Museums
MISSISSIPPI CHILDREN'S MUSEUM - JACKSON
The mission of MCM is to provide unparalleled experiences that ignite a thirst for discovery, knowledge, and learning in all children. The museum accomplishes this mission through hands-on and engaging exhibits and programs focusing on literacy, the arts, science, health and nutrition–the keys to helping our children mature into healthy and productive adult learners.
Kid-Friendly Features: Stroller-friendly, handicapped accessibility, elevators, family restrooms, changing tables in all restrooms, nursing room, cafeteria, gift shop, splash pad, garden
Indoor Exhibits: World at Work Gallery, Exploring Mississippi Gallery, Healthy Fun Gallery, Express Yourself Gallery, Wild About Reading Gallery, Journey to the North Pole (Special Holiday Program)
Outdoor Exhibits: Pollinator’s Playground, The Literacy Garden
Kid-friendly Programs: Story to Stage, ABC Come Play with Me, Farm Bureau Spotlight, Fit for Fun, Food Lab, Fueled for Adventure, Know to Grow, Question It? Discover It!, Tinker with Tuesday, Visiting Artist
Admission: $10 per person
Children Under 1 Year: Free
Members: Unlimited daytime admission
Hours: Saturday: 9AM–12PM & 1PM–5PM (Closed from 12-1 for cleaning, though Cafe remains open)
Sunday: 1PM–6PM
Address: 2145 Museum Boulevard, Jackson, MS 39202
Phone: (601) 981-5469
photo by Kid-Friendly Mississippi
LYNN MEADOWS DISCOVERY CENTER - GULFPORT
Located in a 1915 schoolhouse, under the large live oaks, just blocks from the beach in Gulfport, MS, Lynn Meadows Discovery Center is a special place for children and their grown-ups. Inside, 15,000 square feet of hands-on exhibits encourage fun, learning and creativity. Discover different cultures at Celebrate the World We Share, board the train at Dolan Avenue Depot, and create a mini masterpiece at our art studio, Art Knows Anything Goes. Outside, oak-covered acres provide more space to let the imagination run wild. Play house in the trees, tap a tune in the outdoor musical garden, and explore the tiny town of Kids Street. Lynn Meadows Discovery Center is honored to be a recipient of the National Medal for Museum and Library Services, which recognizes exceptional contributions to the community.
Kid-friendly Features: Stroller-friendly, elevator, changing tables in bathrooms, nursing room located on second floor, outdoor patio area, picnic benches, large grounds, close to the beach
Indoor Exhibits: Super Colossal Climbing Structure, Art Studio, Bear Camp Bayou, Dolan Avenue Train Depot, The Little Pet Vet, The Port, History Hotel, Science Room, Grocery Store, WLMDC-TV News Station,
Outdoor Exhibits: Bear Creek, Kids Street, Pelican Porch & Bayou Bait Shop, Solar Sunflowers, Tree House Village, Little Free Library
Kid-friendly Programs: Engineering is Elementary, Kids Cooking Classes, Bear Cub Club, Summer Camps, (Click here to learn more)
Admission: Members – Free
0 to 12 months – Free
Children & Adults – $10
Military & Seniors 65+ – $8
Weekdays After 3pm – $3
Sundays – $6 for everyone
FREE FRIDAYS – Last Friday of Every Month, 5pm to 8pm
Hours: Monday - Saturday: 10:00am - 5:00pm
Sunday: Noon - 5:00pm
Open Mondays: 10:00am - 5:00pm, during the summer and certain holidays (see below).
Holiday Mondays, Special Open Days:
Memorial Day: May 27, 2019
Columbus Day: October 14, 2019
Thanksgiving break: November 28, 2019
New Years Eve: December 31, 2019
Martin Luther King Day: January 20, 2020
The museum is closed New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Address: 246 Dolan Avenue, Gulfport, MS 39507
Phone: (228) 897-6039
photo by Kid-Friendly Mississippi
MISSISSIPPI MUSEUM OF ART - JACKSON
Located in the state Capital of Jackson, the Mississippi Museum of Art is the largest art museum in the state and has been a community-supported institution for more than 100 years. The Museum boasts an impressive permanent collection of more than 5,000 works of art, in addition to hosting world-class traveling exhibitions. The Mississippi Story, a free ongoing exhibition comprised of more than 200 objects from the Museum’s permanent collection, offers Mississippians and visitors alike the opportunity to explore the remarkable history of visual arts in the Magnolia State. In addition to fulfilling its mission of “engaging Mississippians in the visual arts,” the Museum also offers unique shopping in The Museum Store.
