama, and so it is hardly a surprise that the most memorable images of Dr. King’s death come from just after he was shot in Memphis on the evening of April 4, 1968. 

Now, though, a photo like the one above somehow takes on more meaning. Like the civil rights museum that occupies the old Lorraine Motel where he was shot, a small and intimate memorial in its own right, the image demands contemplation.

Read more from the New York Times Unpublished Black History>>

Lorraine Motel, from the Society of Architectural Historians

Sited south of Memphis’s central business district, the building was erected circa 1925. By the time Walter Bailey, an African American businessman, purchased the hotel two decades later, the demographics of Memphis were changing. After Bailey renamed the establishment for his wife Loree and the song “Sweet Lorraine,” it became prime lodging for African American visitors to the segregated city, and guests in the post–World War II period included prominent musicians and community leaders, who also patronized the hotel’s cafe. Beginning in 1952, the Lorraine was featured in annual issues of  The Negro Travelers’ Green Book,  a guide to facilities that welcomed and catered to African American motorists in an era when such information was necessary for personal safety.

Bailey expanded the Lorraine in 1955, adding sixteen rooms in a two-story concrete block wing built east of the original hotel. Twelve more rooms on a second story were added later, as were more guest rooms and drive-up access—turning this into a modern motel. The two-story structure was typical of motor hotels of the period, which catered to auto traffic with parking right outside one’s room and large plate glass windows that fronted exterior walkways. At the Lorraine, open metal stairs gave access to the rooms on the second level of the motel. Though architectural exuberance was not uncommon in motels of the 1950s, the Lorraine is stylistically modest. The exception is its multistory sign, which can be described as a Memphis response to California Googie. Towering over the motel, the open metal turquoise frame supports a red chevron at the top, a yellow oval with “Lorraine” in black script, and five white circles that spell “motel” in red capital letters.

Read more from Lorraine Motel, Society of Architectural Historians>>

For more information, visit the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel

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National Civil Rights Museum - Lorraine Motel

Price & Hours

• Facilities 3.0
• Atmosphere 4.5

Recent travelers agreed the National Civil Rights Museum should be at the top of anyone's list of things to see in Memphis. Housed in the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, the museum features multimedia presentations on the civil rights movement. With the help of 260 artifacts, more than 40 films, oral histories, interactive media and external listening posts, visitors are guided through four centuries of history. During your self-guided tour, you'll view artifacts paramount to the movement, such as a Greyhound bus ridden by Freedom Riders. You'll also have the chance to see King's motel room, where he spent his final hours.

Reviewers described the museum as "surreal" and "incredibly moving." They went on to note the staging of the exhibits is "top-notch" and said the museum helped put seminal events of the period into context for a better overall understanding of the movement. Visitors should budget at least two to three hours to tour the entire facility. The museum is also a featured stop on many of the best Memphis tours . The Legacy Building, where James Earl Ray fired the shot that ended Dr. King's life, is closed until 2025 as part of a multimillion-dollar expansion project that will add exhibits and transform the adjacent Founders Park.

Located south of downtown Memphis in the South Main Arts District, the National Civil Rights Museum is open every day except Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. However, on Mondays the museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and students, $15 for kids between the ages of 5 and 17 and free for children 4 and younger. Active military members also get in for free. For more information on the museum and its events, visit its website .

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National Civil Rights Museum - Lorraine Motel

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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National Civil Rights Museum - Lorraine Motel (Memphis, TN): Hours, Address, Attraction Reviews - Tripadvisor

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A millennial's eye-opening tour of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Some may know Memphis as just another city on the Interstate 40 route, but exploring the city brings a wealth of southern comfort and historical aspects.

At 7:05 p.m. on April 4, 1968, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was pronounced dead at St. Joseph Hospital here.

While King was born and raised in Atlanta, his final days took place in Memphis and his legacy continues, documented at the National Civil Rights Museum.

The museum is 52,000 square feet with interactive features detailing the life of the civil rights movement. It is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, but is closed on Tuesdays.

When entering the three-year-old renovated facility, guests are brought into a two-story area with a bronze “Monument to Life,” which depicts the slow progression in the civil rights movement.

Entry to the museum is $15, with discounts for children, seniors and students. The destination is a must-see for anyone, specifically millennials and younger — of which I am a member.

I took a self-guided tour through the museum, and was taken back to a time when the term "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal” meant nothing, and I would soon understand why it was necessary to say them.

