Haven Underground Review

We went to slave haven while on a vacation to Nashville. We drove 3.5 hours to Memphis just to see this place. Upon arrival there was a group (10-15 people) of Spanish speaking vacationers. They were very polite, one man even walked around and greeted every other person outside of their group with "Buenos Diaz" and a handshake. The sign says the museum opens at 10am... 10:20 rolls around and two workers finally show up. They let us in the museum around 10:25 and demand cash even though there's a sign saying they accept credit and debit cards on the outside of their building. We paid and they told us to walk through to bedrooms and down the hallway into a room of African instruments, as this is the self guided portion of the tour. There were two workers, a younger lady appearing to be in her 20's - early 30's and another lady who stated she was in her mid 40's. After I completed the self guided tour I waited in the hallway and observed the Spanish speaking group and the younger worker interact. One of the ladies in the group asked if she could bring a chair as she was elderly and could not stand for more than 20 minutes at a time. The worker was short with her, and upon the visitor asking again, because she didn't receive a clear answer the worker snapped at her, rolled her eyes, and said "I just said someone will bring you a chair." After everyone was checked in and completing the self guided portion the two workers went to the office to "speak" (yell) at each other. I was observing them through the doorway and when the younger worker saw me watching she stepped back out of my sight. When they finally started the tour the younger worker told everyone to huddle in the hallway in three rows, "short" people in the first row, "medium" people in the middle row, and "tall" people in the back. Well, when everyone couldn't huddle around a group of photos she wanted to talk about (because there were 20+ of us in a small hallway) she snapped yet again and told us all we needed to huddle around the pictures. A person from the Spanish speaking group informed her they had a translator, and asked if she could pause after a sentence so the translator could translate to the rest of the group. She responded with "No how this is going to work is I'm going to say three or four things then I'll pause". Once she realized we weren't all going to fit she said she was going to split our group in two (which was a great idea). She took the Spanish speaking group, and we got the older gal of the two. We started our tour and about two minutes in more people walked in... so she stopped and took their money and added them to the group... this happened at least three times. The rest of the tour was great until we were waiting in the kitchen for the other group to see the basement. During this time our tour guide went on a rant about modern day racism, and things that happened while Obama was running for president. Then ended her rant with "the more things change, the more things stay the same"... making it extremely awkward for the 10+ white people in the room trying to learn about history, making it seem like she was implying we were all racist. Overall, the tour was okay. The staff was rude, in general. And they had no patience for the diverse group that came to tour their facility. I wouldn't reccomend visiting slave haven, and I regret driving seven hours round trip specifically for it.

Had to wait 20 minutes after the posted opening time for tour guide to come open the house. Several cars gave up and left. We stuck it out. Tour was informative and interesting.

Slave Haven Museum is a very awsome experience. The tour guides are very delightful, animated, and very knowledgeable about this part of our history. I learned so many things just from a one time visit to this museum.

This historic place is amazing!! The tour guides there are amazing and passionate about the history. I highly recommend this place for everyone

This was the most informed tour I've ever been on. The house is small, but the information is HUGE! Worth every penny.

I think it could have been a great experience. When we arrived there was a large group there and my family was just thrown in with them. The music portion was really nice. The tour felt rushed like it was time for them to close and I kind of got the feeling that they wasn't used to larger groups. At the end we didn't even know it was over because the woman just went and sat behind the desk. We had to ask!

Also, do not leave anything out in your vehicle, you may walk out to a busted window.

My wife and I visited the slave haven house and came away feeling ashamed of the way black people were treated by the white 'slave owners' .the suffering was shameful and one can understand the anger felt by blacks in the USA.the guide failed to mention that the slavers were mostly Asian traders as well as black. I hasten to add the Asian traders were Muslim and that British people led the way in abolishing the practice .it was thanks to the good people of Britain that slavery was banned .we in Britain are at the forefront of promoting equality for all people regardless of race or gender .I personally am proud to be a British citizen .my country. my love. my life .,!

