Sun Studio is the most atmospheric music site in Memphis, and the guided tour is one of the best short visits in America. In the early 1950s, radio engineer Sam Phillips opened the Memphis Recording Service in a small corner building at 706 Union Avenue, and over the next few years he recorded blues players such as Howlin’ Wolf and B.B. King, a song often called the first rock ’n’ roll record, and then a young truck driver named Elvis Presley. Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison followed, and the famous Million Dollar Quartet jam happened in this room. The tour starts upstairs, in a small museum of instruments, photos and records, where a guide tells the story with real enthusiasm and plays the tapes. Then you go downstairs into the studio, which still works as a recording studio at night, see the marks on the floor and stand at the microphone the legends used. This page links to Sun Studio’s own general admission ticket on Viator, rated 4.9 from more than 1,400 reviews.
How to visit: Sun Studio is at 706 Union Avenue, on the eastern edge of downtown, a short ride from Beale Street. It opens seven days a week from 10:00 to 17:15, with general admission tours on the half hour from 10:30 to 16:30, and is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Tickets are first come, first served on arrival, and the printed voucher you buy online does not reserve a specific tour time, so arrive 15 to 20 minutes before the tour you want and allow an hour to an hour and a half in all. Free parking is behind the building, reached from Monroe Avenue rather than Union.
What to expect: the tour lasts about 40 to 45 minutes. Children under five are not allowed, and the first half involves a staircase, so it is not fully accessible, although the studio itself and the gift shop are. Groups are small, so summer and weekend tours can fill and you may wait for the next one.
Making the most of it: come at opening and pair it with Graceland, since the story starts here. Stand at the microphone for a photo, ask the guide about the night sessions, and spend time in the café and record shop afterwards.
What to expect
The experience
A 40 to 45 minute guided tour of a small upstairs museum and the working studio below, where you can stand at the original microphone.
Best time
The 10:30 tour on a weekday, before groups and day-trippers arrive.
How long
About an hour to an hour and a half including the gift shop and café.
Tips
Arrive 15 to 20 minutes before the tour you want, since times are first come, first served, and park free behind the building via Monroe Avenue.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Music lovers of every kind, Elvis and Johnny Cash fans, and anyone who wants the origin story of rock ’n’ roll.
- Families
- Older kids who like music love it, but children under five are not allowed on the tour.
- Couples
- A short, intimate visit with a great photo at the famous microphone.
- Pair with
- Graceland the same day, or the Rock ’n’ Soul Museum on Beale Street.
- Time needed
- About ninety minutes.
Good questions
What are the Sun Studio tour times?+
General admission tours run every day at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30, 15:30 and 16:30. The studio is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Does a Sun Studio ticket reserve a tour time?+
No, tickets are honored first come, first served on arrival, and vouchers do not hold a specific slot. Arrive 15 to 20 minutes before the tour you want.
How long is the Sun Studio tour?+
The guided tour lasts about 40 to 45 minutes. Allow an hour to an hour and a half for the whole visit.
Can young children visit Sun Studio?+
Children under five are not permitted on the guided tour. Children aged five to eleven must be with an adult.
Is there parking at Sun Studio?+
Yes, there is free parking behind the building, entered from Monroe Avenue rather than Union Avenue. Street parking and a paid lot nearby are other options.