The quote greeted me in the first room and would haunt me throughout my tour.

A 12-minute movie was shown, detailing the lives and themes that I would see inside the museum. It's a good multimedia tool to engage all ages and prepare our minds for what would come.

When exiting the theater, I began walking down a hallway full of history on the early days of being a black person in America, only to look up and see a brightly lit Ku Klux Klan outfit towering over me.

I had a feeling of oppression after looking at it for several moments.

This section of the museum had a great interactive feature, where guests could pick up phones and listen to conversations of those who helped in the early days of the civil rights movement.

Education would be in the next room on my journey through history, with the term “equal” still missing, but the importance of learning, as a way to make equality a reality, was emphasized through videos and interactive exhibits.

It was a true breath of relief on my journey, only to feel my heart drop at the exhibit on Rosa Parks.

A replica bus with a statue bus driver seated in the front welcomed you aboard, with instructions to go and sit in the back.

I had never been told that.

The idea of not being equal engulfed me at that point, and my heart dropped. It would only be a small glimpse into the 1950s in America.

My tour continued, with topics ranging from jobs for black Americans and the suffrage movement. The pathway through the museum leading up to the suffrage exhibit had statues of police wearing gas masks, many grasping batons, scenes from the early 1950s.

The suffrage exhibit was full of facts detailing the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which allowed the 15th Amendment to be enforced.

Photos would loom over me of countless acts of demonstrations and oppression as people fought to be considered equal in the voting booth.

I would finally fully grasp the severity of what King and others had to go through to have their voices heard.

In this part of the museum, statues of black men in a line were carrying signs that read “I am a man” but were being overlooked by police with fixed bayonets.

This chilling scene was from an event that occurred on March 28, 1968, in Memphis, with one man being killed. King promised to return and he would, but never left.

Before arriving at King's room, the story of his life was portrayed through interactive displays, which I found to be a good way to appeal to a more computer-centered generation. I spent a while looking through the stories.

At this point in the tour, equality among all was beginning to show in the exhibits, but as I got to the room where King was staying, I could only think that 49 years ago he was shot on the second floor of the motel.

I came upon two rooms where King had stayed and others around me were completely silent. The rooms had been persevered to look as they were when he was shot.

Everybody was looking into Room 306 where King stayed before being shot on the balcony.

Another short exhibit followed discussing the mourning of the world, then I headed across the street to the Legacy Building, a free addition to my tour.

On my way out, the clerk at the front desk remembered my name from our earlier conversation and told me to have a great day. I was astounded she remembered my name and made me feel at home.

The Legacy Building tour

The second part of the tour included more facts on King's life and a wealth of information about his assassination.

Both museums are two stories and include elevators. The elevator ride in the second building included news reports over the speakers stating that King had been shot.

The second floor features exhibits on the civil rights movement, with a wall detailing every event in chronological order, leading to the assassination.

The bathroom, encased in a glass wall, in the building across from the Lorraine Motel was one of two possible points from which King was shot. It has been kept in the same condition from April 4, 1968, including the cracked-open window.

There were also exhibits on conspiracy theories about the assassination.

It was a breath of fresh air to see that the museum highlighted the growth of black Americans in state and federal governments.

I wish I had allotted more time to read the in-depth exhibits, and for reflection. This museum could take half a day if you have the time.

Ending my two-hour tour, I went back to the outside of Room 306 in front of the Lorriane Motel and wondered whether I still believed that we treat all people as if they are created equal.

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The lorraine motel.

Home » Ghost Tour Locations » Memphis Ghost Tour » The Lorraine Motel

The Lorraine Motel allows visitors to take a glimpse into the past. Memphis’s haunted Civil Rights Museum is the exact location where Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s life was tragically cut short in 1968. His sudden and tragic death has left a strange spiritual aura around the motel, especially in his old room. 

His sheets are still unmade, his car is in the parking spot out front, and old cigarettes remain in the ashtray. Perhaps this is why visitors to the historic motel-turned-Civil Rights Museum feel incredibly uneasy near Dr. King’s old room. 

King wasn’t the only casualty that day, as you’ll learn on this tragic trip down horror lane. 

The Lorraine Hotel is one of many stops along the #1-rated ghost tour in Memphis . Come and experience it for yourself with US Ghost Adventures by your side. 

History of The Lorraine Motel

The Bluff City is much more than the blues, Beale Street, and Elvis. Before Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s assassination, the iconic Lorraine Motel served an important purpose. It was one of many establishments deemed safe for African Americans by the “Green Guide” during the Jim Crow era of American history. 

