SHERIDAN, WYOMING – April 14, 2026 – The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee is entering what it describes as a new era, combining fresh exhibitions with major annual recognition and a stated commitment to connecting America's civil rights history to present-day civic life. The museum, located at 450 Mulberry St., is open six days a week with adult admission priced at $20.00. Its current programming spans the origins of slavery, student protest movements, and the landmark Montgomery Bus Boycott, offering visitors one of the most comprehensive civil rights experiences in the country. With a new initiative called "Legacy Reimagined" now underway, the institution is expanding both its storytelling and its public reach.
What's on Display Right Now
The museum's current roster of exhibitions covers some of the most defining moments in American civil rights history. "Speaking Truth to Power: The Life of Bayard Rustin" profiles a key strategist of the civil rights movement whose contributions have historically received less attention than they deserve. Running alongside it is "A Culture of Resistance: Slavery in America 1619–1861," which sets the historical foundations for the decades of organized resistance that followed.
Two further exhibitions round out the in-museum experience. "Standing Up by Sitting Down: Student Sit-Ins 1960" documents the courage of young protesters who challenged segregation at lunch counters across the South, while "The Year They Walked: Montgomery Bus Boycott 1955–1956" revisits the 381-day boycott that became one of the movement's most recognized victories. Visitors are encouraged to plan trips around new openings and events, which are available both in person and virtually.
Why It Matters
The museum occupies the site of the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, lending everything inside a weight and immediacy that's difficult to replicate. Its stated mission is to inspire action through education and to preserve the legacy of the civil rights movement — not simply as archive, but as a living call to engagement. Singer Rihanna, among many high-profile visitors, captured that feeling directly: "I can't describe the feeling that came over me, you gotta go to experience it for yourself!"
Beyond exhibitions, the museum has published op-eds on the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, the ongoing fight for ballot access, and threats to LGBTQIA+ rights — framing civil rights not as settled history but as an active and unfinished project. It also recently issued a formal statement on the passing of Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., underscoring its role as a civic voice.
Freedom Award and the "Legacy Reimagined" Initiative
The museum has announced its 34th class of Freedom Award honorees, an annual recognition given to individuals and organizations that carry the spirit of the civil rights movement into the present day. The Freedom Award is one of the museum's most prominent traditions and draws broad public attention each year.
Alongside that announcement, the museum has introduced "Legacy Reimagined: A New Era at the National Civil Rights Museum," signaling plans for a wider evolution in programming, presentation, and public engagement. The full scope of those changes is still developing, but the initiative suggests both physical and content-level shifts are in progress.
Planning Your Visit
The museum is open Mondays and Wednesdays through Sundays from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and is closed on Tuesdays. Adult admission is $20.00. The address is 450 Mulberry St., Memphis, TN 38103, and the museum can be reached by phone at (901) 521-9699. Virtual event options are also available for those unable to travel to Memphis in person.
The National Civil Rights Museum remains one of the few places in the United States where history, memory, and ongoing civic urgency share the same floor.