London’s Elvis exhibition, Elvis at the O2 opens this weekend, showcasing more than 300 artefacts from the King’s life, many direct from his Memphis home, Graceland.
The exhibition, which will run for nine months, charts the rise of Elvis from humble boy born in a Tupelo shack to global superstar. On display will be cars, personal items, historical documents, iconic stage costumes, guitars, and gold and platinum records.
Even the famous pool table Elvis played on with The Beatles will be on display. Items leaving Memphis for the first of its kind London exhibition include:
- “TCB” (Taking Care of Business) ring, 16 total karats with a centre solitaire of 11.5 karats
- Red 1960 MG Roadster from the film Blue Hawaii
- Elvis’ personal wallet containing photos of a young Lisa Marie Presley
- Elvis’ personal keys to Graceland
If you’re inspired by the exhibition and want to see Elvis’ home, USA holiday specialists Archers Holidays have a twin-centre Memphis and Nashville holiday. The seven-night Elvis & the Southern Sounds includes city sightseeing in Memphis and Nashville, a stay at the Heartbreak Hotel, a guided Platinum tour of Graceland and visits to Sun Studio where Elvis cut his first record and his birthplace in Tupelo.
Other highlights include the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, Stax Museum of American Soul Music which celebrates soul music greats such as Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin, tickets to the radio music show, the Grand Ole Opry as well as the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.
Sara Gelder of Archers Holidays says: “Interest is always strong for our American music themed holidays in the Deep South and in particular for those featuring anything associated with the life of Elvis. The opportunity to see items from the Graceland archives here in the UK is sure to draw a lot of interest around Elvis’ life. Amazingly, 2015 is the 38th anniversary of Elvis’ death and our special departure in August to commemorate the anniversary always sells out.”
The price of the trip is £1,398 per person, including flights. See archersdirect.co.uk
