Memphis Art Galleries

(Memphis, Tennessee - TN, USA)

Memphis and its inhabitants have always been bursting with creativity and it is not surprising that the city is home to an abundance of galleries and art museums. The city's passion for music mixed with a turbulent history has led to outpourings of expression through many art forms. Memphis has some fascinating museums and galleries that house and preserve not only the city's own art collections, but art from different times and places around the world.

Gallery exhibitions range from African-American art and European Masters to contemporary works and modern abstracts. Memphis has become something of an artist's Mecca, making areas like the trendy Cooper-Young district a paradise for art lovers and café dwellers.

Art Museum of the University of Memphis

Address: 3750 Norriswood, 142 Communications and Fine Arts Building, Memphis, Tennessee TN, 38152, USA
Tel: +1 901 678 2224
This popular gallery houses various temporary exhibits of contemporary art throughout the year. Permanent exhibits at the Art Museum of the University of Memphis include the Spirit of Africa Collection, featuring pieces representative of major indigenous West African cultures, and the Egyptian Antiquities Collection, which boasts the largest accumulation of Egyptian antiquities in the South. Nearby places of interest include Dunn Hall and the McWherter Library.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 09:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Memphis Brooks Museum of Art

Address: 1934 Poplar Avenue, (at Cooper), Memphis, Tennessee TN, 38104-2756, USA
Tel: +1 901 544 6200
This architecturally impressive marble building from the turn of the century houses medieval art, a small collection of works by the Impressionists and a huge permanent collection of European and American art. The Brooks Museum of Art features an impressive catalog of works by classic and contemporary artists, including Anthony van Dyck, Pierre Auguste Renoir, George Romney, Thomas Gainsborough and Georgia O'Keeffe. There are also frequent visiting art exhibitions, together with a delicious restaurant.
Open hours: Tuesday to Friday - 10:00 to 16:00, Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00, Sunday - 11:30 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discount for seniors and children

National Ornamental Museum

Address: 374 Metal Museum Drive, (at Front Street), Memphis, Tennessee TN, 38106-1547, USA
Tel: +1 901 774 6380
Located alongside De Soto Park and Fort Assumption, and the only museum in the US dedicated to ornamental metalwork, the National Ornamental Museum is worth a visit to explore an art form that is often ignored. Exhibits showcase a number of different metal objects ranging from teapots to swords, while visitors can also see a blacksmith at work.
Open hours: Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Dixon Gallery and Gardens

Address: 4339 Park Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee TN, 38117, USA
Tel: +1 901 761 5250
Set in 17 acres / 7 hectares of lovely gardens, the Dixon Gallery and Gardens is a fine arts museum on Park Avenue, specializing in French and American impressionist art. Close by is the Colonial Golf Club, the Botanical Gardens and the Nat Buring Baseball Field.
Open hours: Tuesday to Friday - 10:00 to 16:00, Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00, Sunday - 13:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discount for seniors and children

Jay Etkin Gallery

Address: 484 Union Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee TN 38103-3245, USA
Tel: +1 901 543 0035
Near to Forrest Park and the International Baptist Church, this 8,000-square-foot / 750-square-meter commercial gallery is a major showcase for regional, national and international contemporary art. Also worth looking out for are the ethnographic sculptures from Africa and the various arts projects, which include modern dance and theatrical productions.
Open hours: Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00
Admission: free