The legendary Motel’s story trails back even further, however. 

The Lorraine Motel first opened its doors at 450 Mulberry Street in 1925 as the 16-bedroom Windsor Hotel. This “white’s only” Hotel slowly began to cater to the large black population in Memphis, eventually changing its name to the Marquette.

Walter and Loree Bailey stepped into the picture in 1945, purchasing the hotel shortly after the end of World War 2. It was renamed the Lorraine Motel after the popular 1920s song “Sweet Lorraine” and in honor of Loree Bailey. 

The Lorraine Motel 

The Bailey’s catered to the growing number of black entertainers coming to Memphis. Just a block away was, and still is, Beale Street, the capital of live music in Memphis. Stax Records , the record label responsible for recording Otis Redding, Albert King, Booker T and The MGs, and many more, opened up in 1957 just a few blocks away. 

Famous black musicians such as Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Aretha Franklin, and Sam Cooke have all stayed at the Lorraine. Sadly, this fact would get lost to one of the most heinous crimes committed in US history.

In a time before the internet and one of increasingly violent racial segregation, finding a safe place to rest was difficult. A designated list of safe establishments for African Americans, The “Green Guide,” was produced and distributed by New York City postal worker Victor Hugo Green from 1936 to 1966. The Lorraine became a safe haven for these traveling troubadors and many others.

The Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King

On April 4th, 1968, Civil Rights Leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on the second-floor balcony of the Lorraine Motel. He was gunned down by James Earl Ray in front of room 306—a room he stayed in so often that it had already been named after him in his honor. 

King was in town to support striking sanitation workers and had experienced a bomb threat, delaying their initial flight to Memphis. Tensions were already high when King arrived in Memphis. The events of that day reflect a much larger situation in America, one that is still evolving today. 

The Death of Loree Bailey

Loree Bailey also became a victim that day. Tragically, the shock from the day’s events caused her a brain aneurysm. She was discovered when Reverend Samuel Keys, who was standing next to King during the assassination, attempted to call the hospital but received no response from the switchboard, one of Loree’s many duties. 

She was eventually rushed to the hospital and died five days later, the same day as Dr. King’s funeral. 

Spirits of The Civil Rights Museum

Walter Bailey continued to operate the Lorraine Motel without Loree for another 14 years before declaring bankruptcy in 1982. The Save the Lorraine Foundation stepped in and purchased it, continuing operations as a motel until 1988, when Walter Bailey died. 

In 1991, it reopened officially as the National Civil Rights Museum. Dr. King’s room was left just as it was on the day of his assassination, and the adjacent room, Room 307, was decorated in honor of Loree. 

Could this be the reason why many guests feel an overbearing presence when entering these rooms? Their breathing becomes short, and their chests begin to feel heavy. Many feel an overwhelming sadness as if Dr. King is there with them. They are frozen in time, along with the cars out front, accurate to those parked under the balcony to the moment when Dr. King lost his life. 

In fact, one verified account comes from actor Chi McBride. Before he became famous for his role in Boston Public, he experienced what so many had before. On an episode of Celebrity Ghost Stories, he described being frozen in time and even experiencing a flashback to that ill-fated day—a memory that has never left him.

Memphis’s haunted Civil Rights Museum almost invites the spirits of these forlorn Civil Rights leaders to continue to exist. 

Haunted Memphis

The beats on Beale Street, of both past and present, mingle with Memphis’s heavy racial tensions. These tensions created a dark history that still permeates the murky waters alongside Bluff City. 

Experience the Lorraine and the other haunted locations around Memphis on a tour with US Ghost Adventures. Our ghost tour is the most historically accurate and frightening in the entire city. Grab an EVP reader from one of our experienced tour guides and communicate with the spirits on your own! 

Until then, keep reading our blog and follow us on Facebook , Instagram , and TikTok for more spooky stories and content!

https://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2016/jun/3/civil-rights-museum-highlights-motels-storied-history/

https://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/news/posts/the-famous-lorraine-motel

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-lorraine-motel-and-martin-luther-king

https://thepointsguy.com/news/in-memphis-the-national-civil-rights-museum-honors-a-tragedy-and-highlights-an-icon-of-mid-century-travel/

https://www.nps.gov/places/tennessee-the-lorraine-hotel-memphis.htm

https://staxrecords.com/history/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Negro_Motorist_Green_Book

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When Visiting Memphis, Touring The Lorraine Motel Is Something That Should Not Be Missed

Tours of the Lorraine Motel are humbling, sobering, and will forever be representative of an emotional turning point in America's history.

