The Pink Palace Mansion is home to a world of Memphis and Mid-South history. From the Piggly Wiggly Store replica, Clyde Parke Miniature Circus, Cossitt Room and other crowd pleasers, the Pink Palace Mansion treats visitors to wall-to-wall stories of music, culture, race and travel.

The history of the Pink Palace is literally chiseled in stone – pink marble to be exact. It’s a story that began with the Mansion, originally designed to be the dream home of wealthy entrepreneur Clarence Saunders, founder of the Piggly Wiggly grocery chain. The Mansion’s distinctive pink marble façade led to the nickname of Saunders “Pink Palace”.

Saunders ensuing legal dispute with the New York Exchange forced him into bankruptcy leaving his Pink Palace unfinished and eventually being given to the city of Memphis in the late 1920s for use as a museum. For nearly half a century, the Museum continued to expand its exhibits and reputation as a leading regional museum of science and natural history.

In 1975, an additional multi-story building was constructed alongside the Mansion that greatly expanded the exhibit space and eventually became the Pink Palace Museum & Mansion, home to the Bodine Exhibit Hall, the Giant Screen Theater and Sharpe Planetarium.

Shop like the old days at the Piggly Wiggly Store replica.

Marvel at a masterpiece of architecture and art.

Catch jugglers, carnies, parades and high wire acts in motion at the Clyde Parke Miniature Circus. Circus runs at 11am Wed. – Fri.;  Sat. 11am and 2pm; Sun. 2pm

See artifacts and specimens from the original 1930’s museum at the Cossitt Room.