Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Memphis (must see)

The Stax Museum of American Soul Music is situated in Memphis, Tennessee, specifically at 926 East McLemore Avenue, which was once the home of Stax Records. This museum is managed by Soulsville USA, the same organization that oversees the nearby Stax Music Academy.

The Stax Museum is designed as a replica of the original Stax recording studio, which was formerly the Capitol Theatre. It faithfully recreates the studio environment, right down to the sloping floor of studio A. Covering an area of 17,000 square feet (approximately 1,600 square meters), this museum houses an extensive collection that includes over 2,000 videos, films, photographs, original musical instruments used in the recording of Stax hits, stage costumes, interactive exhibits, and various memorabilia items. Notable highlights within the museum include an authentic 101-year-old Mississippi Delta church, highlighting the gospel roots of soul music, a recreation of the Soul Train dance floor, Isaac Hayes' meticulously restored 1972 Cadillac El Dorado, adorned with gold trim and peacock-blue paint, as well as a rotating gallery featuring special exhibits that change five times a year.

What makes the Stax Museum particularly unique is its status as one of only a few museums globally dedicated to soul music, with the Motown Museum in Detroit being another notable example. Consequently, it pays homage not only to the legacy of Stax Records and its prominent artists like Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, the Staple Singers, Johnnie Taylor, Albert King, Booker T. & the MGs, Rufus and Carla Thomas, and others, but also showcases the contributions of other significant soul music labels such as Motown, Hi Records, Atlantic Records, and Muscle Shoals. Visitors can enjoy vintage video footage featuring renowned artists beyond the Stax roster, such as Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Ann Peebles, The Jackson Five, Patti LaBelle, Parliament-Funkadelic, Sam Cooke, James Brown, Ike & Tina Turner, and more.