This was an amazing find! It seems like just another house until you see the plaque outside. This is not your typical museum either. Entering through the backdoor you find yourself in the gift shop full of unique gifts and hand carved African art. We had poor timing with our arrival and got there right after a van of school kids had already started the tour. We were asked if we wouldn't mind waiting and we said of course! We really wanted to see the place and didn't mind at all. The lady helping us told us that if we liked cats, hers was outside in the back house and we could go sit with her. Ha! Apparently she read me like a book, because I love cats. So, my husband and I sat on the porch petting the cat, basking up the sun. It was awesome already. I can't quite remember but when she led us out there she mentioned something about the building. You should ask. Another lady then came out and brought us inside, had us pay (on a side note, they prefer cash payment but will take cards), and asked that we move to the front door area. We looked at the photos for a moment before being joined by another lady (sorry, at this point you probably already gathered I'm terrible with names) who told us that she would start our tour. It was just my husband and I but I think even in a larger group it would still feel very personal. So awesome. She proceeded to go through the history of slavery and the family who owed the house. She knew all there was to know and even quoted some of the newspapers word for word. We then moved into one of the front rooms that had chairs set out for us and talked more about the history of the underground railroad. I don't want to go too much into detail because that may take away from your experience, but there was a wonderful surprise at this point which involved a song most Americans probably know, but like I said, go and find out for yourself. ;) Next we took a tour of the home which was very well decorated. Sadly, the family didn't find out the history of the home until much later and therefore had not thought to preserve any of their possessions. Who would? Luckily, the women who donated the house to the museum was an antique collector and had a lot of wonderful things to fill the home with that are still there and bring the place to life. Overall, this was a very unique and fascinating tour. Seeing how it is right downtown, it is worth a stop in. Support these ladies (and possibly gentlemen) in their effort to preserve an important piece of our American history and a proud moment in a dark time. read more

Visiting this museum is an incredibly powerful and moving experience. The amazing tour guides brought the past to life with their vast knowledge, deep passion, and fantastic story telling. I can't recommend this visit highly enough, for people of all different ages (the tour guides were also exceptionally good at tailoring their tours to young visitors). read more

This place is full of Memphis history! It's a hidden treasure that is located in the Downtown area. I would recommend taking school age students, a group of friends, or YOURSELF! Soak in knowledge and after the tour be sure to purchase a few items to support the museum! read more

This was a very historical eye opening tour that showed the struggles of the African American slave and how there genius resourcefulness was used I the Underground Railroad to escape the forced slavery into freedom. A lot of original artifacts and the tour guides were both very knowledgeable about the museum. Must see and experience with whole family of all colors. read more

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A must do while in Memphis. The tour gives a necessary reminder and understanding of America's history and beautifully highlighted the strength, greatness and resiliency of Africans/African Americans. read more

This was a great educational opportunity for our family. The tour guide was phenomenal and VERY knowledgeable. It wasn't a long tour (about 45 minutes), but it was eye opening. I cannot recommend this place enough. read more

This is one of the most amazing experiences. He connected me to my visit to cape coast castle. As disturbing and depressing it is our American history. Acknowledge the truth and you will make changes in your life. Well narrated tour. read more

A lot of good history in this place. The staff are very knowledgeable and share information beyond the Slave Haven. Definitely worth the small token it cost to tour the museum. Everyone should know about this place and visit at least once! read more

Honestly, it's hugely uncomfortable. Our past isn't what you might learn in your school books and the truth behind the stories you've heard can really put you on your heels. For that exact reason, you need to make the time to visit Slave Haven. Hear the stories, experience the location and take it all in. The guides are fantastic and the lessons will stay with you for a lifetime. I'm so happy to have brought my family here. read more

When we arrived there were several people outside the locked door. They had changed their hours and not updated the website. The tour guide gave incomplete, incorrect information and lots of opinion. Half the one hour tour was just looking at pictures and posters hanging on the wall. read more

I visited the museum as stop on the Black Heritage tour during black history month this year. This was my first trip to Slavehaven and I must say the tour of the house was amazing. Every room and hallway is filled with multiple history lessons from the banjo's in one room, the quilts in another, and the framed Memphis newspaper ads selling slaves on Adams Ave in the hall. They are constantly discovering more history on how the owner used the house to help slaves escape north via the Mississippi River. The experience of visiting the cellar underneath the house is astonishing. Also they just add a large parking lot next door to the house, so there is now plenty of parking. And the near by neighborhood is not bad like other comments say. It's an old and untouched part of town but nothing alarming. read more