It was a Thursday evening on April 4th, 1968, that one of the greatest revolutionary leaders of the civil rights movement spent his final hours. Martin Luther King, Jr. was standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis when he was fatally wounded by a shot fired by a man named James Early Ray.

While Ray would live out the rest of his days in prison before eventually dying behind bars, King's message was eternal and immortal. His last stand on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, just outside of Room 306, would soon be protected and turned into a full civil rights museum. When visiting Memphis, this is one stop that should not be missed on the list of Tennessee museums .

Related: This Is What The Museum Of Natural History Is Known For (Plus A Guide On How To Tour It)

The Lorraine Motel & Its Historic Status

The Lorrain Motel is located at 450 Mulberry Street, and if one didn't know any better, they would presume it was just like any other hotel on the side of the road in Memphis. However, it now stands as a protected site and one that's just as historically significant as any other with registered landmark status. Today, one would never guess that the final moments of a courageous and steadfast civil rights leader, Baptist minister, and activist took place in this same spot. Despite his life taken out of anger and hatred, Martin Luther King, Jr. continued to stand for the rights of all black Americans, becoming not only a symbol for the black community but for civil and human rights around the entire world.

Drawing inspiration from his own Christian roots and beliefs as well as the nonviolent human rights movement led by Mahatma Gandhi, he was able to organize some of the largest and most effective civil rights protests and marches that were seen in American until that time. In 1964, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and is known most famously for his 'I Have A Dream' speech, inspiring many on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

The Lorraine Motel was the last place that MLK stood on that tragic day in history, and it took decades before it finally became a protected piece of property. The last year that it was in operation was 1982 and, luckily, it had still maintained much of its 1960s charm and aesthetic, driving home, even more, the atmosphere that surrounded MLK on his final day. It was closed for good to guests and renters in 1988 when it gained historical recognition. By 1991, the motel had become a dedicated museum and continued to grow to include and full museum of exhibits, known as the National Civil Rights Museum.

Outside of the Lorraine Motel, there is an inscription that reads:

"Martin Luther King, Jr. / Jan. 15th - Apr. 4th 1968 / Founding President / Southern Christian Leadership Conference

'They said to one another,

Behold, here cometh the dreamer...

Let us sly him...

And we shall see what will become of his dreams.'"

Genesis 37 19-20

Related: Visiting The Anne Frank House: An Emotional Museum that Will Move Anyone To Tears

Visiting The National Civil Rights Museum

The museum opened its doors in September of 1991 and is officially owned by the state of Tennessee, but is operated by the Lorraine Civil Rights Museum Foundation. Found on the sign indicating the motel, visitors will be greeted with the words 'I have a dream,' echoing the start of one of the most important, and significant, speeches ever given in America.

When entering the Lorraine Building of the museum, visitors will find more than 40 short films, oral histories, and interactive exhibits. The tour is self-guided and there are many artifacts on display from the Civil Rights Movement, along with the actual room - room 306 - in which MLK spent his final days. Although the museum has been updated, the exhibits brilliantly draw connections between the Civil Rights Movement six decades ago, and the current events of today.

On average, a visit to. the National Civil Rights Museum lasts roughly an hour and a half and the museum advises booking tickets in advance. Those visiting within the last hour of the museum's hours of operation may experience a shortened self-guided tour. For the time being, any interpretive talks are being held in the courtyard space outside of the museum.

• Admission: Adults $18 | Seniors 55+ & college students with ID $16 | Children aged 5 - 17 $15 | Children under age 4, military, and museum members - Free
• Hours: Thursday - Monday 9 AM - 5 PM, Closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays
• Tickets: Visitors are advised to purchase tickets in advance; however, timed tickets are only sold online. Check-in is 15 minutes prior to one's ticket time, and the last ticket is sold at 4:15 PM. Those purchasing tickets in person should be aware that they are sold based on availability, or can be sold on a standby basis.

