Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

Through eight interactive exhibits, the museum promotes a greater understanding of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement and its impact by highlighting the strength and sacrifices of its people.

In the first and second galleries, a timeline illustrates the history of Africans in Mississippi, slavery, and the origins of the Jim Crow era. Monuments memorialize people who were victims of lynching in the state. Read quotations from the men, women, and children who risked their lives in the courageous campaign to gain freedom. View historic images of those affected by slavery, including well-known leaders, that show the inhumanity of the institution and their determination to end it.

The heart of the museum is the third gallery — a central space lit by a dramatic light sculpture that plays the museum’s theme song, “This Little Light of Mine” — highlighting people who laid down their lives for the Movement. As more visitors gather and interact with the sculpture — adding their own “light” — it shines brighter and the music grows stronger.

The next four galleries focus on the years 1945 to 1975. Visitors can view the mug shots of every Freedom Rider arrested in Mississippi and hear the stories of civil rights veterans such as Fannie Lou Hamer, Vernon Dahmer, and Medgar Evers. The eighth and final gallery — Where Do We Go From Here? — challenges you to consider your own community as you reflect on your experience at the museum. Visitors are invited to share their thoughts and leave comments before exiting.

Stop into The Nissan Cafe by Nick Wallace during your visit, located in the main lobby of the Two Mississippi Musuems. The Top Chef competitor and Jackson native’s menu is a statement about the unique cultures and flavors of Mississippi and provides a new take on soul food using local ingredients.

Be sure to check out the Mississippi Museum Store, which offers one of the state’s finest collections of folk art, local handmade crafts, and books by and about Mississippians. The store also carries the new state flag and other products featuring the design.

Museum members receive a 10% discount on store items. Visitors can become museum members online at give2mississippimuseums.com.

The Mississippi Museum Store is open Tuesday–Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and is closed on Monday. For more information, call 601-576-6921.

MUSEUM HOURS

Tuesday – Saturday 9 AM – 5 PM, Sunday 11 AM – 5 PM; Closed Mondays

GENERAL ADMISSION

For admission to the Museum of Mississippi History, Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, and special exhibitions.

Adult: $15 | Youth (ages 4–22): $8 | Senior (ages 60+) or military: $13 | Children under 3 years: FREE | Closed on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.

FREE SUNDAYS — Admission to the Museum of Mississippi History, Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, and special exhibitions is free every Sunday.

INSIDE THE TWO MISSISSIPPI MUSEUMS

Nissan Cafe By Nick Wallace