For students, travel is most powerful when it brings classroom lessons to life. At Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, history, music, art, and culture converge to create an unforgettable educational experience for groups of all ages.
Stepping inside Graceland Mansion, students walk through the very rooms where Elvis lived, entertained, and found inspiration. The tour begins in the foyer, once the setting where Elvis welcomed guests, and moves through spaces that reflect the styles and stories of the 1960s and 1970s. Highlights include the Jungle Room, with its green shag carpet and Polynesian-inspired furnishings, and the Trophy Building, which shares personal stories through family artifacts like childhood toys, keepsakes, and the RCA television presented to Elvis for selling 50 million records. The experience concludes in the Meditation Garden, where Elvis and members of his family are laid to rest.
Beyond the mansion gates, learning expands inside Elvis Presley’s Memphis, a 200,000-square-foot entertainment and exhibit complex. Here, students gain a deeper understanding of Elvis’ career, the city that shaped him, and the cultural shifts he helped inspire. The Elvis: The Entertainer Career Museum houses the world’s largest collection of his gold records, jumpsuits, and film memorabilia, while the Elvis ’68 exhibit highlights the creativity and cultural impact of his celebrated television comeback special.
Rotating exhibitions keep the experience fresh for returning groups. In 2025, the 90 for 90 exhibit debuted, sharing 90 stories told through carefully curated artifacts from the Graceland Archives. Other new highlights include Colonel Parker’s World of Showbusiness, which explores the life of Elvis’ larger-than-life manager, and Graceland in Red 1974, a re-creation of the bold and dramatic living room décor Elvis personally selected.
Graceland’s educational value lies in its ability to connect across disciplines. Music students can study Elvis’ recordings and his influence on rock ‘n’ roll. History and social studies groups gain insight into mid-20th-century America, from pop culture to Elvis’ service years featured in the Private Presley exhibit. Art and design classes draw inspiration from stage costumes, automobiles, and even the eclectic furnishings of the mansion itself.
Most importantly, Graceland provides students with a story to carry home — one that makes history tangible, culture relevant, and learning memorable. For educators and travel planners, it transforms a field trip into an experience that inspires long after the journey ends.
To explore Graceland’s education opportunities for your student group, visit Graceland.com/students‘
Photos courtesy of Graceland