Doesn't look like much from the outside but it is a hidden gem. I was in awe of the knowledge of the presenters and the new information I received. I felt a kindred spirit in the home. If your looking for Black history knowledge, THIS IS A MUST!!!!! read more

I have been itching to visit this place for some time and finally made it on a Saturday morning. Guess what? It was packed! The staff scrambled to accommodate the influx of visitors as I was told it was quite unusual for them. It was an informative tour with some good story telling, though our research afterwards did not substantiate all we were told. Perhaps some "poetic license" was taken? The unexpected large crowd took away some of our experience, which I had somehow expected to be rather intimate and personal, based on some previous reviews. I would not recommend against a visit, but if you see a tour bus parking out front, it would be wise to turn around and come back another time (maybe in an hour or two if you can't wait longer). If you are on the tour bus yourself, then I suggest going in with an open mind. read more

My seven-year-old and I made a quick stop in Memphis on our way down to New Orleans for spring break. The National Civil Rights Museum and this museum were on the list of must do places. I was quite impressed with this little gem! (Actually I found it better than the Civil Rights Museum.) For such a small house it packs a punch. The fact that it was once on the underground railroad isn't all that evident BUT the artifacts and the people giving the guided tours are really the impressive part. My second grader was in the midst of studying about Harriet Tubman and the railroad in school so this fit right in. The shackles, ball and chains, whips, branding irons, and belled contraptions that slaves were made to wear are dramatic to see, but important to understanding this history. The whole museum is full of great artifacts that obviously someone put a great deal of time and thought into. I would say that this museum is best for children 7 and older. There were parents there with younger children but I think the message is lost on them. Before taking younger kids consider how well you can contain them as there are lots of artifacts in small rooms which makes it hard. Some of the people on our tour had small children and several things were knocked over, etc. which as a parent is mortifying when it's your kid who did the knocking. The staff was great about it but take this into consideration if you go with a little one. It might still be worth it if you have a larger group or older children that will benefit from the experience. The story is great. The staff is passionate and very knowledgeable - you leave feeling blessed that they shared it with you. The group tour we were put in seemed full, though I didn't need a reservation for the time we got there. However, a big bus pulled up as we were leaving that made me glad we got there when we did. Plan ahead and make a reservation. The house is small and the tour lasts maybe 35 minutes - easy to fit into a morning before heading to another site. A great little surprise museum and a definite must see! read more

In contrast to the well-funded and expansive Civil Rights Museum the Underground Railroad House is a minimal and sparse exhibition. But it makes up for this by being inter-active with a guided tour through the house. It all really depends on what you like your tours to be. Do you hate the person with constant commentary and questions? Do you like to be in and out in under 90 minutes? Do you loathe being asked very elementary borderline rhetorical questions? Depending on your feelings on these things, you might enjoy the tour or begin to plot your escape via the hidden passageway used roughly 150 years ago. We had moments of all these feelings on our visit. As mentioned by someone else, getting attached to a tour group may expose you to an extra hour you could do without/spend better elsewhere....except that you can't leave because you're trapped! Your tour could last 60 minutes or ensnare your afternoon for 2.5 hour. It makes a bit hard to plan with that range and what's actually kind of frustrating was some of the presented ancillary Antebellum history was really interesting/insightful while other rather elementary points were really drawn out (ie: looking at obvious historic art and analyzing it for hidden meanings). It seems to depend on whose giving the tour and perhaps what they think that group wants to hear. Honestly, it's a crap shoot if you go. I would say it is worth it if you're into history and want to hear the individual story of David Burkle. Just know you if you have other plans one might have to do a barrel roll to make it there in time. read more

Definitely would not recommend! Maybe 5 minutes of dialogue spent on this residence. I would expect a museum located IN A HOUSE THAT WAS ONCE part of the underground RR to have a plethora of facts on the house and the operation; this had nothing. Instead, 90% of tour was about things other than the house (such as racial propaganda, music, etc). Not what I expected. read more

