Elvis Presley’s Graceland: These Rooms Were Once Off-Limits to Tourists

Elvis Presley‘s Graceland is one of the most iconic private homes in the United States. For 42 years, the King of Rock and Roll’s private residence has been a mecca for music fans worldwide. However, some of the home’s most iconic rooms weren’t always open to the public and were considered off-limits to tourists. Here are the areas within Graceland that fans didn’t get to see.

Graceland’s downstairs area was open to fans except for two rooms

When Graceland opened for public tours in 1982, only some areas of the home were viewable. Initially, the mansion tour consisted of the living room, music room, dining room, TV room, pool room, and the trophy building.

The trophy building consisted of his gold record collection, awards, costumes, gun collection, and several other pieces of memorabilia. Fans were able to see Elvis Presley’s cars and motorcycles, which were lined up in the carport. That was considered the end of the tour.

However, two rooms were off-limits to fans during the early days of tours. These were the kitchen and a bedroom used by Presley’s Aunt Delta. Delta Mae Presley Biggs moved to Graceland in 1966 after the death of her husband.

She continued to live in the home even after it was opened to the public until her death at the age of 74 on July 29, 1993. After Delta’s passing, those rooms were added.

The most iconic Graceland room wasn’t original to the home

Graceland’s Whitehaven location was relatively isolated and rural when Elvis Presley purchased the property on March 19, 1957, for $102,500. Presley immediately began adding to the mansion, expanding the house to 17,552 square feet.

One of the most iconic rooms in Graceland wasn’t original to the home. Presley added the area as an extra family room during the 1960s. First, it was a screened porch. Then, it became an actual room. Fans call it the Jungle Room, but Presley called it the den.

Initially, Elvis saw the Polynesian-inspired furniture in a store in Memphis. It reminded him of his favorite vacation spot, Hawaii, and he purchased the items in the room in half an hour.

The Jungle Room became even more iconic when it became a makeshift recording studio. Songs recorded there were featured on the albums From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee, and Moody Blue. All Elvis’ Jungle Room sessions are featured on the 2016 compilation album Way Down in the Jungle Room.

Lisa Marie Presley’s Favorite Part of Graceland Lies Outside the Jungle Room

During a virtual tour of Graceland, the property’s Vice President of Archives, Angie Marchese, revealed one of Lisa Marie’s Presley’s favorite spots in the home, per Express. Whenever the late celebrity visited her childhood home, she enjoyed quiet time outside.

Marchese discussed how Elvis’ daughter liked sitting in the porch area outside The Jungle Room. This area was where her great-grandmother Minnie Mae also wanted to relax, as it had a view of the stables.

The area features a large bench and an assortment of chairs. They are placed under a covered awning.

Lisa Marie Presley’s other favorite room in Graceland was her father’s bedroom. The room is on the home’s second floor and is off-limits to visitors.

In a YouTube interview with Jezebel, Lisa Marie revealed that Elvis’ bedroom was where she went to find solace. At the 4:55 mark, she discussed Elvis’ private upstairs quarters.

“It’s the one place I feel the safest,” she admitted. “I keep the key for upstairs with me. Up there is just his [Elvis’] room and my room. It was his sanctuary. I can shut that door and feel the safest and the calmest I can feel.”

Elvis Presley’s Graceland is open for tours 363 days a year. It is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.