Our Institution

At the Mississippi Children’s Museum,
We Take Fun Seriously!

The mission of MCM is to create unparalleled experiences to inspire excellence and a lifelong joy of learning.

We accomplish this mission through hands-on, engaging exhibits and programs focusing on literacy, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math), and health and nutrition–the keys to helping our children mature into healthy and productive adult learners.

Learn more about MCM and MCM-Meridian exhibits and programs, which vary by location.

OUR HISTORY

  1. 1994 – Our Start

    The idea of the Mississippi Children’s Museum (MCM) was born! A group of community volunteers saw the urgent need to improve the health, literacy, and well-being of Mississippi’s children, and so began the MCM project.

  2. 2003 – Junior League of Jackson

    The Mississippi Children’s Museum became the Junior League of Jackson’s second signature project. The Junior League undertook a $26.6 million capital campaign and led a statewide team of educational partners, community and business leaders, elected officials, parents, volunteers, children, and nationally recognized children’s museum experts to plan, develop, and build a one-of-a-kind, state-of-the-art, statewide children’s museum.

  3. 2010 – Opening

    MCM opened in December 2010. This 40,000 square foot museum houses five galleries of educational, interactive exhibits and enriching weekly programs that focus on literacy; health and nutrition; the cultural arts; science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM); and Mississippi heritage.

  4. 2014 – The Literacy Garden

    MCM opened a sixth outdoor, 13,000 square foot gallery, The Literacy Garden, which combines experiential artworks with unique landscape architecture that encourages early language and reading skills development.

  5. 2016 – East Mississippi Expansion

    A group of community activists in Meridian, Mississippi, seeing the success and benefits that MCM has had throughout our state and specifically in the greater Jackson community, advocated for the expertise of the museum to serve the children of East Mississippi and launched its first capital campaign.

  6. 2019 – Breaking Ground

    After years of research and development, MCM officially broke ground on October 28, 2019, in Meridian, Mississippi. MCM-Meridian will include a 25,000 square foot state of the art facility featuring 9,500 square feet of interior exhibits and an additional 25,000 square foot outdoor exhibit experience designed for Mississippi’s youngest residents as well as their entire circle of influence. Leaders from the community, government officials, MCM-Meridian and MCM representatives, and most importantly, local children, used their shovels to break ground and share in this momentous occasion.

  7. 2021 – MCM-Meridian Opening

    After six years in the making, Mississippi Children’s Museum – Meridian officially opened its doors to the public on March 27, 2021! The museum includes the nation’s first permanent Goodnight Moon exhibit, a two-story brainiac climber, a library inspired by the Academy Award-winning short film and children’s book, The Fantastic Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce, a WonderBox tinkering lab, and a whimsical 25,000 square foot garden inspired by local writer and illustrator, Edgar Parker. Each gallery is designed based on MCM-Meridian’s educational initiatives: STEAM, literacy, health and nutrition, and Mississippi heritage.

Initiatives

Literacy

Literacy Icon

Literacy is fundamental to a child’s educational development: gaps in language create gaps in learning that are progressively problematic as children continue through school—and it is imperative to begin literacy development before formal education begins. Last year, nearly 1 in 2 elementary-aged Mississippi children failed to read at grade level.

MCM is committed to improving the early literacy development of Mississippi’s children on multiple levels:

  • through place-based experiences that incorporate literacy and language concepts within our galleries
  • innovative programs that focus both on the mechanics of reading and the enjoyment of it
  • resources provided to Mississippi families, schools, and teachers
  • campaigns like Talk from the Start, a partnership between the Mississippi Children’s Museum and The Barksdale Reading Institute
  • research that contributes to the body of knowledge about how children learn