The Art Garden at the Mississippi Museum of Art, a 1.2 acre public green space, breaks down barriers between the neighboring arts organizations and serves as the nexus of a cultural district that empowers creativity, expression, and synergy in the arts community. The Art Garden features a welcoming lawn, seasonal foliage, native garden beds, permanent art installations, soothing fountains, and outdoor terrace dining. This versatile, open, outdoor space is open to the public from 10AM – 5PM daily. In 2010, the Museum received the National Medal for Museum Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency.
Kid-friendly Features: Stroller-friendly, family restroom, changing tables in all restrooms, gift shop, cafeteria, small plash pad, garden & courtyard
Kid-friendly Programs: Look & Learn with Hoot, Young Artists: Arts & Movement, Mini Matisse: Meet the Materials
Studio Session II: Ceramics & Mixed Media
Admission: General admission-Free
Special exhibitions may cost extra
Memberships are available
Parking: Free (On street and behind Museum)
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 11 AM—7 PM
Friday-Saturday: 10 AM—5 PM
Sunday: Noon—5 PM
Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day
Address: 380 S Lamar St, Jackson, MS 39201
Phone: (601) 960-1515
photo by Kid-Friendly Mississippi
MISSISSIPPI MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE - JACKSON
Meet over 200 living species in our 100,000 gallon aquarium network. See native reptiles, fishes, and amphibians! Explore an entire wall of fossil specimens, Zygorhiza, Mosasaurus, and a giant Sloth. Check out deer, waterfowl, and Mississippi's endangered species exhibits. The Preschool Discovery Room features colorful murals and an iconic, giant treehouse with a slide. Plus, two miles of outdoor walking trails that wind through natural habitats. The museum was named the "2014 Escape to the Southeast Travel Attraction of the Year" by the Southeast Tourism Society.
Kid-friendly Features: Stroller-friendly, elevators, changing tables in bathrooms, gift shop, walking trail
Admission: Adults - $6
Youth Ages 3-18 - $4
Senior Citizens 60 and Over - $5
Children Under 3 - FREE
School Teachers with Classes - Call for Group Information
Hours: Monday—Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Museum Closed: (Subject to change. Please call to confirm before visiting.)
New Year's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Address: 2148 Riverside Dr, Jackson, MS 39202
Phone: 601-576-6000
photo courtesy of Mississippi Museum of Natural Science
MISSISSIPPI AGRICULTURE & FORESTRY MUSEUM - JACKSON
The mission of the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum is to create an environment that communicates the value of past and present Mississippi agricultural lifestyles, relationships, and practices and their relevance to the future of all people.
Visit the Heritage Center and Small Town Mississippi to learn about the importance of agriculture to the state of Mississippi!
Kid-friendly features: Stroller-friendly, changing tables in bathrooms, large grounds, concessions, general store, walking trail, train, carousel, live demonstrations
Admission: Adults: $5
Senior Adults (ages 60 and over): $4
Military: $4
Ages 3-18: $4
Children under age 3: Free
Train Rides: $1 per person
Carousel Rides – ages 5 and under: $1 per person
Hours:
Monday – Saturday, 9am – 5pm
Museum is closed on these holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Holiday, President’s Day, Confederate Memorial Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Armistice Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Address: 1150 Lakeland Drive, Jackson, MS 39216
Phone: (601) 432-4500
photo by Kid-Friendly Mississippi
Grammy museum mississippi - Cleveland
The GRAMMY Museum is an exciting and interactive celebration of the power of music occupying a vibrant new space in Cleveland, Mississippi. Cutting edge exhibits, interactive experiences and films provide a one-of-a-kind visitor experience—engaging, educational, celebratory and inspirational.
Admission: Adults: $14.00
College Students: $8.00 (18 years and older, Valid ID Required)
Seniors: $12.00 (65 Years and Older)
Children: FREE (4 years and under)
Youth: $8.00 (6-18 Years)
Military: $12.00 (Valid ID Required)
Groups: $12.00 per person (10 or more persons)
School Groups: $5.00 per student(10 or more persons)
Members: FREE
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 5:30pm
Sunday 1pm – 5:30pm
Closed Mondays.
