On December 9th, Mississippi will celebrate its bicentennial by officially unveiling the two newest museums in Jackson; the Mississippi History and Civil Rights Museums. The 200,000 square foot space will house countless artifacts, stories and interactive exhibits that will showcase Mississippi’s history.
On Tuesday, members of the media were allowed in for a sneak peek as the Museums near their final stages of construction. Many of the artifacts are in place, and the displays have been built, and now it’s time for the final touches. Ahead of the museums opening, a tour of each side was given to showcase what will soon be a testament to Mississippi’s past and future.
Pamela Junior, director of the Civil Rights Museum, discussed what it means to be opening a museum of this nature in the “ground zero of the civil rights movement.” During the tour
“We want people to see Mississippi in this light and then to be able to come out with an emphasis on changing their lives and doing better and making this state the best state that it can be,” Junior said.
Afterward, Junior discussed how they would not shy away from moments in the state’s history, but rather face them head on to truly show how far Mississippi has come.
“We can’t tell the story without telling the truth,” Junior said. “The history is dark, but that’s okay because we came out on the better side of it. That’s what’s important to me, is to tell the dark tunnel story and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Rachel Myers, director of the History Museum, led the tour of the History Museum and at the end stated how she hopes this space showcases Mississippi’s history and what it means moving forward.
“I’m hoping people find something that’s nostalgic and something that makes them proud of our state about where we’ve come,” Myers said. “I also hope you learn something new, shift your perspective about yourself, your community and your neighbors and how they live in this state.”
After the tour concluded, Myers discussed what it has been like for her as she came in and watched the project grow as we approach the opening date.
