Walking In Memphis

Nature, culture, history come alive at Pink Palace...

Everything you do in Memphis is better if you start at the Pink Palace," says Ronda Cloud, a spokeswoman for the Memphis (Tenn.) Pink Palace Family of Museums.

The Pink Palace is a regional science and technology museum located in a grand 1923 pink marble home originally built and owned by the founder of Piggly Wiggly, Clarence Saunders. In 1930, the home, which had been foreclosed on after the stock market crash, opened as the Memphis Museum of Natural History and Industrial Arts and later became the focal point in a multi-faceted set of exhibits including the Sharpe Planetarium and Crew Training International IMAX Theater.

FAQ

Pink Palace Museum

HOURS — 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday

WHERE — 3050 Central Ave. in Memphis

COST — $6.25-$22.25

INFO — 901-636-2362, memphismuseums.org

BONUS — This family of museums offers such a large variety of exhibits that one visit could last all day. With the inclusion of the Planetarium, gallery and the historic Mallory-Neely House and Magevney House, even mom and dad will be begging to go back.

FYI

Memphis Museums

Graceland — Also known as the home of Elvis Presley, Graceland opened to the public in 1982 and has been a favorite destination for fans of The King. The home features a car museum, custom jet exhibit, original clothing and Presley’s grave site located on the grounds. $15-$72. 901-332-3322.

Children’s Museum of Memphis — Opened in 1990, the Children’s Museum is a interactive museum focusing on creating memorable experiences through play and hands-on learning. Children can explore the kids market, Hall of Science, Playscape Park and more for a day-long and active visit. $12. 901-458-2678.

"We are now showing the 'Flights of the Butterflies' in 3D in the theater," says Cloud. "It's all about the monarch butterfly and finding out where they go. No one used to know where the monarch butterflies went when they migrated, but Dr. (Fred) Urquhart discovered them. It's just a beautiful film."

And while children will marvel at the beauty of the butterflies as they flutter about in 3D, they will also have the chance to learn an important lesson about their fellow humans.

The Pink Palace houses a unique exhibit, "Race -- Are We So Different?" The exhibit is an interactive and historically based look at the cultural perspective and history of race, says Cloud. The exhibit includes historical artifacts, compelling photographs and graphic displays aimed at presenting visitors with a new perspective on the concept of race, she says.

"We are all 99.999 percent exactly the same in our DNA," says Cloud. "Race is a cultural construction. There is no such thing as race because we have created it. It permeates our atmosphere. It's poison to us as humans."

The exhibits include a placard, "I Am a Man," originally carried by striking Memphis sanitation workers in 1968, shackles from the early 1800s that were used to restrain black slaves in the American South and a kit created for the purpose of checking the racial purity of citizens in Nazi Germany.

"We want children to learn from these historical, physical objects," says Cloud. "We are really all the same, and we're all from the same place. We want them to learn the scientific truth and learn the facts. And then they can make up their own minds."

NAN What's Up on 03/21/2014

Upcoming Events