Delta Blues Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Passenger Depot
|
|
Exterior of the museum in 2017
|
|
 Location in Mississippi
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Bounded by N. Edwards, Sharkey and Issaquena Aves., and the ICRR main track, Clarksdale, Mississippi, United States |
|---|---|
| Built | 1926 |
| NRHP reference No. | 95001194 |
| Added to NRHP | October 31, 1995 |
The Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale, Mississippi, is a special place. It helps people learn about and enjoy the amazing music style called the blues. The museum collects and keeps important items related to the blues. It also shows art that celebrates the blues tradition. This includes works by sculptor Floyd Shaman and photographer Birney Imes.
The museum is located inside a historic building. This building is known as the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Passenger Depot. It is also called the Illinois Central Passenger Depot or Clarksdale Passenger Depot. It was built in 1926 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
Contents
Discover the Delta Blues Museum
The Delta Blues Museum is filled with cool things from blues history. One of the most famous items is a small shack. This shack is believed to be where blues legend Muddy Waters lived when he was young. It was on Stovall Plantation, close to Clarksdale.
Muddy Waters' Shack: A Special Exhibit
The shack was carefully moved and fixed up. This happened with help from Isaac Tigrett, who owned the House of Blues. It even went on a tour to different House of Blues locations. After its tour, the shack came back to Mississippi. It was rebuilt inside the museum for everyone to see.
Blues on Screen and Beyond
In 2003, a 30-minute movie about the museum was made. It has the same name as the museum. In 2013, a special marker was placed outside the museum. This marker is part of the Mississippi Blues Trail. It helps people find important blues history spots.
Famous Visitors and Supporters
Many famous artists have visited the museum. These include Eric Clapton and Paul Simon. The rock band ZZ Top, especially their lead singer Billy Gibbons, really loves this museum. They have helped raise a lot of money to support it.
Learning to Play the Blues
The museum also helps young people learn to play music. It focuses on teaching them how to play different musical instruments. This way, the blues tradition can continue for new generations.
The Historic Railroad Building
The building where the museum is located has its own history. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. The museum moved into this old railroad station in 1999.
From Train Station to Museum
This brick building was built around 1918. It used to be a busy place for trains. First, it served as a passenger train station for the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad. Later, it became a freight station for the Illinois Central Railroad. Now, it's a home for blues history.
See also
- List of music museums
- Mississippi Blues Trail
- Yazoo & Mississippi Depot in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- KFFA (AM)
- Ground Zero Blues Club
- National Blues Museum
- Clarksdale Walk of Fame
