20 Things To Do In Jackson Ms

Jackson is one of the Deep South’s most iconic cities, steeped in Southern charm and culture, Civil War history, and a major battleground of the American Civil Rights Movement during the 20th century. The most populated city in Mississippi is also the capital city of the Magnolia State.

It’s a destination alive with music, the arts and the great outdoors. Jackson lives up to its nickname “The City With Soul” and is packed with Soul Food restaurants, beautiful architecture and world-class museums, making it the perfect place to begin discovering the Deep South’s tantalising culture and identity.

Jackson, Mississippi

20 Things To Do In Jackson

1- Explore The World-Class Mississippi Museum of Natural Science

The largest museum in the Magnolia State, the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science is a vast centre showcasing Jackson and south-central Mississippi’s diverse array of fauna and flora.

Established in 1933 by Francis A. Cook, as part of the Mississippi Game and Fish Commission, the museum is within the picturesque LeFleur’s Bluff State Park and overlooks 300 acres (121 ha) of the unblemished Mississippi outdoors.

The museum features a range of permanent and rotating exhibits, which include several dinosaur fossils, a greenhouse, an aquarium and an on-site gift shop.

The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science is at 2148 Riverside Dr, Jackson, MS 39202.

2- Visit The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in downtown Jackson makes use of eight galleries to chronologically recount the events that led up to the Civil Rights Movement across the South during the mid-20th century, especially concerning Mississippi.

The venue opened in 2017 after a lengthy construction period and features a range of artefacts and items detailing Mississippi’s Civil Rights Movements between 1945 and 1975.

Complete with a striking and modern-looking exterior, the museum has several interactive exhibits and thought-provoking displays and is one of downtown Jackson’s premier tourist attractions.

The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum is at 222 North St #2205, Jackson, MS 39201.

3- Tour The Imposing Mississippi State Capitol

The third state capitol building constructed in Mississippi, the Mississippi State Capitol is the most important landmark in downtown Jackson, as well as one of its most eye-catching.

Built between 1901 and 1903 by architect Theodore Link, the Beaux-Arts-style capitol features an unmistakable 180-foot-tall (55 m) dome and an exterior decorated with Indiana limestone and Georgia granite.

Known locally as the “new capitol”, the Mississippi State Capitol was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2016 and is open to the public for free guided tours between Mondays and Fridays.

The Mississippi State Capitol is at 400 High St, Jackson, MS 39201.

4- Learn About Mississippi’s Past At The Old Capitol Museum

Serving as Mississippi’s capitol from 1839 until 1903, the Old Capitol Museum is a National Historic Landmark that stood at the centre of several high-profile legislative decisions in the Magnolia State’s history.

The statehouse became Mississippi’s second capitol building when it opened and features a striking Greek Revival-style design that has been meticulously restored to its former 19th-century glory.

Today, the venue is a museum where you can learn more about Mississippi’s earliest history as an independent territory through a range of exhibits.

The Old Capitol Museum is at 100 State St, Jackson, MS 39201.

5- Experience Mississippi’s Grand Governor’s Mansion

The official residence of Mississippi’s sitting governor and their family since 1842, the Governor’s Mansion in downtown Jackson is a National Historic Landmark recognised as the United States’ second-oldest governor’s mansion in active use.

Completed in 1841 by English-born architect William Nichols, the mansion sits on a sprawling 2.4-acre (1 ha) estate and is furnished with a collection of period pieces and stately furniture.

The mansion is usually open for free guided tours to the public between Tuesdays and Fridays and is regarded as one of the city’s finest historic landmarks to visit.

The Governor’s Mansion is at 300 E Capitol St, Jackson, MS 39201.

6- Tour The Splendid Mississippi Museum of Art

The largest art museum in the Magnolia State, the Mississippi Art Museum is among downtown Jackson’s leading cultural institutions.

It’s home to works by Andy Warhol, Georgia O’Keeffe and Jacob Lawrence, among its world-class art collection.

The museum opened in 1978 and features a series of exhibits with more than 5,500 paintings, photographs, prints and ceramics on display to the public.

There’s also a sculpture and flower garden on show outside the museum as well as a gift store and café inside, with special events and gatherings hosted throughout the year to keep the venue fresh and entertaining.

The Mississippi Museum of Art is at 380 S Lamar St, Jackson, MS 39201.

7- Visit The Historic Eudora Welty House & Garden

South of downtown Jackson’s Belhaven University is the Eudora Welty House & Garden, the former residence of acclaimed American author Eudora Welty for almost 80 years of her life.