The Museum is closed on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
Address: 800 W. Sunflower Rd. Cleveland, MS 38732
Phone: 662-441-0100
photo courtesy of The Grammy Museum
MISSISSIPPI ARMED FORCES MUSEUM - Hattiesburg
The Mississippi Armed Forces Museum (MAFM) began in 1984 when two retired military veterans, Donald Evans and Doug White, decided to display their personal collections of war artifacts in a small room inside a warehouse at Camp Shelby. The pair began contacting other soldiers and veterans organizations for items to display, growing the Museum’s collections, and by 1993 the Museum moved to a larger building on Camp Shelby.
In 1999, with the help the Armed Forces Museum Foundation, military veterans, and state and local leaders, the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum was allotted $4.5 million from the Mississippi Legislature to construct a new facility. On October 27, 2001, the new 26,000-square-foot facility was completed at the Museum’s present location.
The facility was renovated in 2015 and was expanded to 36,000 square feet, with 26,000 square feet for exhibition space. The Museum reopened to the public in October 2016 after closing in February 2015 for construction and renovation work. In addition to revamped and new exhibits, a 7,500-square-foot, $2 million dollar addition was made to the facility. The previous center courtyard was enclosed creating the Armed Forces Benefits Association (AFBA) 5-Star Life Grand Gallery, the Museum’s largest new addition to the facility at 5,000 square feet. This gallery provides multi-use space for new exhibits, military ceremonies, civic events, and large-scale traveling exhibits. Two new galleries were also added honoring the state’s 28 Medal of Honor recipients as well as other distinguished veterans from Mississippi.
Admission: Free
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday - 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Closed most federal and state holidays
Address: 1001 Lee AVE W, Building 850, Hattiesburg, MS 39407
Phone: (601) 558-2757
photo courtesy of Mississippi Armed Forces Museum
MCCOMB RAILROAD MUSEUM - McComb
The purpose of the McComb City Railroad Depot Museum is to preserve the railroad history of Southwest Mississippi through educational means and to promote economic development through heritage tourism. The museum has 892 artifacts, a G-Scale model train, and an interactive area that includes buttons that make train sounds and a train whistle!
Admission: Free
Hours: Monday - Saturday: Noon - 4 PM
Address: 108 N Railroad Blvd, McComb, Mississippi
Phone: (601) 684-2291
photo courtesy of McComb Railroad Museum
LAUREN ROGERS MUSEUM OF ART - Laurel
Mississippi's first art museum, the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art is located in Laurel. It was founded in 1923 in memory of Lauren Eastman Rogers. The building's architect was Rathbone DeBuys of New Orleans, Louisiana.
The museum has an extensive collection of American Indian baskets. It also has a selection of American art by Winslow Homer, Albert Bierstadt, and John Singer Sargent. It receives 32,000 visitors a year.
The Lauren Rogers Museum of Art was opened in 1923 as a memorial to Lauren Eastman Rogers, the only son and only grandson of two of the town's founding families. Lauren died at the age of 23 in 1921 from complications of appendicitis, just months after marrying Lelia Hodson Rogers. After his death, Lauren's father, Wallace Brown Rogers, and his maternal grandfather, Lauren Chase Eastman, created the Eastman Memorial Foundation "to promote the public welfare by founding, endowing and having maintained a public library, museum, art gallery and educational institution, within the state of Mississippi." The museum opened its doors on May 1, 1923 in a building that was originally being constructed to be Lauren and Lelia's private residence.
Admission: Free. A donation of $3 is suggested
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Monday: Closed
Additionally closed on major holidays and the first weekend in December.
Address: 565 N 5th Ave, Laurel, MS 39440
Phone: (601) 649-6374
photo courtesy of Michlaovic
MISSISSIPPI COAST MODEL RAILROAD MUSEUM - Gulfport
The Museum is the home of the largest LEGO(R) railroad display in Mississippi with over 2 million pieces, multiple scale model train layouts, elevated and ground level G scale trains, interactive layouts for kids to operate and enjoy, outdoor garden displays, and multiple riding trains. There are also many fun, themed outdoor railroad displays to enjoy like Jurassic Park and Futurama.
Admission: Free (suggested donation of $5 for adults and $2 for children)
Hours: Tuesday–Saturday: 12PM–5PM
Sunday: Closed
Monday: Closed
Address: 504 Pass Rd, Gulfport, MS 39507
Phone: (228) 284-5731
photo by Kid-Friendly Mississippi