Next: Visit The NYC Tenement Museum: Where Every Room Represents A Different Time Period

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The Lorraine Motel and Martin Luther King

By Allyson Hobbs

The Lorraine Motel, located at 450 Mulberry Street, in downtown Memphis, opened its doors in the mid-twenties. It had sixteen rooms and stood just east of the Mississippi River. It was first named the Windsor Hotel , and later the Marquette Hotel . Then, in 1945, Walter and Loree Bailey bought it and named it after Loree, as well as the popular song “Sweet Lorraine,” which artists including Rudy Vallée, Teddy Wilson, and Nat King Cole had recorded. The couple expanded the hotel by adding more guest rooms and drive-up access, transforming it into a motel. It was a modest establishment, but it would change everything about their lives.

As a hotel, the Windsor and the Marquette were all-white establishments. Under the Baileys’ ownership, the Lorraine Motel became a safe haven for black travellers and visitors to Memphis. The motel was listed in “ The Negro Motorist Green Book ,” also known as the Green Guide, a compilation of hotels, restaurants, gas stations, beauty parlors, barber shops, and other businesses that were friendly to African-Americans during the Jim Crow era. Given the motel’s proximity to Beale Street and Stax Records , black songwriters and musicians would stay at the Lorraine while they were recording in Memphis. Negro League baseball players and the Harlem Globetrotters also spent time at the motel. The Baileys welcomed black and white guests, served home-cooked meals, and offered an upscale environment. Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Ethel Waters, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Aretha Franklin, Louis Armstrong, Sarah Vaughan, and Nat King Cole were all guests . As Isaac Hayes reminisced, “We’d go down to the Lorraine Motel and we’d lay by the pool and Mr. Bailey would bring us fried chicken and we’d eat ice cream. . . . We’d just frolic until the sun goes down and [then] we’d go back to work.” Two famous songs, “In the Midnight Hour” and “Knock on Wood,” were written at the motel.

Martin Luther King, Jr., was the Lorraine Motel’s most famous guest. He stayed at the motel numerous times while visiting the city, and again in the spring of 1968, when he came to Memphis to support a strike by sanitation workers. On April 4, 1968, he stepped out of Room 306 and talked to friends in the parking lot below. He asked the saxophonist Ben Branch to play “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” at the rally that evening. As King turned to walk back into his room, a bullet struck him in the neck, taking his life instantly. Loree Bailey suffered a stroke when she heard the shot fired. She died on April 9th, the same day as King’s funeral.

Walter Bailey continued to run the motel, but he never rented Room 306 again. He turned it into a memorial. The room has been preserved to capture exactly what it looked like on that tragic night. There are two beds. (King was sharing the room with Dr. Ralph Abernathy, a friend.) King’s bed was not fully made because he was not feeling well and had been lying down. Dishes left in the room were from the kitchen where Loree Bailey prepared food for the motel’s guests.

In 1982, Walter Bailey declared bankruptcy and stood by helplessly as his high-end establishment became a brothel. The Lorraine would have been sold at auction, but the Save the Lorraine organization bought it and decided to transform it into a museum.

The Lorraine Motel still stands on Mulberry Street. It is instantly recognizable, and appears as though suspended in another time. Two large cars— a white 1959 Dodge Royal with lime green fins and a white 1968 Cadillac —are parked in front of the motel, and the aqua doors to the rooms are numbered with a sparse font. The large motel sign features “Lorraine” printed in a dramatic script against a bright yellow background, and “Motel” is written in large red block letters, each letter stamped inside its own white circle. A large white wreath hangs on the balcony outside Room 306, to memorialize the spot where King stood at the time of the assassination. Standing in front of the motel transports visitors to a bygone era. If you close your eyes, the iconic photograph of King’s friends pointing off into the distance, at the place from which they believed the shot was fired, comes into sharp view.

The motel is now the home of the National Civil Rights Museum . Filled with artifacts, films, oral histories, and interactive media, the exhibits guide visitors through five centuries of history, from slave resistance to the numerous protests of the American civil-rights movement. The dulcet voice of the gospel singer and civil-rights activist Mahalia Jackson fills the small corridor where visitors can gaze into Room 306. (Jackson performed “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” at his funeral.) Visits to the museum conclude with a video of images of the anti-apartheid movement, the election of President Obama, and other major events of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. As visitors exit the museum, they glimpse their shadows cast against a wall of silhouetted marchers, a symbolic way of encouraging visitors to join the ongoing movement for racial justice and equality.

Walter Bailey died in July, 1988, just over a year after the motel closed. He did not live to see the opening of the National Civil Rights Museum, in 1991 . His “Sweet Lorraine” would never be the same building that had held so much promise when he and Loree bought it. Perhaps there is some consolation in knowing that the Lorraine welcomes more guests now than ever before.