The Tudor Revival-style home was built and completed by her parents in 1925, with the home’s beautifully maintained garden planted by Welty’s mother, Chestina, that same year.

Today, the home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a designated National Historic Landmark, and is perfectly preserved much the way it was when Welty penned her Pulitzer Prize-winning novels and short stories.

The Eudora Welty House & Garden can be found at 1109 Pinehurst St, Jackson, MS 39202.

8- See Animals From Exotic Locations At The Jackson Zoo

Established back in 1919, the 110-acre (45 ha) Jackson Zoo is one of the top zoological parks with around 250 animals calling the venue home.

The zoo is the second-largest in Mississippi after the 175-acre (71 ha) Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo, and attracts more than 120,000 annual visitors from across the Magnolia State and the Deep South.

Visitors to the Jackson Zoo can expect to see around 120 different animal species on show, including zebras, chimpanzees, antelope, red wolves and cougars.

Jackson Zoo is at 2918 W Capitol St, Jackson, MS 39209.

9- Let The Little Ones Explore The Mississippi Children’s Museum

Covering a vast area, Mississippi Children’s Museum is a creative and hands-on museum dedicated to encouraging young minds to interact with various STEM subjects.

The museum is situated in the heart of downtown Jackson and features a series of themed spaces, climbing walls and art rooms.

Opened in 2010, the venue also boasts a couple of outdoor attractions and interactive areas, and is one of Jackson’s most popular attractions among families travelling with kids.

The Mississippi Children’s Museum is at 2145 Museum Blvd, Jackson, MS 39202.

10- Stroll Through The Serene Mynelle Gardens

Formed in 1973 and covering an area of about seven acres (3 ha), the Mynelle Gardens is a world-class botanical garden situated just 6 miles (9 km) outside downtown Jackson.

The gardens have been developed into a serene wildlife sanctuary of sorts that’s home to songbirds, turtles and several species of fish, which visitors can explore and interact with through an extensive network of hiking pathways.

The Mynelle Gardens are littered with verdant trees, shrubbery, flowers and rolling lawns, making it ideal for an afternoon stroll or picnic.

The Mynelle Gardens is at 4736 Clinton Blvd, Jackson, MS 39209.

11- Stop By The Historic Alamo Theatre

The historic Alamo Theatre, situated in downtown Jackson’s Farish Street Historical District, is an important cultural landmark in the region that has hosted some of the biggest African-American performers and musicians throughout its history.

The theatre opened in 1949 and was used for screening films and westerns before closing its doors for good in 1983.

Reopened in 1992 following an extensive renovation, the Art Deco-style theatre once again shines as a cultural beacon in Jackson that has hosted everyone from Nat King Cole to B.B King during the 20th century.

The Alamo Theatre is at 333 N Farish St, Jackson, MS 39202.

12- Plan A Visit To The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum

Showcasing the Magnolia State’s world-class athletes and sporting achievements, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum is a popular attraction in Jackson among sports fanatics.

The centre is in the downtown district of Mississippi’s capital and sits just across from the 5,200-seat Smith-Wills Stadium, a venue that has itself hosted a fair share of minor league baseball and collegiate games.

Opened on July 4, 1996, the museum showcases interesting exhibits and sporting memorabilia, including the Wendy’s High School Gallery, the Dizzy Dean Museum and the Viking Classic Exhibit.

The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum is at 152 Lakeland Dr #4701, Jackson, MS 39216.

13- Tour The Historic Oaks House Museum

The Oaks House Museum, or simply “The Oaks” as it is most commonly called, is the former home of James H. Boyd and his family, the four-term Jackson mayor during the mid-1800s.

Born in Kentucky in 1809, Boyd arrived in the Mississippi capital alongside his brother during the early 1820s, establishing himself as a successful entrepreneur by opening a drug store in 1935 before launching his political career.

The Boyds built their humble Greek Revival-style cottage on a farmstead outside downtown Jackson in 1853, which they resided in until the 1960s before selling it to the NSCDA-MS and turning it into a living museum for the public to tour.

The Oaks House Museum is at 823 N Jefferson St, Jackson, MS 39202.

14- Spend An Afternoon At The Mississippi Agricultural & Forestry Museum

Showcasing more than 500 years of agricultural traditions and practices in the Magnolia State, the Mississippi Agricultural & Forestry Museum is a one-of-a-kind cultural attraction that’s home to thousands of exhibits and important artefacts.

