Memphis, Tenn. (January 15, 2025) - The new year brings all kinds of new attractions, restaurants and experiences to our destination. There's a lot going on in Memphis in 2025, from new exhibits at Graceland and the National Civil Rights Museum, to celebrating B.B. King's 100th Birthday, new hotels and more. 

Graceland celebrates Elvis Presley's birthday every year on January 8, and this year marked Elvis' 90th birthday. If you didn't make it to town for his birthday celebration, you're in luck - as Graceland has launched an Elvis 90 for 90 exhibit, a year-long exhibit that features 90 curated artifacts from over 1.5 million within the Graceland Archives.

A little bit about Elvis 90 for 90 Exhibit: 

• See handpicked items that give further details about Elvis' life and career, including his sketchbook, an August 1954 Blackwood Brothers Quartet performance card, a realtor card for the first home Elvis purchased and more. 
• Get an inside look at Elvis's iconic 1973 performance in Hawaii through artifacts, audio clips, photography and videos as part of the Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii Experience opening on April 4, 2025. Take photos on the set of an Elvis movie with the Elvis in Hollywood Photo Ops exhibit offering new scenes in August 2025. Also opening in August, The Colonel exhibit details the life of Colonel Tom Parker, his relationship with Elvis and Parker's role in his career. 
• For an exclusive experience, book the Presley for a Day Tour. This seven-hour experience includes a guided tour of Elvis Presley's Memphis, an outdoor tour of the mansion grounds, a horseback ride through the front pasture, a private dinner at the recently restored Moriah's House, and a peak into the Graceland Archives and an after-hours mansion tour.

New Exhibits at Must-See Museums: 

• The National Civil Rights Museum is hosting a new exhibit on Bayard Rustin, advisor to Martin Luther King, Jr. and racial equality and human rights activist. Guests can learn more about Rustin's life and role in the American Civil Rights Movement through a collection of artifacts. The exhibit opens March 29, 2025, and will run through the end of the year. 2025 also marks the 60th anniversary of the Selma March and Voting Rights Act. There will be special programming highlighting these major Civil Rights Movement anniversaries to come. 
• Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is a must for art enthusiasts. Beyond the Surface: The Art of Handmade Paper (through April 6, 2025) showcases fascinating creations of hand papermaking. Thomas Jackson: Chaotic Equilibrium (through April 28, 2025) is a captivating kinetic art display demonstrating ocean currents. 
• Head to the Graceland Exhibition Center to see Pompeii: The Exhibition. Running through April 13, 2025, the exhibit details the historic Roman city that was destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Guests can learn more about the catastrophe and the city's history and culture through 150 artifacts and interactive media.

100 Years of B.B. King:

In addition, Memphis Blues legend B.B. King would have turned 100 in 2025. To recognize this milestone, Beale Street, B.B. King's Blues Club and the Blues Foundation's Blues Hall of Fame will be celebrating alongside the city of Memphis. More details to come. 

As we approach what would have been King's 100th birthday, there's no better way to honor his legacy than to explore the places where his music and story live, proving that unlike the name of his Grammy-winning recording–the thrill is not gone. See a sample three-day B.B. King focused itinerary here. 

New Hotels: Hotel Pontotoc + Aloft 

Built in 1906, this property has held the space of many different businesses in the last 118 years. It's been the site of a hotel with a Turkish bath, a recording studio, a nightclub, and, most recently, a private residence.

Hotel Pontotoc will open as a 10-room boutique hotel, with three rooms dedicated to Airbnbs. The property is located right in the heart of downtown Memphis, in the South Main Arts District, which will bring in many tourists and locals to the property - especially to enjoy a nice meal at the restaurant that will be on-site, located on the bottom floor.

The name of the restaurant located at Hotel Pontotoc is called The Dame, with a focus on a “high beverage, light food” concept. The Dame will feature a limited food menu, such as charcuterie, as well as bourbons and wines. It will seat roughly 50 people.

In addition to Hotel Pontotoc, in October 2024, Marriott's Aloft Hotel opened in Downtown Memphis. This ultra-modern property uses tech-savvy amenities, including robotic bellhops and mobile room keys, to provide guests with a seamless stay.