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By Erin Overbey

By Steve Schapiro

About the Museum

Noted as one of the nation's premier heritage and cultural museums, the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee, is steadfast in its mission to share the culture and lessons from the American Civil Rights Movement and explore how this significant era continues to shape equality and freedom globally.

Established in 1991, the National Civil Rights Museum is located at the former Lorraine Motel, where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968. Through interactive exhibits, historic collections, dynamic speakers and special events, the museum offers visitors a chance to walk through history and learn more about a tumultuous and inspiring period of change.

To accommodate public demand for further educational opportunities, the museum underwent a $27.5 million renovation in 2013 and 2014, adding more than 40 new films, oral histories and interactive media to the already robust galleries. The result is a one-of-a-kind experience that has been featured on the History Channel and CNN, in USA Today and as the focus for the Academy Award-nominated documentary The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306 .

Additionally, the museum is among the top 5% of institutions to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and is a founding member of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, which brings together historic sites, museums and memory initiatives from all around the globe that connect past struggles to today’s movements for human rights and social justice.

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Mission statement

The National Civil Rights Museum, located at the Lorraine Motel, honors and preserves the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  We chronicle the American civil rights movement and tell the story of the ongoing struggle for human rights. We educate and serve as a catalyst to inspire action to create positive social change.

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The Lorraine Motel

The Lorraine Civil Rights Museum Foundation, DBA National Civil Rights Museum, is located at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, the historic site where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. In addition to housing one of the premiere cultural museums in the United States, the Lorraine Motel boasts an interesting story of its own.

• Originally named the Windsor Hotel c. 1925
• Renamed Marquette Hotel in 1945 and offered for sale
• Purchased by Walter Bailey in 1945 and renamed the Lorraine Hotel, after his wife Loree and a song titled "Sweet Lorraine". At the time of purchase, the Lorraine included a cafe; and living quarters for the Baileys.
• A two-story concrete block motel structure was built to the east of the hotel in 1955. It contained 16 rooms.
• The Lorraine was one of only a few hotels to which African-American travelers could enjoy overnight accommodations during the segregated eras leading up to the late 1960s in America.
• Under the Baileys' ownership, there were at least two major additions to the hotel– first, a second floor with 12 rooms and later, more guest rooms and drive-up access. This change converted the Lorraine Hotel into a motel.
• Guests of the Lorraine, both black and white, returned many times for its upscale atmosphere, home-cooked meals, affordable prices and reputation as a clean, safe environment.
• Songwriters and musicians working with Stax Records were frequent residents of the Lorraine. Recording stars Ray Charles, Lionel Hampton, Aretha Franklin, Ethel Waters, Otis Redding, The Staple Singers and Wilson Pickett were among the many who stayed in the Lorraine during the late 1950s and early 1960s.
• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stayed at the Lorraine Motel numerous times, especially when he came to Memphis in 1968 in support of striking sanitation workers.
• The Lorraine Motel is designated an historic site by the Tennessee Historical Commission.

The National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel is a very special experience that takes visitors through centuries of history. Have a question? You might find the answer in our FAQs section.

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An Absolute Must-See - National Civil Rights Museum - Lorraine Motel

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An Absolute Must-See

This is an absolute must-see when visiting Memphis. It is a well laid out museum with loads of poignant, emotional exhibits and testimonies. I could have so much more time here but it really is a museum which requires two or more shorter visits to take it all in. I commend and salute everyone who has put this museum together.

I had no idea why Martin Luther King, Jr. was in Memphis that day. I learned so much about the garbage worker's strike and history leading up to his assassination. The museum is very well-done.

Excellent museum, very comprehensive. Walks you through the civil rights movements and the events that led up to the boycotts, protests and marches. I found it to be interesting and informative, well done.

A very emotional and thought provoking place , where dr Martin Luther king was shot , the room where he stayed and the outside and balcony are kept how they were on that awful day , the rest of the museum is set out in different areas telling the story of other prominent figures in the civil rights movement very moving

We are so glad that we went here. Even just standing outside, gives you the shivers. There is a gray line on the ground that marks a straight line from the window that they believe the shot came from to room 306. So many pieces of this museum are emotional. There are lots of televised clips, blown up photos, quotes on walls, and replicated memorabilia that take you back in time. Bring Kleenex! This is a longer walk of a museum. Towards the beginning there are places to rest, however, closer towards the end there are not. I would not suggest this museum to anyone who has difficulty walking unaided, or for long periods of time. Some of the areas are small, and quickly become crowded.

