GO! SEE! EXPLORE! :: Stax Museum of American Soul Music

You came into my life
I don’t have to wonder no more, I can feel it all in my soul
It’s Soul Music
It’s deep down in my soul
Feel the Burn
I can see I got a good foundation deep down in my soul
Its deep down in my soul
It’s Soul Music
I feel the need for contemplation deep down in my soul
It’s deep down in my soul
– “Soul Music” by Everlast

Memphis wouldn’t be what it is today without its heart and soul: music. From Blues to Jazz to rich soul music, there’s a reason highway 40 leading into the city is referred to as “music highway.” And while Beale Street and Sun Studios (rightfully) get the main buzz from tourists, there’s another hidden gem that’s worth the visit — the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.

Stax Museum is located in SOULSVILLE! We’d like to say that the Stax Museum is a stop on every tourist’s agenda, but sadly this amazing gem is often a second to other more iconic Memphis attractions. Well, we’re here to change that! Stax Museum is a must see for any person, young or old. Colorful, interactive displays keep the visitor moving from one area to another. You can even register for a virtual tour — so tell your out-of-town family and friends about this place, too!

Soul music has its roots in the sounds of Southern gospel music, so it’s appropriate that you’d start your museum tour inside a real, circa-1906, Mississippi Delta church. Carefully reassembled, the church resides inside Stax Museum. In addition to the history this museum provides, its ties to the community and revitalization of the neighborhood are immense. According to their website:

“Stax’s legacy is inextricably tied to Memphis, and more specifically, to Soulsville, the neighborhood where the studio was located. Soulsville is arguably one of the most talent-packed neighborhoods in the world: Aretha Franklin, Memphis Slim, Memphis Minnie and Booker T. Jones all called the neighborhood home, and the neighborhood’s two recording studios – Stax and Royal (home of Hi Records) – produced some of the most beloved music of the last century.

Soulsville’s vibrant, creative community spirit is alive today in the students who attend the Stax Music Academy and The Soulsville Charter School, through the work of the Soulsville Foundation and in the community members who have contributed to the neighborhood’s resurgence.”