This is a nice little museum that should get way more press and financial support. I experienced Slave Haven as a unique Memphis landmark that sort of gives a sense of what Victorian Village has to do with the Civil Rights Museum and shows that the abolitionist movement involves stories of local, unknown people (black and white) who took significant risks because of their convictions. The home has been maintained quite well, so there's a lot to see in terms of artifacts and the house itself being a historical re-creation. However, much of the wall space is devoted to photographs, maps and other archival materials that tell a story about slave resistance and the underground railroad. A tour of the house will take about an hour. The tour guides were great, and I felt like I was getting a lot of fascinating information I hadn't heard before in when I studied this history in school. There was a room devoted to signs and symbols in black women's quilts that was worth the price of admission alone. I'll probably come back with students or nieces in tow. read more

Went over spring break, originally from Portland but in school in St. Louis. The tours were detailed and done exceptionally well. Staff all had their lines down and schedule and tours flowed so there was no waiting. It was an amazing, powerful experience and I would recommend to everyone to experience. Bring cash! read more

This was an amazing tour and learning experience of history. Elaine was extremely knowledgeable and more importantly passionate about the information that she gave us. We got to learn, see, and experience some aspects of some of the aspects of slavery and the Underground Railroad. An inexplicable time spent for an invaluable addition to our future and therefore our present as well. read more

Slave Haven Underground Railroad - Museums Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Today my husband & I had the privilege of touring this museum & house and left profoundly impacted by what we learned. The tour was very well done. That said, we did experience one negative. When we arrived for a tour, we were asked to join a large group of 25+ people who were already 30 minutes into their tour (we found out later.) There were no seats in the room so we stood in the doorway of "the quilt room" and finished the tour with them. While in the gift shop after the tour we met Ms. Elaine. We later learned she was the director. Somehow in our conversation, she learned that we had missed all of "the hallway" portion and a good share of "the quilt room" part of the tour. She insisted we stay for that portion of the next tour, which we gladly did as we learned some valuable history during that time. THANK YOU, MS ELAINE. Your action turned what would have been a good tour into a more complete and extraordinary one for us. Now may I recommend that you give Alana, a gifted & talented docent (I think that's her name ~ she wore a burgundy red dress when we were there), some lessons in customer relations skills. She could use a softer approach and really doesn't need to act as if she is the owner of the Burkle house. JanMarie read more

Very nicely done hourly tour, covering a variety of topics--from broad subjects like the transatlantic slave trade and the underground railroad, to Memphis' local, historical connections to them. read more

The Slave Haven Underground Railroad was a once and a lifetime experience. I say this because while taking a tour of the house I was able to feel the spirit and presence of my ancestors that passed through this home on their way to freedom. The staff was absolutely amazing and extremely knowledge. I can say that my experience in touring the Slave Haven further more supported my stance that Afrikan Americans are the smartest people in the world. The Slave Haven should be a requirement for all blacks that visit or live in the greater Memphis area. No matter what part of the country you live in, you need to visit here at least once. read more

I was very excited to bring my kids to learn about what enslaved people had to go through to find some kind of freedom. And while the history of the slave trade and the Underground Railroad was presented, the whole experience was completely overshadowed by the rudeness of the lady working there. She told us that the credit card machine wasn't back online yet because the whole area had lost power, and that it was cash only. I asked if she wanted to even try running my card (since we had been in the area and it didn't seem like anyone had lost power) and she abruptly said "No I do not." On the tour she continually talked over the recorded audio, making it difficult to hear her or the information being provided. One person commented to her that they couldn't hear when she did that and she snapped at the man saying "I can talk over this if I want to!" She continued to roll her eyes at the guests, and when one lady asked a question she practically jumped down her throat. It was a very disappointing experience. read more

A must see for out of towners and locals. An intimate tour that leaves you wanting to hear more. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and passionate- I would go back again and again. read more

Pretty amazing experience. Visited the house and we were put with a church group from Louisiana. Glad we were because I believe we heard and saw more than what we would have by ourselves. The tour was full of facts and told of slavery, this house which was a safe haven for slaves and the underground railroad. We have never experienced anything quite like this before. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and very engaged with visitors. We brought our 8 and 6 year olds with. The 6 year old was not very interested but the 8 year old was since she had learned about the underground railroad in school. Reason for not rating a 5 was that there was a part of the tour where the guide was pushing his music that you could buy and seemed to get "preachy" with the audience. Other than that, it was an amazing experience. read more

