Sun Studio is a working recording studio and National Historic Landmark located at 706 Union Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee. It’s where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Ike Turner all made foundational recordings in the 1950s. This guide covers tour times, ticket prices, parking, accessibility, and practical visitor tips to help you plan your visit.
Updated May 2026. Pricing was updated on 1 January 2026. A separate Youth tier (ages 12–18) now applies at $18 per person — many older guides and booking platforms show only two price points and may not reflect this. Children under the age of 5 are not permitted on the guided tour under any circumstances.
Quick facts: Sun Studio, Memphis
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 706 Union Avenue, Memphis, TN 38103 |
| Phone | (901) 521-0664 / toll-free (800) 441-6249 |
| Opening hours | Daily 10:00am–5:15pm |
| Tour times | 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30 (last tour) |
| Closed | Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day |
| Adult admission | $20 |
| Youth (ages 12–18) | $18 |
| Children (ages 5–11) | $15 (with adult admission) |
| Children under 5 | Not permitted on the tour |
| Parking | Free, behind the building (enter from Monroe Avenue) |
| Typical visit duration | 1–1.5 hours |
Sun Studio tour times and opening hours
Sun Studio is open every day of the week, 10:00am to 5:15pm. All visits are guided — there is no self-guided option.
Tours begin once an hour, on the half-hour: 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, and 4:30. The 4:30 tour is the last of the day.
Special hours:
- Christmas Eve: 10:00am–5:15pm (last tour at 4:30pm)
- Christmas Day: closed
- New Year’s Day: noon–6:15pm (first tour at 12:30pm)
- Thanksgiving Day: closed
Ticket sales for the entire day open at 10:00am. You can arrive at opening and purchase a ticket for any tour time that day, then leave and return to Memphis before your chosen tour.
Sun Studio ticket prices
All tickets are available first come, first served at the door. No advance reservations are taken for standard visits. Vouchers can be purchased online and are honoured on arrival, but they do not guarantee a specific date or time and do not reserve a place on a tour.
| Visitor type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adults | $20 |
| Youth (ages 12–18) | $18 |
| Children (ages 5–11) | $15 (with adult admission) |
| Children under 5 | Not permitted on the guided tour |
Important: Children under the age of 5 may not join the guided tour.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in May 2026.
Why book the Memphis City Tour with Sun Studio?
- 🎸 The Birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll: Walk the hallowed halls of Sun Studio on a guided tour, standing in the exact room where musical legends like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis recorded their first tracks.
- 🦆 The Peabody Duck March: Stop at the historic Peabody Hotel to witness the famous, whimsical tradition of the ducks parading down the red carpet to the grand lobby fountain.
- 🎷 Beale Street & Cotton Row: Cruise through the city’s most storied avenues, learning about the deep-rooted blues heritage of Beale Street and the massive trading history of historic Cotton Row along the bluffs.
- 🌳 Comprehensive City Exploration: Take in the sights across the Mississippi River waterfront, view Victorian-era architecture in the Victorian Village, and pass the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel.
- 🚌 Climate-Controlled Comfort: Relax in an air-conditioned coach while a passionate local guide shares the rich tapestry of civil rights history, musical milestones, and Southern culture that shaped Memphis.
How to get to Sun Studio
Sun Studio is located at the corner of Union Avenue and Marshall Street, one mile from Beale Street and one mile from the Mississippi River. The Peabody Hotel is 0.7 miles away.
By car: Use the address 706 Union Avenue, Memphis, TN 38103. The journey from Beale Street is a five-minute drive.
On foot: Sun Studio is a 20-minute walk from Beale Street, along Union Avenue heading east. Many visitors combine it with other downtown attractions on foot.
By rideshare: Uber and Lyft operate throughout Memphis and are the most straightforward option from downtown or Graceland. The studio is not on a convenient MATA bus route for most visitors.
Five great things to do in Memphis
- 🎸 Enjoy a private luxury tour of Memphis – with Graceland tickets included.
- 🍖 Get a taste of Tennessee – on a Downtown Memphis food tour.
- 🛥️ Take a Memphis discovery tour – with Mississippi cruise and Sun Studio add-on options.
- 🏙️ Discover Memphis beyond Beale Street – on a historic walking tour.
- 🚗 Hop on a day tour to Tupelo – and see Elvis’ childhood home.
Parking at Sun Studio
Free parking is available in the lot directly behind the building. There is no parking access from Union Avenue — you must enter the car park from Monroe Avenue (the street directly behind the studio). Street parking is also available in the surrounding area. A paid, camera-monitored lot is at the corner of Orleans and Monroe for overflow.
How long to spend at Sun Studio
Allow one to one and a half hours in total. Tours are guided and last approximately 40–45 minutes. Arrive at least 15–20 minutes before your chosen tour time to purchase tickets and browse the gift shop.
Because tours fill up — particularly on weekends and during summer — arriving early in the day to buy tickets for a later tour is a practical strategy. Ticket sales open at 10:00am for all that day’s tours.
Accessibility at Sun Studio
Sun Studio was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2003, which restricts the structural changes that can be made to the building. As a result, accessibility is limited in parts of the tour.
The gift shop and café area on the ground floor are wheelchair accessible. The first half of the guided tour involves a staircase and is not accessible for wheelchair users. The second half of the tour — in the studio itself — is accessible.
Visitors who cannot use the staircase are encouraged to speak to a member of staff, who will do their best to accommodate. There is one step up into the restroom — plan accordingly.
Service animals trained to assist a person with a disability are permitted. Emotional support animals do not qualify. Pets are not allowed. Pets must not be left unattended in vehicles in the car park.
Inside Sun Studio: what to see
Sun Studio operates as a museum and working professional recording studio. All visits are guided tours.
