Mississippi
5 Mississippi museums the whole family will love
Whether you’re interested in learning more about Mississippi’s aviation or maritime history, seeing one-of-a-kind works of art by the state’s renowned artists or immersing yourself in the culture of the Gulf Coast’s carnival season, Coastal Mississippi has plenty of museums to keep you entertained.
Want to experience them all? With the Coastal Mississippi Attractions Pass you can, and you can save a little money while you’re at it. The pass grants you admission to up to 10 area attractions for one discounted price. That way, you won’t feel like you’re missing out. You can see it all and then some.
Not sure which attraction to visit first? You can find a few suggestions below, all of which are included in the Coastal Mississippi Attractions Pass deal.
READ MORE: 10 reasons we love Coastal Mississippi
Coastal Mississippi
The Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum
The Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum in Biloxi is an ideal way to spend an afternoon learning about the important role the seafood industry has played for more than 300 years in Coastal Mississippi’s history, heritage and culture through immersive displays, one-of-a-kind galleries and other exhibits.
The museum, which opened in 1986 with the goal of preserving the maritime history of the Mississippi Gulf, displays hundreds of one-of-a-kind artifacts, photographs and more of the historic Biloxi seafood industry for guests to view during their visit. Displays include a shrimp peeling machine, a gallery of wooden boats and a German U-Boat Replica from the 2000 film “U-571”. The Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum even houses in its Grand Hall a restored thirty-foot-long ship named Nydia, built at the Johnson Shipyard in Biloxi in 1898. Be sure to get in the full experience by going for a sail on one of the two authentic Biloxi oyster schooner replicas available for charter at the museum.
Coastal Mississippi
Ohr-O’Keefe Museum Of Art
Whether you’re knowledgeable of the many artists that have called the Mississippi Coast their home or are just looking for a memorable way to spend a day, the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum Of Art in Biloxi will keep your interest from the moment you lay eyes on the distinctive buildings that make up its grounds.
Designed by Frank O. Gehry and located under sprawling oak trees near the Mississippi Sound, the museum’s award-winning campus is made up of multiple sculpture-like buildings and is a work of art in itself. The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art, a Smithsonian affiliate, features an array of contemporary and historic exhibitions for guests to browse. Some of its permanent galleries include the ceramic works of George E. Ohr, the self-proclaimed “Mad Potter of Biloxi,” as well as photographs highlighting African-American culture in Biloxi during the post-WWII years. Remember to visit the museum store to shop for some local art you can take home or even book a class at the ceramic studio if you’re feeling inspired.
Coastal Mississippi
Walter Anderson Museum Of Art
For lovers of art and art history, the Walter Anderson Museum of Art in Ocean Springs is a must-see attraction that celebrates the legacy of artist-philosopher Walter Inglis Anderson while allowing visitors to view the works of Anderson, his brothers and other artists in a warm and inviting setting.
Since 1991, the Walter Anderson Museum of Art has given visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in the art of Walter Inglis Anderson, an American master painter known for his iconic depictions of the Gulf Coast’s natural scenery as well as the works of his brothers, master potter Peter Anderson and ceramist James McConnell Anderson. The museum’s permanent collections include watercolors, drawings, oils, block prints, ceramics, carvings and more by the three Anderson brothers. In addition, it hosts temporary exhibitions spotlighting other artists throughout the year. Don’t forget to visit the Ocean Springs Community Center next door, which is home to Walter Anderson’s largest mural.
Coastal Mississippi
Mississippi Aviation Heritage Museum
The Mississippi Aviation Heritage Museum in Gulfport gives visitors of all ages a chance to learn more about the state’s rich aviation history and the heroes that forged it – while having a little fun in the process – through its array of interactive exhibits, artifact galleries, theater and more.
The 33,000-square-foot museum, which focuses on the State of Mississippi’s significant contributions to the field of aviation, offers guests the chance to view historical artifacts, audio and visual media as well as real airplanes during their visit. The museum houses exhibits about the state’s military bases, the Tuskegee, hurricane hunters, crop dusting and more as well as the Mississippi Aviation Hall of Fame. In addition, The Mississippi Aviation Heritage Museum has more than 20 different displays and interactive STEM exhibits, including a dozen touch tables teaching aviation, a flight simulator and a theater that looks like the interior of an airliner. You may even get the chance to see live mechanics working and renovating airplanes.
Coastal Mississippi
The Coastal Mississippi Mardi Gras Museum
Thanks to the Coastal Mississippi Mardi Gras Museum in Biloxi, you don’t have to visit the Gulf Coast during carnival season to get a sampling of the lively parades, luxurious balls and more that Mardi Gras has become known for. Just stop by for a visit one afternoon and, as they say, “Laissez les bons temps rouler”.
