Mississippi’s museums offer a window into the state’s past and future, showcasing stories, artifacts, and experiences that span art, history, music, science, and culture. Our museums are perfect for anyone who loves to explore, discover, and connect with the ideas and expressions that shaped our world—whether you’re seeking creative inspiration or simply enjoy meaningful, immersive experiences.
From vibrant cultural experiences to immersive history exhibits, your next great Mississippi experience starts here.
When it opened in 2016, GRAMMY Museum Mississippi was the first GRAMMY Museum to be built outside of Los Angeles. While the museum is dedicated to a broad spectrum of Mississippi music, highlighting the disproportionate number of GRAMMY winners from Mississippi, the state’s blues legends are well represented in the museum’s displays and interactive exhibits. Look for information about traveling exhibits and live performances on their website.
Though he lived only 35 years, Jimmie Rodgers had an immeasurable impact on the formation and development of country music, earning him widely accepted recognition as the “Father of Country Music.” The Jimmie Rodgers museum, located in Rodgers’ hometown of Meridian, displays his original guitar and other memorabilia of his life and career. The museum’s collection also includes railroad equipment from the era of steam-engine travel, reflecting Rodgers’ work as a rail worker and his nickname “The Singing Brakeman.”
Established in 1979, the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale is the state’s oldest music museum. Permanent exhibits include the core section of a cabin where Muddy Waters lived while working at Stovall Farms; a “Muddywood” guitar made from salvaged wood from the cabin that was donated by Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top; guitars that belonged to John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, and Big Joe Williams; and a piano, shoes, harmonica, and other memorabilia from Charlie Musselwhite.
The world-famous “King of the Blues” B.B. King lived in Indianola for many years and never forgot the Mississippi city, returning annually for almost 35 years to perform for free at his B.B. King Homecoming Festival. Today, the bluesman’s legacy is preserved at the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center which explores King’s life from his humble beginnings to his eventual success on the global stage as a 15-time GRAMMY winner and multi-platinum recording artist. Several of King’s guitars are displayed, as are his Grammys and even a recreation of his home studio.
The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience, aka “The MAX,” offers visitors an entertaining and interactive experience that showcases Mississippi’s cultural legacy and seeks to inspire a new generation of artists through its exhibits and programs. Be sure to check out their calendar before you visit, as The MAX hosts regular events, including opportunities to see noteworthy speakers and musical acts.
The Bill Waller Craft Center, in Ridgeland, is home to the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi, a collection of artists who work together to “preserve and promote, educate and encourage, the highest standard of excellence in regional crafts.” The Craft Center showcases the work of these Mississippi artisans and offers a wide variety of handmade items for purchase at their retail store. Regular demonstrations and workshop events are held throughout the year.
The “Mad Potter of Biloxi,” George Ohr, is famous for his offbeat personality and his legacy, which is alive and well among the thriving art scene of Coastal Mississippi. The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art features a large selection of his ceramic work and an ever-changing lineup of new exhibitions featuring a wide range of visual arts. The museum, designed by the celebrated architect Frank Gehry, also offers pottery classes where aspiring potters can experience the joy of throwing on a pottery wheel.
The Lauren Rogers Museum of Art is Mississippi’s oldest art museum and a cornerstone of the city’s historic district. Visitors can explore an exceptional collection that spans American and European paintings, Native American baskets, Japanese ukiyo-e prints, and decorative arts. The museum’s elegant galleries and peaceful setting offer an inviting introduction to Laurel’s vibrant creative culture.
The Mississippi Museum of Art, located in downtown Jackson, is the state’s largest art museum, showcasing a diverse collection of over 5,000 works, including pieces by American, Mississippi, and British artists. Visitors can explore rotating exhibitions, participate in educational programs, and enjoy the Art Garden—a vibrant outdoor space featuring sculptures, water features, native plants, and seasonal events.