The gift shop and pre-tour exhibits are on the ground floor and set the historical context. Displays cover the studio’s founding by Sam Phillips in 1950 and the early recordings he made before establishing Sun Records. A replica of the original WHBQ radio booth — from which Elvis Presley’s first record was broadcast — is housed in this section.
The recording studio is the centrepiece of the tour. This is the room where Elvis Presley recorded “That’s All Right” in July 1954; where B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf, Ike Turner, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash all made landmark recordings. The original recording equipment remains in place. The studio’s acoustics are unchanged from the 1950s. Guides play original recordings and clips during the tour, and visitors can stand at the microphone where these sessions took place.
The Million Dollar Quartet session of December 1956 — when Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis were all recorded together in the studio — is a recurring focus of the tour narrative. The original session photographs and documentation are on display.
The studio operates as a professional recording studio at night. Artists from around the world continue to record here. The recording experience previously offered to general visitors (sometimes called the “karaoke session”) has been discontinued.
Practical visitor tips for Sun Studio
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Arrive early, buy for later | Ticket sales open at 10:00am for all tours that day. Arriving at 10:00am and buying a 2:30pm or 3:30pm slot lets you visit other attractions in between, while securing your place before popular times sell out. |
| No reservations — no exceptions | Standard general admission operates on a strict first-come, first-served basis. There are no phone or online reservations for individuals or families. Arriving during a busy period without planning for a wait is a common mistake. |
| Children under 5 cannot join the tour | This is a firm policy with no exceptions. Parents with very young children should contact the studio before visiting to discuss their options. |
| The studio is not wheelchair accessible throughout | The first section of the tour requires climbing a staircase. Visitors with mobility needs should speak to staff on arrival, who will try to accommodate as fully as the landmark restrictions allow. |
| No outside food or drink on the tour | Water is permitted. Cold sodas and hot coffee are available for purchase in the gift shop area. No full food service is offered — several restaurants are within walking distance, including High Cotton Brewery and Sunrise Memphis. |
Frequently asked questions about Sun Studio
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Sun Studio suitable for young children? | Children aged 5–11 can join the tour with an adult. Children under 5 are not permitted on the guided tour. The studio is a compact historic space; the tour lasts 40–45 minutes standing. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for Sun Studio? | No — tickets are sold at the door, first come, first served. Vouchers can be purchased online to pre-pay, but they do not guarantee a specific time. Tours can sell out, particularly at weekends; arriving early and buying tickets for a later tour is the most reliable approach. |
| Is Sun Studio open on Sundays? | Yes. The studio is open every day of the week, including Sundays, from 10:00am to 5:15pm. |
| Can I record a song at Sun Studio? | Not through a public walk-in experience. The karaoke-style recording session previously offered to visitors is no longer available. |
| Is Sun Studio the same as Sun Records? | Sun Records is the record label founded by Sam Phillips. Sun Studio is the physical recording studio at 706 Union Avenue where those recordings were made. The two terms refer to related but distinct entities. |
Things to do near Sun Studio
Beale Street (~1 mile west, 20-minute walk or 5-minute drive) is the historic entertainment district central to the development of blues and soul in Memphis. Live music venues operate from mid-afternoon onwards along the strip.
The Peabody Memphis (149 Union Avenue, 0.7 miles west) is a historic hotel whose lobby hosts a twice-daily duck march — ducks travel by elevator from the rooftop pond each morning at 11:00am and return at 5:00pm. Free to watch from the lobby.
Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum (191 Beale Street, ~1 mile west) is a Smithsonian-affiliated museum tracing the roots of rock and soul from Delta field hollers to the international stage.
National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel (450 Mulberry Street, ~1.5 miles south-west) is built around the site of Dr Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in 1968 and covers the full history of the American civil rights movement. One of the most visited history museums in the South.
High Cotton Brewery (598 Monroe Avenue, two blocks behind Sun Studio) is one of the neighbourhood restaurants recommended directly by the studio for visitors wanting lunch or dinner nearby.
What to visit tomorrow: music museums within two hours of Sun Studio
Stax Museum of American Soul Music (Memphis, ~3 miles south) is built on the original Stax Records site and covers the soul and R&B revolution of the 1960s and 1970s. Includes Isaac Hayes’s gold-plated Cadillac Eldorado and a full-scale replica of Studio A.
Delta Blues Museum (Clarksdale, MS, ~1.5 hours south on Highway 61) covers the origins and development of Delta blues from the Mississippi field workers who created it to its global influence. Clarksdale sits at the crossroads associated with Robert Johnson.
Tina Turner Museum (Brownsville, TN, ~1 hour north-east) is the schoolhouse where Tina Turner received her early education in Nutbush, Tennessee, restored as a museum covering her life and career.
International Rock-A-Billy Hall of Fame and Museum (Jackson, TN, ~1.5 hours north-east) is based in the hometown of Carl Perkins and sits midway between Memphis and Nashville, covering the rockabilly genre that connected blues with country in the early 1950s.
Elvis Presley Birthplace and Museum (Tupelo, MS, ~1 hour 45 minutes south-east) is the two-room house where Elvis Presley was born in 1935, with an adjacent museum, memorial chapel, and the hardware store where he bought his first guitar.
More Tennessee travel
Other Tennessee travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Plan your visit to the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, Legends of Country Music Museum and Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville.
- First time visitor guides to Belmont Mansion and Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage in Nashville.
- What to know before visiting the Memphis Botanic Garden.
- Visiting Ruby Falls and Rock City Gardens from Chattanooga.
- Plan your visit to the Hunter Museum of American Art and Sculpture Fields at Montague Park in Chattanooga.
