For fans who cannot make the journey to Elvis’s home in Memphis, Graceland is coming to Southwark!
Direct from Graceland: Elvis, a major new retrospective exhibition exploring the life of Elvis Presley who to this day is one of the most iconic and influential figures of the 20th Century, will be the opening exhibition in October 2023 at new arts and culture venue, Arches London Bridge.
From the gates of Graceland comes the most significant collection of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll to ever leave Memphis, including Elvis Presley’s instruments, stage outfits and personal belongings.
The Graceland Archive has assembled a powerful narrative which will explore Elvis’ meteoric career, larger-than-life persona, influential sense of style, life at Graceland, plus lesser-known aspects of his early years, hobbies and personal life.
The exhibition will feature over 400 artefacts owned by Elvis Presley, direct from the icon’s Graceland home in Memphis, Tennessee – including his military uniforms, his TCB Super Trike Motorcycle and Ferrari Dino GT4, and an amazing array of his famous jumpsuits – plus personal items like Lisa Marie’s baby clothes, Elvis’s first job application and the crayon box he took to school.
A special feature of the exhibition is candid photos and items from his largely unseen life away from performing on stage in Vegas, including the EP football team made up of close friends, his American Football uniform and his love of karate.
This exclusive and unmissable exhibition explores the extraordinary life and style of the best-selling solo recording star of all time, who single-handedly changed the face of popular culture around the globe like no one before him or since.
Among the items from Graceland that will be displayed are Elvis’s red MG automobile as featured in his classic film “Blue Hawaii,” a gold-plated rotary dial telephone from Elvis’s upstairs bedroom, the keys to Graceland and his gold microphone used on stage in Las Vegas, 1969. Some of the most recognisable items travelling from Memphis to London are the Gold Lamé Suit worn by Elvis in the 1950s, plus one of the two jumpsuits he used for his 1973 “Aloha from Hawaii” television special and the cape he famously tossed into the audience at the end of the show. The “Aloha from Hawaii” special was the world’s first LIVE televised satellite concert, watched by a record 1.5 billion people.
Key periods in Elvis’s life and career will be covered, including his early years living in a ‘shotgun shack’ in Tupelo, Mississippi, his break-out Sun Studio hits, U.S. Army service, Elvismania that first swept America and then the world, his Hollywood movies, his unforgettable “’68 Special” performance, “Aloha From Hawaii” and the glamourous Vegas residency years.
The exhibition also moves beyond the familiar story of his musical and acting career to present his more private side – his devotion to his parents, his love of books, motorcycles, horses and karate and the haven he created in Graceland for his friends and family. It includes garments and jewellery worn by Elvis throughout his life, personal items from Graceland, as well as vintage Elvis-branded merchandise, costumes, scripts from the Hollywood movies and much more.
Liz Koravos, Managing Director of Arches London Bridge said: “Direct From Graceland: Elvis gives each visitor a peek backstage to meet the human being that is also the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.”
Arches London Bridge, 8 Bermondsey St, London, SE1 2ER from 20 October 2023 – 26 February 2024. Admission:
Adult: From £19.90
Student: from £19.90
Must have valid ID
Child Aged 5 -15: From £16.90
To join the waiting list, book tickets or plan your journey please visit elvislondonbridge.co.uk