The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum tells the unvarnished stories of the American civil rights movement in Mississippi between 1945 and 1970. Learn about the organized effort to keep segregation in place and landmark events, such as the Freedom Summer, when thousands of Mississippians and out-of-state supporters came together to register black Mississippians to vote. Next door, the Museum of Mississippi History puts this important story in the larger context of the state’s history.
Next door to the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, the Museum of Mississippi History explores 15,000 years of state history through engaging exhibits, rare artifacts, and personal stories. From Native American cultures to the Civil War, the Civil Rights era and beyond, the museum offers a comprehensive look at the events and people that shaped Mississippi, inviting visitors to connect with the past in meaningful ways.
The Old Court House Museum, in Vicksburg, stands as one of Mississippi’s most significant historic landmarks. Built in 1858, this National Historic Landmark played a central role in the city’s Civil War story and now houses an extensive collection of artifacts, including period furnishings, Confederate and Union memorabilia, and items related to Vicksburg’s early cultural life. Its stately architecture and commanding hilltop setting make it a memorable stop for anyone exploring the region’s rich past.
The Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum offers a fascinating look at the state’s rural heritage through immersive exhibits, historic buildings, and interactive displays. Visitors can explore a recreated small-town Main Street, see antique farm equipment, and learn about the vital role agriculture and forestry have played in shaping Mississippi’s economy, culture, and way of life.
William Faulkner was born in New Albany, Mississippi, and lived much of his life in Oxford at his home, Rowan Oak. Visitors touring the the Greek Revival home will gain a glimpse into the life of one of the 20th century’s greatest novelists and winner of a Nobel Prize for literature and two Pulitzer Prizes. The highlight of the tour is Faulkner’s office, which displays a typewriter the author used to produce many of his works.
Despite his name, the great American playwright, Thomas “Tennessee” Williams, was born in Columbus, Mississippi and first lived in a colorful Victorian-style home that now serves as the Columbus Welcome Center. (Fun Fact: The house, circa 1875, is not in its original location. It was moved to Main Street in 1993 and restored there.) The home is open for tours Tuesday through Saturday and staffed with helpful people who can help you make the most of your visit to the area.
Eudora Welty lived nearly 80 years at a Tudor Revival home in Jackson’s Belhaven neighborhood that was built by her parents in 1925. Today, visitors to the Eudora Welty House & Garden can take a guided tour of the home museum and wander through Welty’s beautifully landscaped gardens. A permanent exhibit based on her memoir, One Writer’s Beginnings, traces Welty’s path to becoming a Pulitzer Prize-winning author.
The Mississippi Natural Science Museum, the state’s largest museum, is located in the LeFleur Museum District of Jackson. Their collections include more than a million specimens of native animals, plants, and fossils. Outdoor attractions include a 300-acre natural landscape, open-air amphitheater, 2.5 miles of nature trails, and an innovative new 30,000-square-foot playground shared with the Mississippi Children’s Museum.
Coastal Mississippi’s INFINITY Science Center is the official visitor center for NASA’s Stennis Space Center and a hub for hands-on discovery. Visitors can explore interactive exhibits on space exploration, Earth science, engineering, and technology, along with full-scale artifacts that bring real NASA missions to life. The center also offers wetlands trails, STEM programs, and special events that inspire curiosity in learners of all ages. It’s an ideal stop for families, students, and anyone fascinated by how science shapes our world—and what lies beyond.
The award-winning Mississippi Children’s Museum offers hands-on exhibits and programs focused on literacy, health, STEM, the arts, and Mississippi history. Highlights include the outdoor Literacy Garden, featuring sculptures, interactive tech, and native plants. The museum hosts over two dozen major events throughout the year, so be sure to check their calendar before you come.
The Mississippi Children’s Museum – Meridian invites children and families to explore, play, and learn through hands-on exhibits designed to spark creativity and curiosity. From interactive STEM activities to imaginative play spaces inspired by Mississippi’s culture and stories, the museum offers enriching experiences for kids of all ages. Outdoor features, rotating exhibits, and year-round programs make every visit fresh and engaging.
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