Graceland, Elvis Presley‘s iconic home, has been a place of pilgrimage for fans and historians alike. Every year, millions step through the Memphis home’s front door, eager to glimpse the king’s life. But there is one part of Graceland that remains sealed off, hidden behind the velvet ropes: the upstairs rooms.
For over four decades, the upstairs rooms of Graceland have been kept strictly off-limits to the public. While the downstairs area has become a living museum to the King, the second floor remains a mystery. And with that mystery, a swirl of rumors and speculation has taken root. Why does this part of the mansion remain untouched? What secrets does it hold, and why is it kept hidden from the public?
Upstairs at Elvis Presley’s Graceland
The rooms located on Graceland’s second floor were only accessible to those within Elvis Presley’s inner circle. These included his bedroom, bathroom, and office, and Lisa Marie’s suite.
By all accounts, Elvis lived a relatively isolated life in his later years. His bedroom, which remains exactly as it was when he died in 1977, was a place where he could retreat from the demands of the public eye.
Behind closed doors, Elvis sought comfort, solace, and escape from the pressures of his career and the public. But why have they remained locked years after his death?
Could it be that the upstairs holds more than just memories? Does Elvis’ private sanctuary contain something more sensitive—a side of Elvis that the public has never seen?
What is known about the private suite
Elvis Presley’s private rooms on the second floor of Graceland remain closed to the public, primarily to honor his privacy and preserve the space as it was during his life. The decision to keep these rooms off-limits respects Elvis’s private quarters, maintaining them as a sanctuary untouched since his death.
Additionally, limiting access helps preserve the integrity of these spaces, preventing potential wear and tear from foot traffic. This approach ensures that Elvis’s areas remain as he left them. Elvis’ late daughter Lisa Marie Presley, his ex-wife Priscilla Presley, granddaughter Riley Keough, and Graceland Archivist Angie Marchese are the only people who had access to those rooms.
Graceland’s official website writes, “With our volume of visitors we would be required to put in an extra staircase as an exit, we’d have to do some remodeling upstairs as the hallway connecting the rooms is not large enough to accommodate crowds. This would radically alter the house and no one wants to do that.”
The statement continues, “The issue of privacy and respect is also the reason that we do not publish photographs of the upstairs area. However, we do bring items from upstairs into our exhibits.”
The untouched upstairs serves as a metaphor for the unanswered questions about Elvis’s life. It allows for his privacy to remain intact and provides a mystique allowing fans and visitors to imagine their version of the beloved entertainer.
Why is there so much secrecy surrounding Elvis Presley’s rooms?
The secrecy surrounding Graceland’s upstairs rooms likely serves two purposes. First, it helps preserve Elvis’s privacy and second, it protects his family’s wishes.
The Presley family have always exercised tight control over his legacy. Elvis remained notoriously private at home, beginning the moment he spent his first night at Graceland on June 26, 1957.
Opening the upstairs could expose sensitive items, forcing the family to deal with the public’s reactions to what they might find there. By keeping it off-limits, they maintain their ability to control Elvis’s story and legacy.
The family maintains that Elvis’ suite of rooms isn’t hiding anything at all—they are simply preserved to maintain Elvis’s mystique. He was an icon, a larger-than-life figure whom the public and the media scrutinized with every move. As a result, his personal life became a subject of fascination and speculation.
As long as the upstairs rooms remain untouched, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll will always have one last secret to keep—one that will never fully be uncovered. They only add to the magic and mystique of Elvis Presley’s Graceland.