I was REALLY impressed with the information and the artifacts; however, the presentation kept getting interrupted by the presenter handling new guests and their payments. They were told to just join in with our group. By the end, so many had joined in, that I truly wondered if the flooring of the house might collapse. When it was time to see the cellar, the group was finally split into 2, and we were told to wait with the back half even though we were in the first group. It was unbearably hot. We were told the whole tour would take 45 minutes...we left without seeing the cellar portion over 90 minutes into it. Again, it's very powerful, but the running of it ruined my experience. This is the first rating I've done because of my extreme disappointment.

Perhaps the BEST historical tour I have ever been on! The tour guide was absolutely amazing.

Loved all the history. The only thing I would change is all the standing at the beginning while the history is being told. Hard for the elderly to stand that long. Besides that it is a good place to put on the list for places to visit.

So much stuff in there. Great storytelling. Interesting artifacts. Well worth the trip.

The tour guides were knowledgeable helpful. The house is small and can easily be missed, rich in history!! No photos allowed

Very impactful. Don't be afraid to learn about slavery.

The best tour of our trip in Memphis. The guide was thorough and knowledgeable. Wish we could have stayed longer. Would do it again!

First let's start with hospitality. Young female has no greeting experiences. Too many people are coming afar to visit this Historic spot. I could not look pass the coldness.

Very important tour to take if you are in the area. Guides are very detail oriented & knowledgeable. Very deep/heavy content, but, important.

I remember when I went here when I was 12 years old, with the neighborhood Christian Center, it was so inspiring and informative to learn about my history and the inappropriate culture of American slavery they sugar code in my college history books to sound voluntary. These are things I wouldn t learn in school because some of our White administration teachers would always find the best way to criticize Black history anytime it promoted Ruth s they were uncomfortable with. Like in the comments. But it was amazing to see it and I can t wait to see it again now that I m 22 years old. I plan a visit my hometown to see it again very soon with my classmates from Harvard.

Our guide gave us a moving insight into the reality of slavery. This museum is small and unsophisticated yet manages to draw you in and touch your soul. My wife particularly appreciated the explanation of the symbolism of the quilting patterns she has used without knowing the meaning behind them.

Very experienced guides who knew their stuff. Great museum with great history.

This was an awesome experience. The guides were very knowledgeable. I would recommend this place to anybody that visits Memphis.

An AMAZING experience!!!! The house seemed to embrace visitors as guest. The tour guide ... I really don't have words that are rich enough to provide her the proper accolades due. This experience is educational for children and adults. The tour guide (Elaine) made sure the children could embrace this experience on their level while providing thought provoking information for the adults. A MUST SEE!!! Come one, come all, and bring more.

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Everyone goes to the civil rights museum but you are not learning true slave history without visiting slave Haven. I learned so much I haven't know with 10 years of visiting the Lorraine. Not very busy; the staff knows their stuff, very personal and very touching tour.

Outstanding! Small place with a plethora of information. Everyone should go! Very educational and intriguing.

Most interesting place I have ever been, in terms of learning the history of slaves.

Awesome information about slavery, slaves and their freedom. Sobering.

Very interesting and well worth a visit. Our guides were very informative especially the younger woman. It's a pity you aren't allowed to take photos.

GO!! RIGHT NOW!! BRING YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY AND ALL YOUR FRIENDS...ESP YOUR CHILDREN. Hidden gem in Memphis...off the tourist track...that is FULL of one of a kind info.
A completely visceral experience that should NOT be missed by any African Person. All kinds of incredible.

Me and my family were excited to see real history and the Slave Haven Museum, but as we entered, the lady at the front desk was stumbling over her words, and seemed like she was on something so I had a feeling it wasn t going to go well. She was saying we couldn t use card because she didn t want to start the register just yet. That threw us off, but we proceeded to pay with cash and we were ready for the tour. She then puts a speaker on and says you ll just listen to her instructions and look at the walls for instruction. then walked out the room. The recording was so confusing to listen to, giving no instructions as to where to look and the girl on the recording was talking so fast. It was as if it assumed we knew what we were looking at already. We weren t the only ones confused either. We decided to just look around a little as we listened, because it was that confusing. The lady at the front desk then comes out the back, with an attitude, saying you need to listen to the recording otherwise you re not going to get what s going on . We told her we thought it was confusing and asked if she could show us a little instead. She, again, kept making no sense and was clearly getting agitated which was very unprofessional. It almost seemed like she didn t know what was even going on herself. We ended up just getting a refund and left. Won t be recommending that place for anyone, which is upsetting because there s so much history to learn and see there.