Seeing the outside of the Lorraine Motel was interesting, and also then seeing Dr. King's hotel room was as well. This museum is well put together and interesting for adults and probably older kids. I feel that everyone would learn something of importance at this museum. After this tour one could walk a block to the Arcade Restaurant, also recommended.

9 Impressive Things to Do in Memphis, TN

I visited Memphis numerous times for Graceland but was excited to explore more of this vibrant city. My husband and I took a memorable day trip from our RV park in Tunica, MS, immersing ourselves in the local culture, savoring delectable cuisine, visiting historic Civil Rights sites, and shopping where The King once did. Here are 9 impressive things to do in Memphis, Tennessee, that we enjoyed and hope you will, too.

Table of Contents

1. tour graceland, 2. shop at the clothier to the king, 3. visit a national civil rights site, 4. have a fabulous sunday brunch, 5. see a show at the orpheum theatre, 6. stroll beale street, 7. find the historic markers and colorful murals, 8. see the ducks at the peabody hotel, 9. see a sporting event.

Memphis is home to Graceland , the sole residence of Elvis Presley . Preserved with care, this modest abode remains brimming with the King’s personal belongings, drawing visitors from all corners of the globe. The expansive tour of Graceland unveils room after room of remarkable memorabilia, including gold and platinum records, striking jumpsuits, and artifacts from Elvis’s iconic concerts and films.

Not to be missed is the Elvis: The Entertainer Career Museum, now housed in what was once the awards room. The Jungle Room, adorned with green shag carpeting and a Polynesian flair, is a delightful detour.

Additionally, visitors can glimpse “Lisa Marie,” the aircraft named after Elvis’s cherished daughter, and the Meditation Garden where Elvis and his family (including Lisa Marie) are interred.

During our visit to Memphis, we were excited to stumble upon the renowned  Lansky Brothers  store at the Peabody Hotel. As the preferred clothier to the King himself, the Lansky Brothers crafted numerous iconic and glamorous outfits for him. As I marveled at the guitars and memorabilia adorning the walls, I couldn’t help but admire their fashionable apparel. 

Established in 1946, Lansky Brothers has remained a fixture in Memphis, offering stylish attire for men and women for over 75 years. Their merchandise caters to customers of all budgets with a diverse range of options. I scored a fantastic new pair of sneakers and some potential Christmas gifts during my visit.

I was emotionally overcome when I reached downtown Memphis and set foot on the National Civil Rights Museum site. The site where Dr. Martin Luther King’s life was tragically taken on April 4th, 1968, holds immense power and significance.

The meticulously preserved Lorraine Motel and its surroundings are staged to resemble that fateful day, which creates an awe-inspiring scene. Inside the  National Civil Rights Museum , you can explore the historic buildings and the museum with an $18 ticket ($15 for ages 5 to 17). Visitors can purchase timed tickets online or take their chances by walking up to the museum entrance. 

Plan to spend about 90 minutes here as the museum presents compelling stories of African Americans who faced and fought against discrimination. Please be aware that the content may be sensitive to some individuals. This museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate and is closed on Tuesdays.

FYI : Free parking is available for museum guests. Enter the lot by turning north on Mulberry Street from G.E. Patterson Avenue.

I carefully review menus when visiting new places, seeking the best local and tourist food experiences. So, you can imagine my excitement when we snagged a Sunday brunch reservation at  Automatic Slim’s , a fantastic restaurant downtown. 

This spot boasts a killer menu and fun decor. Automatic Slim’s was my top choice for dining in Memphis, and landing a Sunday brunch reservation there in the South felt like pure luck.

Both my husband and I love Benedicts, so naturally, we gravitated towards that section of the menu. He ordered the Crab Cake Benedict, and I opted for the BBQ Brisket Benedict—a dish I hadn’t seen anywhere before. The tender and flavorful brisket arrived on an open-faced biscuit, topped with perfectly poached eggs and BBQ hollandaise. While a touch more hollandaise would have been perfect, the taste was impeccable. I savored every single bite.

If Benedicts aren’t your thing, Automatic Slim’s offers frittatas, casseroles, chicken and waffles, and various delicious pancake and waffle combinations.

