DOWNTOWN JACKSON PARTNERS IS ECSTATIC TO SEE THE OPENING OF THE MISSISSIPPI CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM. SINCE 2005, DOWNTOWN JACKSON PARTNERS HAS ADVOCATED FOR THE PROPOSED CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM TO BE LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN JACKSON. IN 2007, THE GOVERNOR’S COMMISSION TO ESTABLISH A NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM IN MISSISSIPPI ISSUED AN RFP FOR PROPOSED SITES. DOWNTOWN JACKSON PARTNERS WORKED WITH THE CITY OF JACKSON AND SEVERAL LOCAL GROUPS TO SUBMIT THE PROPOSAL FOR SUGGESTING THE DOWNTOWN LOCATION.
IN 2008, THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDED ANOTHER SITE OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN FOR THE NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM. DJP, AND OTHER PARTNERS, CONTINUED TO ADVOCATE FOR THE DOWNTOWN LOCATION IF THE PREFERRED SITE DID NOT MATERIALIZE.
ULTIMATELY, THE MISSISSIPPI CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM AND THE MUSEUM OF MISSISSIPPI HISTORY COMBINED THEIR EFFORTS TO BUILD TWO MUSEUMS IN ONE, LOCATED DOWNTOWN! IN 2013, THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR THE TWO MISSISSIPPI MUSEUMS TOOK PLACE, AND DURING THE STATE’S BICENTENNIAL IN 2017, THE MISSISSIPPI CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM AND MUSEUM OF MISSISSIPPI HISTORY OPENED THEIR DOORS FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.
AT THE ONE YEAR EVALUATION MARK OF THE TWO MISSISSIPPI MUSEUMS, DECEMBER OF 2018, STATE TOURISM OFFICIALS REPORTED THAT THE FIRST YEAR’S ATTENDANCE “FAR EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS, BRINGING FAR MORE THAN THE PROJECTED AMOUNT TO THE CAPITAL CITY.” AT THAT ONE-YEAR MARK, NEARLY A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE FROM EVERY STATE AND MORE THAN 35 COUNTRIES HAVE WALKED THROUGH THE HALLS OF THE MISSISSIPPI CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM AND THE MUSEUM OF MISSISSIPPI HISTORY.
WITH THE ATTENDANCE, VISIT JACKSON REPORTED THAT AS OF SEPTEMBER OF 2018, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE TWO MISSISSIPPI MUSEUMS ON THE CITY CAME IN AT MORE THAN $20 MILLION. THE TWO MISSISSIPPI MUSEUMS HAVE BEEN A FANTASTIC ADDITION TO THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, SERVING THOSE THROUGHOUT THE DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD, THE STATE, AND THE WORLD. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TWO MISSISSIPPI MUSEUMS, VISIT THEM ONLINE.