Mississippi River Museum facts for kids
The museum's entrance, featuring a scale model of the Mississippi River.
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| Established | 1982 |
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| Location | Mud Island, Memphis, Tennessee |
| Type | History, naval, music |
The Mississippi River Museum was a special place located on Mud Island in Memphis, Tennessee. It was a museum dedicated to teaching people about the amazing history and culture of the Mississippi River.
Contents
Exploring the Museum's Past
How the Museum Started
The Mississippi River Museum first opened its doors in 1982. Its main goal was to save and share the natural and cultural stories of the Lower Mississippi River Valley. This area is very important to American history.
Saving the Museum from Closure
In 1990, a businessman named Sidney Shlenker had plans to close the museum. He wanted to build new restaurants and bars on Mud Island instead. However, many people in Memphis disagreed strongly with this idea. The West Tennessee Historical Society worked with the Mud Island Foundation and the mayor, Richard Hackett, to keep the museum open. Their efforts helped save this important historical site.
Changes and Challenges
The museum temporarily closed in July 2018 for some updates. The exhibits needed to be refreshed, and fewer people were visiting. It reopened in May 2019 with new displays.
Later that year, in August 2019, some vandals broke into the museum. They smashed display cases, but luckily, none of the valuable historical items were stolen or damaged.
The Museum's Final Chapter
Unfortunately, the museum closed permanently not long after the vandalism. It still had low numbers of visitors. All the items from the museum were moved to the Museum of Science and History - Memphis.
In 2024, new plans were announced for the old museum building. It will become an interactive experience called "Baron Von Opperbean and the River of Time." This new attraction will continue to celebrate the river's history in a fun, engaging way.
What You Could See at the Museum
Galleries and Artifacts
The Mississippi River Museum had 18 different galleries. These rooms held more than 5,000 historical items related to the river. Just outside the museum, there was a huge scale model of the entire Mississippi River. It was so big you could walk along it!
Civil War History
Many items showed the river's role in the American Civil War. One of the most impressive displays was a life-size copy of a Union Navy gunboat. These powerful boats were used during the war.
Famous River Figures
The museum also featured realistic wax sculptures of famous people connected to the Mississippi River. You could see figures like the writer Mark Twain and the legendary riverboat captain Mike Fink.
River Dangers and Music
At the "Theatre of Horrors," visitors could watch a documentary. It showed the many dangers of living and traveling on the river long ago. These included things like boiler explosions on steamboats and outbreaks of yellow fever. Another gallery was all about the history of music that came from the river, like blues and jazz.
See also
