Unspecified/General

The oldest and largest art museum in Tennessee, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art has welcomed visitors since 1916, when it opened as a gift to the city in the leafy surroundings of Overton Park. Founded in memory of a local patron and housed in an elegant Beaux-Arts building that has been expanded over the decades, the museum has long served as the cultural anchor of its park setting and a cornerstone of the city's artistic life. Its permanent collection spans more than five thousand years of human creativity, ranging from ancient and medieval works to Italian Renaissance and Baroque painting, European and American art, and a growing body of modern and contemporary pieces. Decorative arts, sculpture and works on paper round out a holding of remarkable breadth for a museum of its size. Alongside the permanent galleries, the Brooks mounts an ambitious programme of changing exhibitions, drawing major travelling shows and spotlighting regional artists. Lectures, films, performances and family days fill its calendar, and its setting in Overton Park places it within easy reach of the zoo, gardens and woodland that surround it. Education and community engagement are central to its mission, with classes, tours and outreach designed to make art accessible to audiences of every background. A café and a well-stocked shop add to the comfort of a visit. The museum has announced plans for a new home on the downtown riverfront, a move that promises to open a fresh chapter in its long history. For now, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art remains a beloved Overton Park institution, offering visitors a wide-ranging and welcoming encounter with the visual arts in the heart of the city. Admission is modest, with free days and discounts that widen access, and the museum's Overton Park setting makes it easy to pair with the surrounding zoo, gardens and woodland for a full day out. Whether drawn by the old masters, the contemporary galleries or a major travelling exhibition, visitors find in the Brooks a welcoming and wide-ranging window onto the visual arts in the heart of Memphis.

Type: Tourist Attraction

Address: 1934 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN, United States

Telephone: 901-544-6200

Website: brooksmuseum.org

Opening Date: 01/01/1916