History in Mississippi

Mississippi is a state that’s rich in history. On our soil, one of the most defining battles of the American Civil War was fought, and the heroes and martyrs of the civil rights movement continued their struggle for freedom and equality. Our cultural impact is recognized throughout the state, as well, with hundreds of historic markers on our Freedom Trail, Blues Trail, Country Music Trail, and Literary Trail.

Every building and landmark in Mississippi tells a story. From towering churches to a home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, visitors can marvel at the architectural masterpieces that span centuries and cities across the state. History buffs, music lovers, and art connoisseurs can enjoy an assortment of museums, so adding a museum tour or two can make your itinerary complete.

For more information about Mississippi’s history, request a tour guide, use our trip planner, check out some of the places to stop, or contact us today to start planning your trip.

Tennessee Williams Home & Welcome Center

Columbus   FEATURED

MS-5Regions
The Tennessee Williams Home & Welcome Center is the restored childhood home of American playwright Tennessee Williams. Born Thomas Lanier Williams III in 1911, Williams spent his earliest years in this Victorian-style house, which originally served as the rectory for […]

University of Mississippi Museum

University of Mississippi Museum

Oxford   FEATURED

MS-5Regions
The University of Mississippi Museum and Historic Houses is a museum and two historic houses owned and operated by the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi. The museum is designed to appeal to both a popular and scholarly audience, with […]

Rowan Oak

Rowan Oak

Oxford   FEATURED

MS-5Regions
Rowan Oak, also known as William Faulkner House, is William Faulkner’s former home in Oxford, Mississippi. It is a primitive Greek Revival house built in the 1840s by Robert Sheegog. Faulkner purchased the house when it was in disrepair in […]

Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument

Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument

Jackson   FEATURED

MS-5Regions
The Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, also known as Medgar Evers House, is a historic house museum at 2332 Margaret Walker Alexander Drive in Jackson, Mississippi. Built in 1956, it was the home of African-American civil rights activist […]

Mississippi State Capitol

Jackson   FEATURED

MS-5Regions
Designated as a Mississippi Landmark in 1986 and a National Historic Landmark in 2016, the Mississippi State Capitol has been the seat of the state’s government since 1903. The National Park Service describes the building as “…an exceptional example of […]

Elvis Presley Birthplace

Elvis Presley Birthplace & Museum

Tupelo   FEATURED

MS-5Regions
The most significant landmark of Tupelo’s modern history is a modest, two-room house where the King of Rock & Roll was born on January 8, 1935. From this humble beginning, Elvis Presley began his swift rise to become the world’s […]

Museum of Mississippi History

Museum of Mississippi History

Jackson   FEATURED

MS-5Regions
The Museum of Mississippi History encourages people to explore more than 15,000 years of state history. Throughout the galleries, visitors will explore interactive exhibits, see engaging artifacts and hear stories from people who shaped the state. The museum’s theme—One Mississippi, […]

Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

Jackson   FEATURED

MS-5Regions
The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum shares the stories of a Mississippi movement that changed the nation. Through eight interactive exhibits, the museum promotes a greater understanding of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement and its impact by highlighting the strength and […]

Montrose and the Montrose Museum

Holly Springs   FEATURED

MS-5Regions
Montrose is a two-story columned Greek Revival home built as a wedding present for the daughter of Alfred Brooks. It is now operated by the Holly Springs Garden Club as a house museum. The arboretum contains over 50 different specimens […]

Museum of the Mississippi Delta

Museum of the Mississippi Delta

Greenwood   FEATURED

MS-5Regions
Founded in the 1970s as Cottonlandia, this outstanding regional museum will take you time traveling through centuries of Delta history and culture. From prehistoric fossils, Indian artifacts and Civil War history, to the rescued remnants of Chief Greenwood Leflore’s lost […]

Robert Johnson

Robert Johnson’s Grave & Self Guided Driving Tour

Greenwood   FEATURED

MS-5Regions
A creative genius who lived fast and died young, Robert Johnson has continued to influence generations of musicians across a wide spectrum of genres. Legends from Robert Plant to Bonnie Raitt have studied and imitated the guitar skills and vocal […]

Mississippi Museum of Natural Science

Jackson   FEATURED

MS-5Regions
An aquarium housing over 200 species of native fish, reptiles and amphibians tells an ecological story of rivers, streams, lakes, marshes and the Mississippi Sound. “The Swamp” is home to animals including alligators, turtles and fish surrounded by native foliage. […]