Mississippi Museum of Art
A focused state collection, ambitious changing exhibitions, and an art garden connect Mississippi artists to broader American and global conversations.
Artwork inspired by Marie Hull
The permanent exhibition New Symphony of Time is the clearest entry into Mississippi art: It places historical works, folk and self-taught makers, modernists, photographers, and living artists in conversation rather than arranging a triumphal march by date. Labels reward comparison, especially around land, labor, race, migration, and who has been admitted to the idea of a state canon.
The Art Garden is part of the visit, not landscaping between the parking lot and galleries. Walk it before and after the indoor route to notice how sound, weather, sculpture, and downtown edges change the work. Major loan exhibitions can carry a separate charge, while permanent galleries and public programs may follow different access policies, so check the exact exhibition page.
- Best first move
- New Symphony of Time
- Do not miss
- The Art Garden
- Plan for
- 2–3 hours
Quick guide
- Compare
- One subject, different Mississippi viewpoints
- Find
- Folk and self-taught makers
Make the visit count
- Choose a conversation
- Compare two works that treat the same place, labor, or history from different positions.
- Find the makers
- Ask where folk, self-taught, and contemporary Mississippi artists appear in the current installation.
- Use the garden twice
- Walk one loop before the galleries and another after the light or weather has changed.
- Check the ticket scope
- Confirm whether a special exhibition requires admission beyond the permanent collection.
Good to know
New Symphony of Time is free, while Barksdale Galleries exhibitions use paid admission. Advance and front-desk tickets are accepted; free community programs and temporary exhibitions follow the current calendar.
Notice these
- New Symphony of Time
- The Art Garden
- Mississippi modernists