If all the history, slave quarters, and plantations I have toured this is the first Underground Railroad station I have toured. I didn't get to partake in the full tour due to time restraints. We did get to see the cellar, trap doors and crawl space the slaves hid in until the next leg of the trip which took them to the Mississippi River. Where they caught a water vessel traveling north up the river until daylight. read more

Slave Haven Underground Railroad - Museums Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Moving, enlightening, powerful, and good for your soul to visit. The staff told stories, sang, and opened up the past for us, with exhibits enriched with carefully chosen details, historical records and artifacts. When my immigrant wife burst into tears, they were quick with an understanding pat on the shoulder. The educator explaining some deeper hidden meanings of spirituals to a local school group knew just how to include our family in the experience. With a little more support from the community (and the country) this little museum could easily be a 5 star attraction in Memphis. read more

The "museum" may be small but the tour is jam packed with information. I just wanted to keep listening to the tour guides about the history of the house, the Burkles, and other slave stories. I teared up a couple times during one of the stories. If you have the time, go and visit this place! read more

This is a MUST SEE museum in Memphis! I spent about two hours here, and learned more about slavery than I've learned in all of my years of education (I have a doctorate). I was in town for a conference and called an über ride from Beale Street for under $6 each way. Bring some Kleenex, it's a tearjerker of an experience. I actually went to the National Civil Rights Museum downtown the next day, and while that museum is very modern and thorough, I actually enjoyed my time at the Underground Railroad Museum much more! read more

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Unfortunately we couldn't visit bc they don't accept credit cards. The Greeter told us we could leave and go get cash from an ATM. When asked if the credit card machine would be operational later in the day, she said 'Oh no, it's been broken for quite a while'. So apparently they have no plans to fix it, no attempt to run cc's on a website, no plans to get a square or anything. Way to turn away 2 customers on a dead Tuesday morning. I'm not jumping through hoops to pay $12 at this tiny place. read more

One of my all time favorite museums. The ladies that work here are extremely knowledgeable. The tour is a must visit. Soak up this rich disturbing history and step back in time. read more

This place is a must see if you're visiting the area. It takes about an hour as it's not very large, but it was so informative, we loved it. The women who give the tour are so knowledgable and so pleasant. I was really glad that we chose to visit. read more

My husband and I took our children (ages 2, 7, 13,15, and 17) to Slave Haven to learn about the Underground Railroad. This is the actual home at the exact location that protected many runaway slaves in our history. Our guide took time to make sure all the children in the group were up front and center so they had the opportunity to see and hear all she had to say. The tour was informative and very touching. Our tour guide did a wonderful job at sharing the atrocities of the situation while also allowing us all to understand the heroics of the people involved in the underground railroad. She also did a wonderful job of relating the mistakes of the past (and the present) with the hopes for America's future. The tour did not have any political slant but rather was intended to be eye-opening for the group as a whole. When in the Memphis area, do not miss the opportunity to see this historical home. read more

I so wanted to go in, for whatever reason they don't allow picture-taking. Little do they know some of us travelers document our journeys throughout social media channels, giving them even more visibility and bringing more traffic. I read the story, would've been fun to see more in-depth. read more

Very Informative staff. House had a lot of hidden history that I didn't know about. I would DEFINITELY RECOMMEND GOING...

This is such an amazing and informative tour/ museum. I never expected to come out of there learning so much. This is what we should be teaching our children in schools! If you're in town for a few days... put Slave Haven on your list of plAces to visit. You will not be disappointed. read more

This is one of the best historical museums I've been to. The guides were so friendly and informative. I was not expecting to learn anything new, but certainly did! Definitely recommend for locals and visitors. read more

Not a "feel good" place, but should be required for all kids. I'm not sure if a museum can do that struggle justice you know? Just go and learn something! read more

Great place to visit and learn about the Underground Railroad. The tour guide was extremely engaging and knowledgeable, answering all the questions my group asked. The presentation about how spaces used quilts to communicate taught me a lot. The cellar is must see/experience. The tour lasted about an hour. It was a cool morning and the house was still cold. Dress warmly for cold days. I was there with teenagers and they commented how this made history come alive. read more

Amazing museum with an amazing staff. The history in the house is so thick that you can feel it as you walk through the halls. The staff is so friendly and knowledgable. There are many great experiences to be had and stories to be told in this historic house. read more