The centre spans an area of more than 39 acres (16 ha) and is divided into a series of areas, museums and galleries.

This is where you’ll discover Mississippi’s agricultural roots spanning from Choctaw farming techniques to the present day.

Formally opened in 1983, the centre includes attractions such as the Heritage Center Gallery, the National Agricultural Aviation Museum and the 1920s-themed General Store.

The Mississippi Agricultural & Forestry Museum is at 1150 Lakeland Dr, Jackson, MS 39216.

15- Discover Jackson’s Fondren District

The Fondren District is a vibrant neighbourhood in downtown Jackson with a growing live music and visual arts scene.

Some two dozen independently owned boutiques, bars, restaurants, cafes and shops call the Fondren District home, including a couple of noteworthy art galleries and a handful of charming residential buildings.

Formerly known as “Sylum Heights” when the district was occupied by the Mississippi Lunatic Asylum, the Fondren District has grown into one of Jackson’s most eclectic neighbourhoods which regularly hosts community events, food tastings and art exhibitions.

16- Tour The Museum of Mississippi History

The Museum of Mississippi History in downtown Jackson is a state-of-the-art cultural and educative centre that opened in 2017 alongside the adjacent Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in celebration of the Magnolia State’s bicentennial anniversary.

Showcasing Mississippi’s history over a period spanning more than 15,000 years, the museum provides visitors with a glimpse into the Magnolia State’s prosperous and tumultuous past through a collection of artefacts and priceless display items.

Both museums combine to create one 200,000-square-foot (19,000 m2) attraction in Jackson that can be visited in conjunction with each other over a single day, which some 500,000 people do every year.

The Museum of Mississippi History is at 222 North St #1206, Jackson, MS 39201.

17- Relax And Unwind At Historic LeFleur’s Bluff State Park

LeFleur’s Bluff State Park is a serene 305-acre (123 ha) urban park in downtown Jackson that’s home to an impressive amount of nature trails, camping sites, fishing spots and waterways.

The park marks the spot where French-Canadian fur trader Louis LeFleur established his trading post, eventually growing into a village before becoming the city of Jackson.

Steeped in history and natural beauty, the park also features a couple of museums worth visiting, a 50-acre (20 ha) freshwater lake and a 9-hole golf course which visitors can use to relax and unwind.

LeFleur’s Bluff State Park is at 3315 Lakeland Terrace, Jackson, MS 39216.

18- Learn How African-Americans Shaped Jackson At The Smith Robertson Museum

Opened 1894 as the “West Jackson Colored School”, the Smith Robertson Museum tells the story of African-Americans in Mississippi and the profound impact they had in shaping the Deep South’s culture and politics.

The museum was named after Smith Robertson, an African-American slave born in Fayette, Alabama who became a successful entrepreneur and alderman after moving to Jackson following the American Civil War.

Operating as a school until 1971 and reopened as a museum a couple of years later in 1984, the museum is filled with a bunch of artefacts and historical items to help paint the picture of Mississippi’s African-American identity.

The Smith Robertson Museum is at 528 Bloom St, Jackson, MS 39202.

19- Stop By The Ancient Mississippi Petrified Forest

The Mississippi Petrified Forest is, as the name suggests, a petrified forest situated about 22 miles (35 km) outside downtown Jackson that is said to have been formed roughly 36 million years ago.

Declared a National Historic Landmark back in 1965, the petrified forest is one of only 2 on the East Coast of the United States and is believed to have formed when a couple of logs got jammed whilst flowing downstream.

Today, the forest is a popular tourist attraction in central Mississippi and even features a couple of dinosaur prints, turtle shells and whale bones on display, as well as petrified wood samples from other petrified forests around the world.

The Mississippi Petrified Forest is at 124 Forest Park Rd, Flora, MS 39071.

20- Explore The Medgar Evers Home

Listed as a National Historic Landmark in 2017 as well as added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000, the Medgar Evers Home is the former residence of Medgar Evers, an African-American Civil Rights activist during the mid-20th century.

Officially titled the “Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument”, the home was occupied by Evers and his wife, Myrlie, from 1958 until his passing in 1963.

Featuring a typical Ranch-style design and a fairly standard-looking exterior, the house is among the most important historical landmarks in Jackson and operates as a living museum where visitors can learn more about Evers’ lifelong activism.

The Medgar Evers Home is at 2332 Margaret W Alexander Dr, Jackson, MS 39213.