Stax Museum of American Soul Music

Turning a Museum Visit into a Reading Adventure

Soul music is storytelling, and that makes the Stax Museum a natural place to build reading habits. Song lyrics, album liner notes, exhibit labels and the history of the neighborhood around McLemore Avenue all give young readers short, meaningful texts to explore. Families don't need a formal lesson plan to make a visit count. A few simple routines before, during and after the trip can turn an afternoon of music history into real literacy practice.

Before you go

• Read a little background together. A picture book or short article about soul music, Memphis history or the civil rights era gives children context and new vocabulary to listen for.
• Make a word list. Pick five words you expect to see, such as studio, record, rhythm or legacy, and challenge your child to spot them on exhibit signs.
• Check the museum's official website for current hours, admission and any family or school programming before planning your day.

During the visit

Let younger children choose one display and read its label aloud with you, taking turns sentence by sentence. Older readers can act as the family guide, summarizing what a section is about in their own words. Encourage questions. Asking why a studio mattered to its neighborhood, or how a song came to be written, builds the comprehension skills tutors work on every week.

After you get home

• Listen to a song you heard about and read or write out the lyrics together, talking about what the words mean.
• Ask your child to write or draw a short "museum review" describing their favorite part.
• Visit your local library to find biographies of musicians connected to Memphis soul.

Activities like these mirror what we practice at our family reading nights: short, joyful reading tied to something children already care about. For more printable ideas, browse our family reading resources, or learn how our programs bring stories and community together across Memphis.