Graceland, Memphis

State: Tennessee. Type: historic house museum in Memphis; former home of Elvis Presley. Mansion built in 1939 in Colonial Revival style by architects Furbringer and Ehrman; purchased by Elvis Presley on March 19, 1957, for $102,500. Opened to the public as a house museum on June 7, 1982. Added to the National Register of Historic Places November 7, 1991 (first rock-music-related site so listed) and designated a National Historic Landmark March 27, 2006 (also a first for rock music). 13.8-acre estate; mansion is 17,552 square feet with 23 rooms. Around 600,000 visitors annually as of 2024, the second-most-visited home in the U.S. after the White House.

Graceland is the former Memphis home of Elvis Presley, one of the most visited historic houses in the United States. Built in 1939 in the Colonial Revival style, the mansion was purchased by Presley on March 19, 1957, for $102,500, and it served as his primary residence until his death in 1977. Facing steep maintenance costs, the estate was opened to the public as a house museum on June 7, 1982, a decision that both preserved the property and turned it into a major Memphis attraction. The 13.8-acre estate sits along Elvis Presley Boulevard about nine miles south of downtown Memphis, and the mansion itself totals 17,552 square feet across 23 rooms. Graceland's historic significance was formally recognized in stages: it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991, the first site honored specifically for its rock music significance, and it became a National Historic Landmark in 2006, again a first for the genre. Today the complex draws roughly 600,000 visitors a year, trailing only the White House among most-visited homes in the country, and includes not just the mansion but an expanded visitor campus with exhibits, aircraft and dining and shopping facilities.

Graceland sits at 3764 Elvis Presley Boulevard in Memphis, Tennessee, roughly nine miles south of downtown Memphis and fewer than four miles from the Mississippi state line. The visitor campus uses a parking address of 3717 Elvis Presley Blvd and a Guest House address of 3600 Elvis Presley Blvd, both in Memphis, TN 38116.

Memphis has a humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers and mild winters, typical of the mid-South region; specific Graceland weather data was not detailed in the sources used for this research, so general Memphis seasonal patterns apply.

Because the mansion tour and most exhibits are indoor, climate-controlled experiences, Graceland can reasonably be visited in any season; specific event dates, such as annual Elvis tribute weeks, may be worth checking on graceland.com before planning a trip, since they draw larger crowds.

The Graceland mansion was constructed in 1939 in the Colonial Revival style by architects Furbringer and Ehrman. Elvis Presley purchased the property on March 19, 1957, for $102,500, and it remained his home until his death. After facing significant costs to maintain the estate, his family opened Graceland to the public as a house museum on June 7, 1982. The site's historic status was formally recognized in two stages: listing on the National Register of Historic Places on November 7, 1991, the first such recognition for a site tied to rock music, followed by National Historic Landmark designation on March 27, 2006, again a first for rock music.

The core experience is the mansion tour, which includes the historic home along with the "Elvis Presley's Memphis" exhibit complex and displays of Presley's private airplanes. Multiple tour tiers offer different levels of access, from a standard mansion-and-exhibit ticket up to VIP and Ultimate VIP tours with expanded archive and behind-the-scenes access. Visitors can also dine and shop within the broader Graceland visitor campus.

The Graceland mansion itself is the central attraction, alongside the "Elvis Presley's Memphis" exhibit complex and the on-site display of Presley's private airplanes. The Graceland Archives, accessible on the higher UVIP tour tier, offers an expanded look at artifacts beyond the standard exhibits.

Graceland is about 10 minutes from downtown Memphis and roughly 3 minutes from Memphis International Airport, making a short rental car, taxi or rideshare trip from either point the easiest way to arrive.

Graceland is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with the last mansion tour departing at 4:00 p.m., per the official visitor site.

As of research, ticket tiers included: Elvis Presley's Memphis + Planes at $53 adults / $30 children; Elvis Experience Tour at $85 adults / $49 children; Elvis Entourage VIP at $148 for all ages; Ultimate VIP Tour at $240 before 1:30 p.m. / $215 after; and Inside the Graceland Archives UVIP at $260 before 1:30 p.m. / $235 after. Confirm current pricing on graceland.com before booking, since tour tiers and prices can change.

A standard mansion and exhibit tour typically takes two to three hours; visitors adding VIP or Ultimate VIP archive access should plan for a longer, more in-depth visit.

Graceland's visitor campus includes an on-site Guest House hotel at 3600 Elvis Presley Blvd, offering direct-access lodging for visitors who want to stay on the property itself. Downtown Memphis, about 10 minutes away, offers a much broader range of additional hotel options for visitors who prefer to stay closer to the city's other attractions.

The Graceland visitor campus includes its own dining facilities as part of the broader complex alongside the mansion tour and exhibits. Downtown Memphis, a short drive away, offers a wider range of restaurants, including the city's well-known barbecue and blues-district dining scene on Beale Street.

Downtown Memphis, about 10 minutes away, includes Beale Street and other major Memphis attractions for visitors extending their trip beyond Graceland. Memphis International Airport, about 3 minutes from Graceland, is a convenient reference point for visitors combining the trip with air travel plans.

Memphis International Airport is roughly 3 minutes from Graceland, making it the closest and most convenient airport. Downtown Memphis, about 10 minutes away, is reachable by rental car, taxi or rideshare.

As with any large visitor attraction, keep track of tour tickets and timed-entry slots, since the last mansion tour departs at 4:00 p.m. daily. For any emergency, dial 911.

Comfortable walking shoes for the mansion tour and exhibit complex, a valid ID and printed or mobile tickets for entry, and a camera for the exhibits and aircraft displays, since exact photography rules can vary by area of the tour.

Book tickets in advance and choose your tour tier carefully, since pricing varies significantly between the standard Elvis Presley's Memphis + Planes ticket and the higher VIP and Ultimate VIP archive tours. Arrive before 1:30 p.m. if you want the lower-priced rate on the VIP or Ultimate VIP tours, since prices increase in the afternoon. Remember the last mansion tour departs at 4:00 p.m., so plan your arrival accordingly.

Dial 911 for any emergency. For visitor questions, contact Graceland through its official website, graceland.com.

Graceland - https://www.graceland.com

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.