National Civil Rights Museum

Address:	450 Mulberry St, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
Phone:	+1 901-521-9699
Site:	civilrightsmuseum.org
Rating:	4.7
Working:	9AM–5PM Closed 9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM 9AM–5PM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 4

kris b

This took place on Friday the 10th of May at about 12:30-1:00 PM. Yesterday my wife and I went to visit the museum. My wife has a disability and she has a small service animal/medical assist animal( Small white 9 lb dog)l complete with vest, id card, trained, proper paperwork and health certificate,etc. We travel all over including going on cruises and flying with her service dog. We have never had any problems anywhere, other than having to sometimes explain that he is a service animal, and sometimes showing, if asked, that he has all his health certificates from the vet. When we entered the museum, the lady at the entrance said "there are no animals allowed except seeing eye dogs", we explained that this was also a service dog and continued to the desk to purchase our tickets. While in line, my wife was holding the dog and a security officer came and pulled us out of line. He said " you can not have a dog in here unless he is a seeing eye dog". We explained that my wife has a seizure condition and this is her seizure detection canine. he looked the dog and the vest and the ID card and said that he still couldnt allow the dog inside. We explained that the ADA (American Disability Act) states that she is entitled to having her animal with her and to prohibit that would be a violation and ironically, they/you (the civil rights museum) would be discriminating against my wife. The security officer then said that "if he was going to allow the dog to enter,the dog would have to be on the ground, on his leash". We explained that because of the type of service that this animal does, in crowds, he is better able to assist my wife when he is being held by her. He then said that the law said that the dog must be restrained and under control, which meant he had to be on a leash. We then explained that while the dog is being held by my wife, he meets all of the rules, he is being restrained and he is under control. He then said that he does not have to allow a service animal to enter if he is aggressive (this is true), and we had to put him on the ground to prove he was not. I tried nicely to explain to him that the law said that he was allowed to insist that an aggressive animal leave the museum, the law didnt say that all animals were assumed to be aggressive unless proven otherwise(as he was doing). He said that he and the museum have been to court "many times" and "always won" on this, because of the safety reasons. I told him that I believe that he did not understand the law. He argued that he did, and I said that I disagree with him and my opinion was that he was wrong. We started to walk away going back to the exit to leave, and he followed us and said " why are you arguing with me? I explained that we were just going to leave, we didnt feel welcome. I was getting very frustrated with him and I told him how ironic this was, "a white couple with a wife with a disability, being clearly discriminated against by the civil rights museum". He said we could sue them, like "our type would". My wife put the dog down by her feet and ordered him to "down" and he laid down and waited for further instruction. After about a minute, the security officer said "ok, you can take that animal anywhere in the museum". At that point we turned around and left. He asked why we were leaving and I explained that I didnt appreciate how this was handled and I disagreed how he read (mis-read) the law. He said we could sue them, by we would loose. I told him not to worry, we were not "the type" and would not sure him/the museum, we just were not going to pay for a ticket to support a place that practiced discrimination.

Samuel F. Campbell

I loved to practice my music hear back in the year 2004 this was one of my most favorite places for me and my old fashioned Baptist Hymns and my B.B. King Collection of songs: (Sweet Little Angel, Ask me No Questions , There’s Got To Be A Better World, When The Blues Comes Over Me, Never Make Your Move To Soon, And Like That, You Know I Go For You, The Worst Thing In My Life, When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer, Evil Child, The Thrill Is Gone) etc.. I still take these songs around with me. Those days I’d just sit on the concrete walls of the park with my Taylor Acoustic / Electric Guitar and my Harmonica, playing deep to the gently quite, still of the moisture rising from the sun’s rays warming the banks and bluff of the Mississippi River early mornings. I’d see my favorite neighbor ladies and the early risers as they all started to stir with their leaving, going to work there jobs. I’d just be there a while sitting and practicing and singing or humming along during the slow warm afternoons. I’d be watching as the tourist and local guest passed wiping the sweat from their brows. Some would slow down smile as they passed on. Some folks were heading to take pictures and some just visit the Civil Rights Museum and Hotel. We all were just marveled by the history of when and where Dr. Martin Luther King was shot and fell. The thought of how time passes by has gotten to me now because I’d at the time. I had no Idea; I was playing and practicing directly across the street right in front of the front door to Memphis Blues Foundation. I sometimes play right there on through the late nights and on into the early mornings when I could get away with it. I would stay there parked in front of the lawn leading to the front view of the Lorraine Hotel. You can sometimes find when I’m downtown somewhere there with my guitar on my back, riding my bicycle just north east of Main and Butler. ~ Samuel

purpleindigoviolet

I was rather disappointed in the so-called renovations and changes made to the museum. Ive visited the museum several times. I visited when I was in elementary school, I visited last year before the renovations and I visited today (and several times in between). During my visit last year I realized some of the exhibits I saw in my youth were missing and I left disappointed that Id paid money to see things I could have looked up on YouTube and the internet. I go today and see the exhibits that were missing last year were all of a sudden back along with about two new exhibits and a video. Where did the 27.5 million dollars go? 97% of the the exhibits they have in there now are old and were in there last year and the things they are passing off as new are in fact old pieces that have been cleaned off and are being passed off as new. Furthermore it seems as if the so called renovations made the building much smaller. There werent many people there but there was very little space to view the exhibits without having to bump into people and constantly say excuse me. I understand why that lady has been protesting in front of the museum since I was in grade K.

Sheila W

Yes. This is a very interesting museum and a must see when visiting the town of two Kings. I found it interesting and educational to read and learn about civil rights in the United States from a period not even that long ago till today. Theres still so much to improve. The exhibitions are well thought and staff has put much effort in it. The exhibition about the killer who shot Martin L. King across the building is also worth a visit. There is only one downside about this museum that bothered me quite a lot. It is called the national civil rights museum, but its mainly about the black Americans and Martin Luther King. Which is perfectly fine of the museum had a different name. What about the women, the native American who also have suffered a lot in the States, the immigrants from Europe and Asia, the white, civil rights in general? I expected to learn about those topics too. It might be because Im Dutch and used to a more overall approach when you call a museum national. This museum highlights mainly one part of the American community and thats a pity really. Because civil rights are for everyone. Thats why I give it 4 stars.