"When I visited Graceland, I expected rhinestones and shag carpet. I didn’t expect to be emotionally moved. As I toured the house, I found myself increasingly wrapped up in the story of Elvis’s private life. Graceland uses iPads and headphones for self-guided tours, which provide narration, archival images and options that allow you to learn more about each room. I hadn’t fully appreciated how versatile Elvis was as an artist — or how young. He recorded his first song at 18, and by 23 he was already a global star. And by 42, he was gone. As I made my way through the complex, I was struck by the epic scale of Elvis’s short-but-eventful life. In just 42 years, Elvis made more than 30 films, performed over 1,600 live shows and built a fan base that spanned the globe. The tour gave me a sense for his charisma, kindness and crowd-pleasing charm, but also the fatigue, the pressure and the toll of his relentless fame. For me, the most moving part of the tour was the Meditation Garden, Elvis’s final resting place. He is buried there alongside his parents, grandmother and a memorial to his stillborn twin brother. The space is quiet with flowers, fountains and a low stone wall that curves around the graves. After all the flash and fame on display, this part of Graceland tells a more personal story, one that feels unexpectedly tender.Before going to Graceland, I thought I had a pretty clear picture of Elvis, from his early stardom to Vegas glitz. But being there added layers I didn’t expect. Graceland is not just a museum about a musician: it’s a window into a unique American life and a reflection of the era that shaped it."