It was VERY interesting but the tour guide spoke very fast and the tour seemed rushed. It was too crowded and a lot of students had questions and wanted to know more but didn t get a chance to asked about the artifacts or given hints. Stop rushing and fix that credit card machine.

The tour was very informative about the slave trade in America, the lives of slaves and the Underground Railroad.

It was awesome! It was a great experience and very educational

Really enjoyed this museum. Very educational. One staff member a little rude and in a hurry.

Wanted to shared history with my children while on vacation (yes we are white), I felt it's important for them to know all aspects of history. There were two African American women who were running it, we went in and were told to come back an hour later as ten more people were coming. Not knowing much about the area we went to the bass pro shop to kill some time and promptly returned to view the historic tour that got four stars....upon re-entering we were made to wait yet again for the ten others who btw never showed.
Our tour guide reluctantly drug her feet to start the tour and then the first part of it spoke as quickly as she could never making eye contact but continued to blame "White" people making for a very awkward feeling. She sat us down in another room and then we waited yet again and another guide came in and began her part, she referred to slaves as "we" and "us" and to the slave owners as "you" which created tension as if we were being singled out for being white and I have never nor will I ever own a slave. I felt it was important to educate my children of the history instead these women introduced my children to present day racism.
Also I had several questions that they could not answer and historic facts I was taught in school they differed from "their" perspective of what happened. Not Very knowledgeable and they are continuing to the perpetuating stereotype and racism that we are trying to inform our children not to fall into.
I would not recommend anyone waste their hard earned money for other propaganda!!

Time for a history lesson
With Betty Renicker,Erica Link, Chloe, and Heaven

Enjoyed my visit here. So much knowledge of the slaves journey. Tour guides were phenomenal and cultured. Brought my nephew to learn his history. They gave him an honorary abolitionists certificate which he was stoked about. Will definitely be coming back to take notes as there's a picture policy.

A great place to learn more about the transatlantic Slave Trade and the cost that enslaved Africans paid.

I agree with most of the posts and am only writing in hopes that they will get rid of the rude young woman. She has got to go!!! Get a different job where you might be happy.

The guided tour was fantastic and informative. This is more than a museum, it s a piece of history. The staff is incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and put together a great tour! Would highly recommend! Would also recommend to see the home in general - built in the 1800s, it s neat to see the way people lived at that time. :)

Well we learned some things. I was disappointed not being able to get some pictures of the inside of historical things used back then being a museum and all. This is said to be a house that help slaves to get to freedom down the Mississippi River two blocks in front of the house. I think all young people should visit this house because the crawl spaces the slaves hide in the house is a must see.

Enlightening. The tour guides bring it alive. There are heartbreaking stories as well as untold stories of victory. Most of the info was new to me and I'm not a child.

The history of the house and slavery in itself is soemthing that many people should inform themselves about, however, one of the guides, the fairly short girl made my Church s group tour very difficult to begin and she was fairly rude whenever someone didn t 100% conform to her. The history lesson was wonderful but k would say this place needs to do a better job with their staffing.

This was very powerful..the trees are so beautiful they tell there own story..Amazing how this landmark still stands showing how slaves hid out until there could go free

Even if you think you know your history, the place is an education. A must.

Very knowledgeable staff! I think everyone should visit here ast least once.

So disappointed. It wasn't opened although it said that it was. Understandably Covid impacted the status. But at least you could have put a message on your voicemail or on the front door. We stayed an extra day in the city to go to this....for nothing.

My kids and I absolutely loved this place. We learned a lot and my young son even wanted the amazing poster that we framed and hung in our home

Educational and worth the 15 dollar admission fee!!!!

This was a great tour. It was a bit difficult to sign up because of the popularity of the tours, and it seems like they don't do a lot of them. However, our guide was informative and friendly without being patronizing or cheesy. I learned a lot, and would definitely recommend the tour to anyone who wants to know about the history, both good and bad, of Memphis.

The best part of this tour is the staff. They are extremely knowledgeable and very passionate about their work. One woman even sang traditional slave songs and explained their meanings. (she had a good voice too!)

