Mississippi Children's Museum - Meridian

We Take Fun Seriously!

In 1994, the idea of the Mississippi Children’s Museum (MCM) was born. A group of visionary volunteers found an urgent need to improve the health, literacy and well-being of Mississippi’s children and began the extensive process that led to the museum opening its doors in December, 2010, in Jackson, Mississippi. Four years later, another group of community activists in Meridian, seeing the success and benefits that MCM has had on the community in Jackson, sought these resources for East Mississippi and there began the journey for the first satellite campus. After years of research and development, the Mississippi Children’s Museum – Meridian (MCM-Meridian) officially broke ground in October, 2019, and anticipates opening its doors in early 2021.

The Mississippi Children’s Museum – Meridian, will be a safe and engaging space for children, families, and educators, to play, discover, learn, and grow. It will offer five exhibit galleries centering around these educational initiatives: literacy, health and nutrition, and STEAM, (Science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) with aspects of Mississippi’s own culture woven throughout. They will offer educational programs for children, workshops for parents, and professional development opportunities for educators.

There will be the first ever Goodnight Moon permanent exhibit gallery. It will look just like you are walking into the classic bedtime story! Children will learn the importance of a healthy bedtime routine and a good night of rest in this gallery. MCM-Meridian’s library exhibit space will be modeled after William Joyce’s award-winning short film and children’s book, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. The Wonderbox exhibit will be a “maker space” for elementary and middle school aged children to tinker and create! Several inventions from native Meridian artisans, will be on display in this space to inspire and impress visitors.

“I serve and see a lot of children in East Mississippi; a children’s museum will be a wonderful resource to expose them to different ways of learning. I personally believe a good education comes from exposure to new opportunities to think, tinker, and create. What a sense of pride it will instill in our children to have the children’s museum right here at home! No longer will they have to travel to some other destination; their hometown WILL BE the destination,” Ricky Hood, Executive Director, Boys and Girls Club of East Mississippi.

“Seeing museum construction well underway on 22^nd Avenue, I think about all those whose generosity has made this a reality,” said Liz Wilson, Executive Director of MCM-Meridian. “These are challenging times, and to be reminded of what our community can accomplish when we come together is so hopeful,” Liz continued. “MCM-Meridian is deeply appreciative to its donors. We are recognizing each family and business that has contributed to the success of this project with a social media campaign called, Building Tomorrow Together. We are extremely grateful to each person that has helped make this dream a reality for the children of East Mississippi. This will be a truly magical space that we have built together as a community.”

Mississippi Children’s Museum – Meridian
200 24th Ave. South, Meridian, MS