The Coastal Mississippi Mardi Gras Museum gives visitors the opportunity to learn about the more than 300-year history of Mardi Gras on the Gulf Coast with exhibits focusing on its royalty, krewes, celebrations and so much more as well as the people who have made Mardi Gras such a magical time of year. Some of its exhibits include displays of elaborate, one-of-a-kind costumes, archival photographs, a variety of collectible throws tossed during previous parades, medallions and other memorabilia of the past from carnival celebrations. After a guided tour of the museum, you may even get the chance to try on a costume or two yourself.
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Mississippi
Mississippi Museum of Natural Science inviting guests to attend dinosaur exhibit before departure – SuperTalk Mississippi
The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science will soon be welcoming a new exhibit, but for now, visitors can continue to take a trip back in time to the prehistoric age and enjoy present offerings.
Before welcoming the “Mindbender Mansion” exhibit to the facility at Lefleur’s Bluff in Jackson, central Mississippians and science enthusiasts from across the state have just over two more weeks to enjoy “Dinosaurs Around the World: The Great Outdoors.”
Per museum officials, visitors are invited to embark on a globetrotting expedition around the world to discover the Age of Reptiles before the exhibit closes. This outdoor and indoor exhibit features 11 animatronic dinosaurs alongside.
Attendees will see animatronics such as the mighty T. rex of North America, the bi-pedal predator Herrerasaurus, one of the first dinosaurs to appear on Earth, and the bizarre, bony-crested Oviraptor from Mongolia. This exhibit will be up and running until January 5.
Then, the museum will transition into a new phase of educational presentations with “Mindbender Mansion,” an eclectic space filled with brainteasers and interactive challenges running from January 18 through May 4. The goal is to test the brainpower and problem-solving skills of guests of all ages.
“It’s more for solving puzzles and challenges. It’s also math, science, and technology-based. So if that’s your thing, or if your grandchild or children are really into that, it has huge educational content all woven into the exhibit,” Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation Chair LoRose Moore said on Good Things with Rebecca Turner.
Visitors are invited to join the “Mindbender Society” by gathering hidden clues and secret passwords scattered throughout the various thematic rooms of the house soon to be located within the museum. The clues and passwords are revealed by solving select brainteasers and group challenges.
The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday’s operating hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the museum being open on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for senior citizens, $6 for children ages 3-18, and free for those under 3 years old. Annual membership passes can be purchased for individuals for $50 and $100 for families.
Mississippi
Tips to know before traveling Mississippi for the holidays
BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) – It’s a week before Christmas and travelers are hitting the interstate for the holidays.
According to AAA, over 119 million people are expected to travel, of which 107 million will travel by car.
Mississippi Highway Patrolman Landon Orozco says lower gas prices are one reason you’ll see more cars on the road this holiday season.
According to AAA, the price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas in Mississippi is between $2.30 and $2.50.
Orozco also says reparation is key when it comes to getting to your holiday destination safely.
“Make sure your vehicle is in order and operational. Make sure your tires are checked, make sure your fluids are checked and your oil is checked,” said Orozco. “Make sure you have everything you may need. Pack some extra snacks just in case you do run into the occasional traffic here and there as you travel across the states and to your destination.”
You are urged to dial *47 in an emergency or 511 for road conditions
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Copyright 2024 WLOX. All rights reserved.
Mississippi
Mississippi Association of Educators is making its wish list ahead of 2025 legislative session
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – As your children prepare for the holiday break, educators are letting lawmakers know what’s on their wish list for next year.
If you have a child in Mississippi public schools, you’ve heard about standardized state tests. And the Mississippi Association of Educators says one item on their agenda will be to yet again push to have them eliminated.
“I had an opportunity to speak with my son’s U.S. history teacher,” explained MAE President Erica Jones. “And as you know, U.S. History is one of those subject areas that’s tested. And he mentioned to me that he would teach the students totally different if it wasn’t a tested area because there are so many requirements that go to ensuring that the students are passing that particular test.”
A Senate bill was introduced last session but didn’t make it through the full process that would’ve eliminated those state tests for algebra, biology, English, and U.S. history.
“I know there are other options out there,” noted Jones. “This is now the time for us to gather, to start talking about what we can do differently.”
But before testing to ensure students are meeting benchmarks, they have to establish a strong foundation. That’s why MAE is requesting a move towards making pre-k available to all kids.
“As a second-grade teacher, I can recall how it was having to work with students who might have been behind because they did not receive that pe-K in order to be successful,” she said. “So, really urging our legislators to do for students here in Mississippi, really looking at exploring making pre-K available to all students across Mississippi and not just a selected district.”
Other items the group says they have on their legislative agenda include continued work on retention of teachers and the creation of community schools that provide wraparound services in areas of the state most in need of additional support for their students.
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