Entry No. 3 — the Memphis file — filed under: working forge
National Ornamental Metal Museum (the Metal Museum)
A dragon sculpture is bolted to the ceiling inside a museum that sits on the grounds of a former U.S. Marine hospital and doubles as a working blacksmith shop and foundry — the same crew has forged a sterling silver coffee-and-tea service for a nuclear submarine and barbecue-contest trophies. On weekends the smiths pour molten metal in the open-air forge while the free sculpture garden runs along a bluff straight above the Mississippi River.
The story
You don't expect to find a working industrial forge operating out of a former U.S. Marine hospital on a river bluff in South Memphis, but nobody asked permission before setting one up. The National Ornamental Metal Museum sits perched right above the Mississippi near Martyrs Park and Chickasaw Heritage Park, occupying grounds once dedicated to treating riverboat crews. Indoors, a dragon sculpture hangs bolted to the ceiling above rotating fine-metalwork galleries, including exhibits like 'What We Surround Ourselves With' running through July 2026.
The real secret is that this place isn't just keeping historical ironwork behind glass—it's an active, working fabrication shop. The resident crew takes on custom commissions, having hammered out everything from a sterling silver coffee-and-tea service for a nuclear submarine to custom trophies for local Memphis barbecue competitions. Step out back and you'll find an open-air foundry where smiths heat iron and pour glowing molten metal right along the edge of the bluff, surrounded by modern sculptures scattered across the lawn.
What it's like
Drive down Metal Museum Drive to the edge of the South Memphis riverbluff. The outdoor sculpture garden running along the high bank above the Mississippi River is completely free to enter and offers one of the quietest vantage points in the city. If you want to see the real show, time your visit for a Saturday or Sunday when the smiths fire up the open-air forge for live blacksmithing demos and molten foundry pours. Make sure to double-check operating hours before heading out.
The move: Time it for a Saturday or Sunday to watch a live foundry pour and blacksmithing demo, then wander the free riverside sculpture garden and duck into whatever rotating fine-metalwork exhibit is up inside (current show through July 31, 2026 is "What We Surround Ourselves With").
- 📍 South Memphis riverbluff, near Martyrs Park
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 374 Metal Museum Drive, Memphis, TN 38106
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Tom Lee Park — river-creature playground & Tom Lee memorial — Pair the Metal Museum's high bluff views with a short drive north along the water to see the oversized wooden river-creature sculptures at Tom Lee Park.
- Earnestine & Hazel's — Head into South Main afterward to grab a Soul Burger inside a dive bar that operated upstairs as a working brothel into the early 1990s.
- Tops Gallery — Continue your gallery detour by walking down wooden stairs into an underground warehouse basement gallery off Huling Avenue.
- A. Schwab / Beale Street Hoodoo History and Folklife Museum — Trade forged silver and iron on the bluff for dry goods, cast-iron skillets, and hoodoo supplies at Memphis's oldest store on Beale Street.
Good to know
Where is the Metal Museum located?
It sits on the South Memphis riverbluff at 374 Metal Museum Drive, near Martyrs Park and Chickasaw Heritage Park, on the grounds of a former U.S. Marine hospital.
When can you watch live metalworking?
On weekends, when the resident smiths run live blacksmithing demonstrations and pour molten metal in the open-air forge.
Is there a free area to visit?
Yes, the outdoor riverside sculpture garden along the Mississippi bluff is completely free to wander.
What kinds of things do the blacksmiths forge here?
The on-site crew takes on custom fabrication projects ranging from barbecue-contest trophies to a sterling silver coffee-and-tea service for a nuclear submarine.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Roadside America · tripsavvy.com · commercialappeal.com · ilovememphisblog.com
last checked: 2026-07-20