I entered the museum to people acting with the utmost courtesy. Additionally, I was inspired by the passion of the guides for the subjects of the underground railroad and concerning slavery and the experiences of the slaves who were trying to get to freedom. The tour guides were very knowledgable about the subject, making it feel as if you were there and experiencing the times of the underground railroad with them. I was very impressed with the experience and will again visit this museum the next time I am in the area of Memphis. My congratulations to the staff of this fine museum for an experience that went beyond what one would ordinarily expect in a museum, especially in the area of the incorporation of the music of the slaves seeking their freedom and what that music actually meant, as a lifeline, for these people.

Must see! Words can't explain what the slaves went through. Crouching in the very basement where they hid trumps any history book description.

Cool historic site to see in Memphis, but the tour guides should review their history more.

The guides were an absolute wealth of knowledge. Sure the museum artifacts aren't of the highest quality, but that does not at all diminish the experience. Glad to have come!

Good tour about the underground railroad. Knowledgeable tour guide.good artifacts.

They weren t open due to Covid. Understandably so. Just wish the upkeep could still transpire. It looked so deserted. I do look forward to returning in the future.

I am just speechless.In such a good way. Absolutely enjoyed our experience.Would love to go back. The two wonderful ladies were just amazing and so sweet. They were so busy but handled everything so well. Hate COVID cause just wanted to hug both of them..Thank you for the wonderful experience.

Very informative. I learned alot. They even had fresh picked cotton from this years crop to display. Come prepared for a few hour tour and $10 per adult $8 per child. Not sure if they take credit card.

Amazing historical collection and fantastic tour guides. Well worth the entry fee.

Historical lot of learning great learning experience great culture great for African American history

I was not impressed at all. I had to wait in the sun with 3 others outside for 2 church buses for 30 min. The shed with the wagon needed painting. The well pump was leaning or bent over. The flower pot next to it wad ctacked. Over all the place was in need of basic clean up. I had 4 people in my group. The other group had 3. We all finally left and they wete out of about 70 dollars. Support black establishment. THAT'S A JOKE

I'll just be bold and say it this way: my 13y.o. daughter and I agree that this was a more personal, and therefore more meaningful experience than the Nat. Civil Rights Museum. To stand where the nearly free stood, to see things as they really were is a new light. This isn't a history book. This is walking into history. The understanding is therefore deepened in the way it deserves to be if the world is ever to change in all the ways it should.

This was an amazing experience. The tour guides were incredibly knowledgeable and did a wonderful job. It looked like from the online reviews that there wouldn't be much to see, but having been there, I am so glad we went. It was so educational and interesting and much more than it looks from pictures. It's not just a house but an important piece of American history and the guides did such a great job covering hundreds of years and truly telling the story of slavery and the abolitionist movement.

More in depth knowledge and tour of slavery and what they went through.

The Burkle Estate is a great tourist stop for those who want to gain an understanding of slave history, particularly the aspects of the Underground Railroad and early history of Memphis African American community. Additionally, tourists will learn much about how whites supported slave journeys from the South to the North. The tour guides give a moving account of how life was during the Burkle Estate times of hiding slaves in basements, under floor boards, and right in the middle of Ku Klux Klan origins. I have visited twice, and each time I learn something new. The second time included performance presentations that were re-enactments of time-period characterizations.

During the covid 19 you're going to have to make an appointment by phone and go into the back entrance. This is a super informative tour, you're going to learn stuff you wouldn't be taught in school.

A must see if you are in Memphis. Once home to abolitionist, Jacob Burkle, this home was built specifically to be used on the underground railroad. Museum staff will take you on a tour of the house, let you see the tunnel that runs under the house, and let you stand in the cellar where the runaway enslaved Africans would wait until it was safe to go to the next station on The Underground Railroad.

The visit was so interesting and informative. Our guide was very engaging! She did a great job of involving everyone even children. Highly recommend!

It was very educational, I learned some things that I didn't know, I loves it.

Interesting place to stop by and learn a little bit of history from.

I think all black people need to see this experience and some whites but I don't think that black should have to pay for the entry on that it should be State funding to pay the workers there even though it's part of our ancestry and turmoil in bondage

More in depth knowledge and tour of slavery and what they went through.

A Time of kwanza in july.
Get Aware!!!

This was an amazing experience that is highly recommended