The  Orpheum Theatre  in Memphis, Tennessee, is a renowned performing arts venue. With 2,308 seats, it presents a diverse lineup of off-Broadway shows, musicals, dramas, dance performances, movies, and special events. As an iconic landmark on the National Register of Historic Places, the theater boasts a striking appearance, especially at night when its neon Orpheum sign illuminates the town. 

Once acclaimed as one of the most beautiful theaters beyond New York City, it continues to enchant visitors. The remarkable decor, crystal chandeliers, gilded molding, and exquisite draperies will leave visitors in awe. And don’t miss the mighty Wurlitzer organ that still graces this magnificent theater.

Upcoming performances at the Orpheum in 2023-24 include “Six,” “Bluey’s Big Play,” “Beetlejuice,” “Wicked,” “The Nutcracker,” and “Les Miserables.”

Beale Street, a National Historic Landmark in Memphis, is a legendary attraction famous for its live music, vibrant nightlife, and mouthwatering BBQ. This pedestrian-only area, known as the “Home of the Blues,” offers countless activities and sights for visitors.

As you wander the streets, you’ll find a few shops, some filled with Western wear and quirky souvenirs, while others offer high-quality merchandise. Two of my favorites are Memphis Music, where you can find vinyl records and music-themed purses, and A. Schwab, an iconic general store established in 1876. This charming spot provides fabulous t-shirts and collectible items. It features a small museum on the second floor and a delightful ice cream parlor on the first floor, serving gelato.

Keep an eye out for the talented street performers that add to the vibrant atmosphere of this legendary street. Of course, a trip to Beale Street wouldn’t be complete without indulging in its delectable cuisine. Whether you prefer BB King’s Blues Club, Dyer’s Burgers, Hard Rock Cafe, or Blues City Cafe, you’ll find these and many more dining options.

Please note that to access Beale Street after 11 PM, you must be 21 years old and carry a valid ID.

Memphis boasts an impressive collection of historical markers, murals, and sculptures that enhance its renowned landscape. Handy Park is where you can find the W.C. Handy sculpture and the park’s frequent free performances. The hand-painted guitars throughout the city feature captivating artwork and tribute to beloved musicians.

Among these are twenty giant replicas of B.B. King’s iconic “Lucille” style guitars, featured in the Gibson GuitarTown Public Art Display. Each marker tells a unique story, often accompanied by famous quotes. The vibrant murals throughout the city never fail to brighten one’s day.

Don’t miss the opportunity to capture selfies in front of these incredible, original art pieces—a lasting reminder of your journey and a delightful addition to your social media feed.

The Peabody Ducks, a cherished Memphis tradition, captivate young and old as they showcase their magic. This century-old performance takes place daily in the lobby of the Peabody Hotel , where the ducks, guided by a red carpet, make their way to the exquisite Italian travertine marble fountain.

This iconic scene boasts not only the splashing and bathing of the ducks, but also presents a stunning display of historical architecture in the hotel lobby. Curious about the ducks’ leisure time? The Royal Duck Palace on the hotel rooftop offers a 12×24 foot glass and marble enclosure with cooling ceiling fans and granite floors.

An expansive window lets guests glimpse these feathered stars during their well-deserved breaks.

The Peabody is a proud  Historic Hotels of America  member, further highlighting the significance of preserving our architectural heritage.

I was thrilled when my daughters saw a Memphis Redbirds game with their grandparents some 20 years ago. It’s incredible how the team continues to captivate fans.

The Redbirds are a Minor League Baseball team affiliated with the  St. Louis  Cardinals, playing in the Triple-A East league. Their games occur at AutoZone Park, the priciest minor league venue in the nation, with a seating capacity of 10,000. 

Another fantastic sporting event to attend is a Memphis Grizzlies game held at FedExForum. The Grizzlies, an NBA team, relocated from Vancouver to Memphis in 2001 and have made ten playoff appearances. Notable players include Pau Gasol and Zach Randolph.

Read about more road trips in Tennessee:

A Road Trip to Bristol

Best Restaurants in Sevierville

Fun Things to Do and See in Johnson City

Martin Luther King III talks about his father, his name, history and hope

As one might expect, Martin Luther King III experiences what he describes as "myriad emotions" when he returns to Memphis, the city where his world-famous and world-changing father was felled by an assassin's bullet on a balcony of the Lorraine Motel in 1968.

“I remember April 4, 56 years ago, the Thursday night my dad was killed,” said King, who was 10 years old at the time. “But I also remember April 8, which was a Monday, the day that my mom took the three of us older children to Memphis to continue the work he was engaged in and lead a demonstration.”