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.

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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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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