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Mud Island River Park
Mud Island River Park
Downtown Memphis
view website125 N Front St
Memphis, TN 38103+1713
1-800-507-6507
Good-for-Kids Rating
Babies
Toddlers & Pre-K
School-Age KidsPre-Teens & Teens
Mud Island River Park Description
A walk from the actual headwaters of the mighty Mississippi to its outlet at the Gulf of Mexico would be quite an undertaking, but Mud Island's walk-along scale model of the Mississippi is a perfectly manageable way to see how the river widens, narrows, and even floods. The museum showcases the importance of the river, from the earliest days of human habitation through the Civil War to modern barge transportation. Ride the monorail made famous in the movie "The Firm" during the summer to beat the heat, but take the pedestrian walkway on cooler spring and fall days.
History Museum
Science & Nature Museum
Park
Bicycling
Live Music Venue
Kid Tips
Babies: The monorail ride will lull little ones to sleep, but keeping them that way can be a bit of a challenge in the tight quarters of the museum. Consider a front or backpack carrier for best portability.
Toddlers & Pre-K: Speed-walk through the river's history and get them out to the model river as soon as possible.
School-Age Kids: The history can be a bit dry, but boys especially will be fascinated by the Civil War tales.
Pre-Teens & Teens: Empathy for the slaves sold along the riverfront may wake the teen set up; renting a kayak, bike, or peddle boat might be just the ticket for seeing the island from another angle.
Planning Notes
- Pack a snack. Food and beverage service tends to be spotty.
- Get wet. The kids will want to walk in the river (the model, that is) so be prepared; flip-flops and shorts are the best bet for getting wet with no regrets.
- Monorail fee. A round-trip ride on the monorail is $4 per person.
Just the Facts
Hours: Open mid-April through October: Tues.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. May through Labor Day: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Closed Mondays
Fees: Under $10
Recommended Time: 1 to 2 hours
Reviews of Mud Island River Park
Staff not friendly/ not handicap friendly place to visit
By dlurp1 June 21, 2012
Babies
Toddlers & Pre-K
School-Age Kids
Pre-Teens & Teens
What we loved:
Whole experience sucked
What we didn't love:
No help for handicapped when monorail breaks
THIS PLACE WILL NEVER BE ON MY LIST OF PLACES TO GO!!! My daughter and 3 of her friends 1 use a cane, 1 uses a walker and are able to walk short distances went from Springfield Missouri to see Mud Island and experience the Monorail. They parked and paid for their tickets, rode the rail to the Island and were informed that the Monorail "broke and has electrical issues and you all will have to walk back". They asked about wheelchairs for the 2 who could not walk that far. They were informed "there is one wheelchair and you can use it and make multiple trips", it is over a mile one way to the parking. No other options were offered at that time. The staff had an attitude .... so what it is not our fault and not our problem if you have to make multiple trips to get your friends back to the parking...... When they got back to parking and where they purchased their tickets they complained and were given a refund for 1/2 the price of their tickets, "you rode the monorail there and so you have to pay for that" is what they were told. After complaining more about the wheelchair and issues with the handicapped they were finally offered the option of driving on the "employee only" path to pick up their other friend. Not a way to run anything! NEVER VISIT IF YOU ARE HANDICAPPED, The staff has an attitude already and if they are asked to go out of their way to do their job helping handicapped you are in trouble, because they really wont unless you complain a lot to them and then they really do not want to help but will begrudgingly!!! Read More
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