New to Memphis! Exciting Additions for 2026
Whether you're into art, music, food, or outdoor experiences, here’s a look at the can’t-miss additions and expansions arriving in the Bluff City this year. Image: Facebook / Grind City Amp
Memphis is stepping into 2026 with lots of momentum and plenty to celebrate. From museum openings and up-and-coming music venues to multisensory attractions and new places to eat, gather, and explore, the Bluff City is embracing growth while honoring its rich traditions. Here’s what to look forward to in the year ahead — plus some recent openings and renovations to keep you busy in the meantime!
MUSEUM EXPANSIONS
With museum expansions, milestone anniversaries, and more on the horizon, 2026 promises to be a transformative year for Memphis arts and culture.
Memphis Art Museum Expands and Rebrands
With 29 galleries and a collection of more than 10,000 works spanning from ancient to contemporary art, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is one of the region’s largest and oldest art museums. In late 2026, the museum will open its new home — the $180 million Memphis Art Museum — overlooking the riverfront in downtown Memphis. The 122,000-square-foot building will nearly double the museum’s existing gallery space, featuring flexible galleries, classrooms, and a theater.
Visitors can also enjoy a 10,000-square-foot community courtyard at the street level and a 50,000-square-foot rooftop sculpture garden, along with a shaded River Window offering sweeping views of the Mississippi River. Until the December opening, the museum’s Overton Park location will remain open for those who want to explore its collections and rotating exhibitions.
The Metal Museum Relocates to Newly Renovated Space
The Metal Museum, the nation’s only museum dedicated exclusively to metalwork, will relocate to a newly renovated space at the former Memphis College of Art in Midtown’s Overton Park. Slated to open in early September, the museum will be six times larger than its current location and include classrooms, studios, a cafe, a 350-seat auditorium, gathering spaces, a rooftop terrace, a library, a sculpture grove, and two floors of rotating exhibits, alongside its permanent collection.
National Civil Rights Museum Deepens Its Reach
The National Civil Rights Museum continues to find powerful new ways to tell the story of the Civil Rights Movement as it marks its 35th anniversary. Located just outside the museum, the newly opened Founders Park features walking paths, educational signage, a reflective plaza, and views of the site from which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassin fired.
Debuting in spring 2026, the museum’s reimagined Legacy Experience will focus on Dr. King’s book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? and explore themes of nonviolence, poverty, housing, gender equity, and the evolution of civil rights since 1968.
MEMPHIS INSTITUTIONS MARK MILESTONE YEARS
Several of the city’s most beloved institutions are celebrating significant anniversaries in 2026, and you are invited to join in the festivities throughout the year. These include:
Overton Park, 125 years: Founded in 1906, this popular park is home to museums, the Memphis Zoo, a newly renovated golf course, playgrounds, walking trails, a dog park, and an old-growth forest. It also features the historic Overton Park Shell, which marks its 90th anniversary this year with special events celebrating decades of diverse music performed at the iconic venue, including Elvis Presley’s first rock ‘n’ roll concert.
Opera Memphis, 70 years: The company will celebrate seven decades of bringing innovative, world-class opera to the Bluff City with performances of The Barber of Seville, Sweeney Todd, and more.
Dixon Gallery & Gardens, 50 years: Home to a 2,000-piece art collection and 17 acres of public gardens, including a certified arboretum, this free East Memphis attraction is hosting an exhibit honoring its founders, Hugo and Margaret Dixon, as part of its 50th anniversary celebration.
Ballet Memphis, 40 years: Celebrating 40 years of artistry, from The Nutcracker to Romeo and Juliet, the ballet company hosts four performances annually. Stay tuned for this season’s lineup.
Hatiloo Theatre, 20 years: The city’s only freestanding Black repertory theatre will mark two decades of bringing classic and original plays and musicals to the Overton Square Performing Arts District.
SPORTS
From new teams and music venues to interactive adventures, 2026 brings big energy and fresh experiences to Memphis.
Sports fans, get ready! This year, Memphis welcomes a new soccer team as the Memphis Football Club joins the United Soccer League’s League Two. Catch a match this summer at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex.
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium is also getting a makeover, set to be ready for the Memphis Tigers’ 2026 football season kickoff in August.
Love to golf? Tee off at several newly renovated golf courses across the city, such as TPC Southwind.
MUSIC VENUES
Music lovers can look forward to two new concert venues. Grind City Amp, a 4,500-person outdoor concert venue on the riverfront at Grind City Brewing Company, is set to open this spring, just in time for the 2026 Grind City Music Festival. Snag tickets to the venue’s first show, Alabama Shakes featuring Mon Rovîa, on April 22.
Live Nation will also debut Satellite Music Hall, a 1,300-capacity venue across from Crosstown Concourse, with plans to host 100 shows annually.
IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES
Looking for immersive fun? Now through February 1, experience the first-ever Memphis Zoo Lantern Festival, where the zoo glows with 60 lantern installations, flowing walkways, and tunnels.
In March, head to the former Mississippi River Museum on Mud Island for Baron von Opperbean‘s River of Time, a playground of portals that transports guests to different realms through imaginative sculptures, projections, art, sound, and light.
Then stroll over to nearby Tom Lee Park to explore the Memphis Flyway, a 218-foot-long canopy boardwalk and observation deck opening in 2026, which will offer one-of-a-kind views of the river and its habitats.
THE FOOD SCENE
Memphis’s dining and hospitality scene continues to evolve with the addition of creative new restaurants and the reimagining of old favorites.
We’re excited for new additions like Kuya, an authentic Filipino restaurant opening in 2026 on South Main Street. But longtime favorites are enjoying new life, too. The Second Line, chef Kelly English’s Cajun-Creole hotspot, is relocating from Midtown to East Memphis, adjacent to Restaurant Iris. Meanwhile, Catherine & Mary’s downtown has recently unveiled a refreshed interior with an expanded cocktail lounge and new private dining spaces.
In 2025, Memphis restaurants earned international recognition with the inaugural MICHELIN Guide American South, which highlights several local establishments — including Hog & Hominy, The Lobbyist, Petals of a Peony, Felicia Suzanne’s, and Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen. We hope to see more local additions to the guide in 2026!
HOTEL RESTORATIONS
Several local hotels also got recent upgrades, and they’re eager to welcome locals and visitors alike this year. The Peabody Memphis completed a $19 million renovation of its guestrooms, elevating its legendary luxury with modern touches.
Hotel Napoleon added a standout new dining option with The Archives Bar & Bistro, known for creative Southern breakfasts and classic cocktails.
The newly restored Hotel Pontotoc — once a bathhouse, bordello, nightclub, and recording studio — blends historic charm with contemporary comfort for a memorable stay.
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Emily McMackin
Emily McMackin Dye is an Alabama native and Tennessee transplant, who recently moved to Memphis from Nashville. A freelance writer, she enjoys exploring history, culture, and the lifestyle scene surrounding her new home in The Bluff City.