Slave Haven Underground Railroad

The outside of the museum is very deceiving but it is more than worth the interactive tour. The guides are knowledgable and very receptive to the needs of the group! I highly recommend the tour.

Visiting Slave Haven was fascinating and extremely sad. The original owner was dedicated to helping escaped slaves — you will see the crawl space and cellar on the tour. The guides were very knowledgeable and friendly, answering lots of questions and explaining secret codes in songs and quilts. $ 10 admission is well worth it. Definitely recommend.

I am sure this is normally a great place, but that was NOT our experience. We called ahead (as directed to from their website) and confirmed they were giving tours until 4pm. We arrived at 1:40. The signs for the place were not great. We went to the front door and a small sign said we were to enter through the back. It was drizzling rain and was very muddy. We were there with our elderly parents and picked our way through the mud to the back door. The back door was locked. There was, on the back door, a sign saying they would be back at 2pm. But I could hear voices inside the small building, so I gently knocked on the door. A women opened the door and looked perturbed. I asked, «are you open?» It was an honest question. I thought maybe they had just gotten back from lunch, and we could wait inside rather than in the mud and drizzle. She said, in an unfriendly way — while looking at the sign — «We open at 2:00pm.» She then closed the door. We were left, really, in shock at being treated so badly. There was no explanation, no welcome, no friendly greeting. After a brief discussion we decided to pick out way back through the mud to our cars — and we went to the National Civil Rights Museum, where we had a wonderful experience. As I said, based on other reviews, it appears that most people have a great time at this place, and I wish we did as well.

This was an amazing tour and learning experience of history. Elaine was extremely knowledgeable and more importantly passionate about the information that she gave us. We got to learn, see, and experience some aspects of some of the aspects of slavery and the Underground Railroad. An inexplicable time spent for an invaluable addition to our future and therefore our present as well.

Very good tour. Lots of history not just about this Underground Railroad stop but also about slavery in general. Make sure to show up right at 10 when they open so you get the whole tour. We were on time but wound up waiting while people were filtering in. There’s really nowhere for people to wait for a tour to start so they just joined in with us and missed the very start. Excellent tour guide.

Wonderful tour, passionate tour guides! What a great piece of history sitting right in an unsuspecting house in Memphis. This is a must do and people of all ages and backgrounds will enjoy.

This is an excellent tour that you should take if you are visiting the MLK Center as it is only 5 mins away. There is a very knowledgeable staff who covers different topics of slavery and the underground railroad. It is very educational and covers topics such as the use of blankets to navigate the difficult path and old slave songs used in churches to aid in passage. Ekpe Abiota give an excellent session on how music was used as signals and does an excellent presentation using the flute to play African songs. Don’t miss this tour if you are in the area.

This is a MUST SEE museum in Memphis! I spent about two hours here, and learned more about slavery than I’ve learned in all of my years of education (I have a doctorate). I was in town for a conference and called an über ride from Beale Street for under $ 6 each way. Bring some Kleenex, it’s a tearjerker of an experience. I actually went to the National Civil Rights Museum downtown the next day, and while that museum is very modern and thorough, I actually enjoyed my time at the Underground Railroad Museum much more!

My sisters and really enjoyed our visit to this little gem. It was located walking distance from the Airbnb we stayed at in Memphis and so we arrived early in the morning on a Monday and had the place entirely to ourselves for a tour with I believe her name was Elaine (if memory serves me correctly). This young woman was passionate and knowledgeable about the slave trade and ensuing strive for freedom (and she had a wonderful singing voice).
We learned a lot that we hadn’t known before about the secret escape network, such as using quilts for sending messages in code, singing gospel songs (which also contained inspirational messages in code) which helped so many gain their freedom from slavery. Standing in the cold cellar, looking at the tiny holes people would have had to squeeze through to get from outside into the cellar, it’s very easy to imagine the fear of discovery those who stayed there must have felt.
Definitely worth the $ 10 entrance fee

If all the history, slave quarters, and plantations I have toured this is the first Underground Railroad station I have toured. I didn’t get to partake in the full tour due to time restraints. We did get to see the cellar, trap doors and crawl space the slaves hid in until the next leg of the trip which took them to the Mississippi River. Where they caught a water vessel traveling north up the river until daylight.

Worth a visit. It lasts about 45 minutes to an hour, and you can leave at anytime, but you may not wander through the house unguided (since there is no photography allowed and we all know how well people follow those rules). The two women took turns at different parts of the tour. What I love about this is that it is truly a labor of love. There are no touch screens or iPads or fancy signage. What there IS is a series of rooms explaining how slaves ended up in the United States (capture/​middle passage), the torture they endured, and how they resisted and escaped. The house itself simply provides context and an example of one of the ways slaves could have fled north. The women who were our guides have their information memorized, and although some reviewers commented on how «easy» the questions were, people in our group actually had a hard time coming up with answers. A lot of Americans are still completely unaware of this history’s details. This museum is a throwback, and I loved it.

A must see. History that must be respected. The narrator’s were excellent and had so much information. Very glad to know that there were some Abolishers that were willing to disagree with the norm and learn of them BUT very sad to continue to learn that this was acceptable. It was a very moving and informational tour. Glad it has been recognized as a historic site and the descendants of Mr. Burkle had the courage to share these facts of her home and it was finally recognized as a historic site in 1997.

