Museum of Science & History

The basics

The Museum of Science & History is in East Memphis, a more suburban part of the city that isn’t typically included on city tours. It's just a short drive or taxi ride away, however, making it easy to visit during your stay. The collections touch on subjects as wide-ranging as dinosaurs and fossils, Memphis history from settlement through the Civil War, Native American culture, slavery, and the rise of the civil rights movement. There are also exhibits on nature and wildlife, as well as a planetarium and giant-screen theater.

Things to know before you go

• The museum is ideal for history and science lovers, or those looking to learn more about the mid-South.
• Admission to the planetarium and theater can be purchased in addition to museum entry.
• There is a museum store for gifts and souvenirs.

How to get there

The museum is about a 20-minute drive east of downtown Memphis. It can also be reached by city bus #50 at the Poplar and Lafayette stop, followed by a 15-minute walk.

When to get there

The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday, from mid-morning to the end of the business day. Check the museum's website for its event schedule, including Friday night laser shows at the planetarium.

The Mansion

A wealthy Memphis business leader named Clarence Saunders, founder of the Piggly Wiggly grocery store chain, commissioned the 36,500-square-foot (3,390-square-meter) Pink Palace to be his home in 1922, but never moved in. He lost his fortune in 1923, and the mansion was eventually donated to the city of Memphis to turn into a museum. First opening in 1930 as the Memphis Museum of Natural History and Industrial Arts, it was renamed the Pink Palace Museum in 1967, then became the Museum of Science & History—or MoSH—in 2021, though it's still familiarly known as the Pink Palace.