Theater and opera houses
Riley Center in Meridan
The Riley Center in Meridan City, also known as the Grand Opera House, was opened in 1890. The Riley Center is known for its efforts to preserve the old and still open up to modern technology. In 1920 it was converted into a cinema, but nowadays it is used again for various performances.
| Contact | 2200 5th Street Meridian, Mississippi 39301 www.msurileycenter.com/ |
Temple Theater in Meridan
The Temple Theater in the city of Meridan was built in 1924 in the Moorish style and impresses with its oriental architecture. At the time of its opening, the Temple Theater had the second largest stage in the United States. Vaudeville shows were first performed here and today the Temple Theater is used for various performances and concerts. A special feature of the Temple Theater is its organ. It is a Robert Morton organ and there are only 2 of them in Mississippi.
- See Countryaah for a full list cities and towns in Mississippi. Also includes counties, airports, zip codes, and public holidays of Mississippi.
| Contact | 2320 8th Street Meridian, Mississippi 39301 www.meridiantempletheater.com |
Lyric Theater in Tupelo
The Lyric Theater in the city of Tupelo was built in 1912, however at that time it was still called Cosmos. In 1936, the Lyric Theater, because of its construction – made of bricks – served as a refuge from a tornado. Nowadays, the Lyric Theater is the venue for the acting troupe of the Tupelo Community Theater. Legend has it that Elvis Presley got his first kiss here at the Lyric Theater.
| Contact | 201 North Broadway Street Tupelo, Mississippi 38804 www.tctwebstage.com |
Museums and exhibitions
Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale
The Delta Blues Museum in the city of Clarksdale has been dedicated to blues music since 1979. The museum is located in the former Yazoo train station. The area around the city of Clarksdale is considered the birthplace of the blues and so it is only close that a museum is dedicated to this music genre. In addition to all kinds of memorabilia, the museum also offers an exhibition of works of art that deal with or were inspired by the blues. As befits such a museum, concerts are of course also held here.
| Contact | 1 Blues Alley Clarksdale, Mississippi 38614 www.deltabluesmuseum.org |
Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson
The Mississippi Museum of Art in the city of Jackson was opened in 1911 as a simple exhibition. Since 2007, the museum has been located in the former Mississippi Arts Pavilion. The museum’s collection consists of paintings, photographs, prints, sculptures and other objects such as Indian baskets. The museum specializes in the exhibition of American art. The museum’s very good collection makes it the largest art museum in the state of Mississippi.
| Contact | 380 South Lamar Street Jackson, Mississippi 39201 www.msmuseumart.org |
Biedenharn Coca-Cola® Museum in Vicksburg
This museum is devoted to the history of the drink, which is probably the most famous in the world. In 1894, Coca-Cola® was bottled for the first time in history. In addition to the historical equipment used for bottling, this museum also contains numerous Coca-Cola® memorials. The museum has been in existence since 1979 and everything in the museum will take you to an apparently healthier world.
| Contact | 1107 Washington Street Vicksburg, Mississippi 39183 www.biedenharncoca-colamuseum.com |
Ohr-O’Keefe Museum Of Art in Biloxi
The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum Of Art in the city of Biloxi is an art museum and is named after the “crazy potter of Biloxi” George E. Ohr. The museum building was designed by Frank Gehry and was built around 4 old oak trees. It looks like the building is dancing around the trees. If you don’t want to see the art on display here, you shouldn’t be put off by a visit, since the building itself is worth seeing.
| Contact | 386 Beach Blvd. Biloxi, Mississippi 39530 www.georgeohr.org |
Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson
The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson City opened in 1932 and has been dedicated to the natural history of the state since then. What better place to do this than at LeFleur’s Bluff State Park, where the museum is located. In addition to hiking trails and special trails that explain the local flora and fauna, visitors will also find aquariums here and of course the more than a million species of fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, plants and fossils. It is your own fault if you are in the city of Jackson and miss the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science.
| Contact | 2148 Riverside Drive Jackson Mississippi 39202 www.msnaturalscience.org/ |
Tupelo Automobile Museum
The Tupelo Automobile Museum is dedicated to the history of the car and has a collection of over 100 cars. Most of the collection consists of Frank Spain’s private collection. The oldest car in the collection dates from 1869 and romps with the other cars on an exhibition area of approx. 11,000 m². A special car is the 1976 Lincoln Mark IV, which was formerly driven by Elvis Presley.
| Contact | 1 Otis Boulevard Tupelo, Mississippi 38804 www.tupeloautomuseum.com |
University of Mississippi Museum in Oxford
The University of Mississippi Museum in the city of Oxford is aimed at both academic visitors and visitors who prefer a more popular display. The museum was founded in 1939 as the Mary Buie Museum. In 1974 the University of Mississippi took over the museum. The museum’s collection houses treasures such as ancient Greek and Roman works of art, scientific instruments from the 19th century and exhibits on the folk art of the American South.
| Contact | University Avenue and 5th Street Oxford, Mississippi 38655 www.museum.olemiss.edu |
Monuments and memorials
Vicksburg National Military Park
The Vicksburg National Military Park is the place where the Battle of Vicksburg took place in 1863. During this siege during the American Civil War, approximately 8,000 people lost their lives. The Vicksburg National Military Park was opened in 1899 and today there are numerous monuments, statues, busts and memorials (a total of 1,325). The entire Vicksburg National Military Park covers an area of approximately 7.5 km². Due to this huge area, the park can be driven through on a 32 km tour or you can go on the 20 km hiking trail. Every year, over 700,000 visitors visit the Vicksburg National Military Park.
| Contact | 3201 Clay Street Vicksburg, Mississippi 39183 www.nps.gov/vick/index.htm |
Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site at Tupelo
The Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site near the city of Tupelo was opened in 1929 to commemorate the Confederate Army’s victory in 1864 over Union states. The Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site, however, only covers a small part of what was then the battlefield, the place where the Brice family’s house stood. In total, the Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site covers an area of approximately 4,000 m². In addition to former cannons, visitors will also find a cemetery here that commemorates the fallen.
| Contact | www.nps.gov/brcr/index.htm |
The Birthplace of Elvis Presley in Tupelo
In the house where the King of Rock & Roll was born, visitors can embark on the journey to the beginning of Elvis Presley’s success. However, if you don’t feel like waiting too long, you shouldn’t visit The Birthplace of Elvis Presley in August, as fans from all over the world flock to learn about the beginning and youth of the King of Rock & Roll. In addition to the birthplace, the Assembly of God church also belongs to the complex. Here Elvis sang in the church choir as a child.
| Contact | 306 Elvis Presley Drive Tupelo, Mississippi 38801 www.elvispresleybirthplace.com |