Very interesting. alot of slave facts. Only downside is everything is from other plantations no originals. Our tour girl actually sang old slave hyms and decoded the words for us!

Definitely would not recommend!
Maybe 5 minutes of dialogue spent on this residence. I would expect a museum located IN A HOUSE THAT WAS ONCE part of the underground RR to have a plethora of facts on the house and the operation; this had nothing. Instead, 90% of tour was about things other than the house (such as racial propaganda, music, etc). Not what I expected.

The «museum» may be small but the tour is jam packed with information. I just wanted to keep listening to the tour guides about the history of the house, the Burkles, and other slave stories. I teared up a couple times during one of the stories.
If you have the time, go and visit this place!

The Slave Haven Underground Railroad was a once and a lifetime experience. I say this because while taking a tour of the house I was able to feel the spirit and presence of my ancestors that passed through this home on their way to freedom.
The staff was absolutely amazing and extremely knowledge. I can say that my experience in touring the Slave Haven further more supported my stance that Afrikan Americans are the smartest people in the world.
The Slave Haven should be a requirement for all blacks that visit or live in the greater Memphis area. No matter what part of the country you live in, you need to visit here at least once.

In contrast to the well-​funded and expansive Civil Rights Museum the Underground Railroad House is a minimal and sparse exhibition. But it makes up for this by being inter-​active with a guided tour through the house.
It all really depends on what you like your tours to be. Do you hate the person with constant commentary and questions? Do you like to be in and out in under 90 minutes? Do you loathe being asked very elementary borderline rhetorical questions? Depending on your feelings on these things, you might enjoy the tour or begin to plot your escape via the hidden passageway used roughly 150 years ago.
We had moments of all these feelings on our visit. As mentioned by someone else, getting attached to a tour group may expose you to an extra hour you could do without/​spend better elsewhere… except that you can’t leave because you’re trapped!
Your tour could last 60 minutes or ensnare your afternoon for 2.5 hour. It makes a bit hard to plan with that range and what’s actually kind of frustrating was some of the presented ancillary Antebellum history was really interesting/​insightful while other rather elementary points were really drawn out (ie: looking at obvious historic art and analyzing it for hidden meanings).
It seems to depend on whose giving the tour and perhaps what they think that group wants to hear.
Honestly, it’s a crap shoot if you go. I would say it is worth it if you’re into history and want to hear the individual story of David Burkle. Just know you if you have other plans one might have to do a barrel roll to make it there in time.

This was an amazing find! It seems like just another house until you see the plaque outside. This is not your typical museum either.
Entering through the backdoor you find yourself in the gift shop full of unique gifts and hand carved African art. We had poor timing with our arrival and got there right after a van of school kids had already started the tour. We were asked if we wouldn’t mind waiting and we said of course! We really wanted to see the place and didn’t mind at all.
The lady helping us told us that if we liked cats, hers was outside in the back house and we could go sit with her. Ha! Apparently she read me like a book, because I love cats. So, my husband and I sat on the porch petting the cat, basking up the sun. It was awesome already. I can’t quite remember but when she led us out there she mentioned something about the building. You should ask.
Another lady then came out and brought us inside, had us pay (on a side note, they prefer cash payment but will take cards), and asked that we move to the front door area. We looked at the photos for a moment before being joined by another lady (sorry, at this point you probably already gathered I’m terrible with names) who told us that she would start our tour. It was just my husband and I but I think even in a larger group it would still feel very personal. So awesome.
She proceeded to go through the history of slavery and the family who owed the house. She knew all there was to know and even quoted some of the newspapers word for word. We then moved into one of the front rooms that had chairs set out for us and talked more about the history of the underground railroad. I don’t want to go too much into detail because that may take away from your experience, but there was a wonderful surprise at this point which involved a song most Americans probably know, but like I said, go and find out for yourself. ;)
Next we took a tour of the home which was very well decorated. Sadly, the family didn’t find out the history of the home until much later and therefore had not thought to preserve any of their possessions. Who would? Luckily, the women who donated the house to the museum was an antique collector and had a lot of wonderful things to fill the home with that are still there and bring the place to life.
Overall, this was a very unique and fascinating tour. Seeing how it is right downtown, it is worth a stop in. Support these ladies (and possibly gentlemen) in their effort to preserve an important piece of our American history and a proud moment in a dark time.

Only a 5 minute drive from Beale Street. If you love history and want to see a house that was part of it –the Burkle estate (Slave Haven) is the place to be. There are 2
Tour guides that are both really good at explaining history of the Underground Railroad and how this place and the people who lived here played a role in abolition. Definitely go support this hidden gem– $ 10 for adults $ 9 for students I believe. For 1hr tour

A+ for effort, y’all!
The museum says this antebellum home was a stop on the Underground Railroad! There was a trapdoor that lead to the cellar with tunnels under the house. The guide goes into the history of the house a bit but the tour is mainly the history of slavery… which is obviously heart breaking. The stories leave you with your mouth literally hanging open, so be prepared. I definitely teared up more than once.
For $ 10 ticket, you get an hour long (little over, actually) tour with stops in different rooms before ending up in the cellar for the finale. Frankly, I felt like it was a little long winded with certain things being repeated or the tour guide asking the tourists questions, but our guide was certainly knowledgeable and had her history down.
I had no idea that Memphis even had anything like this! It is a punch to the gut but we need to hear the history.