Mississippi Museum of Natural Science
Encyclopedia
The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science is located in Jackson
and is the largest museum in state of Mississippi.
and features aquariums, habitat exhibits, and nature trails specializing in the flora and fauna of Mississippi. The museum also houses the state's systematic collections, containing more than a million specimens of fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, invertebrates, plants, and fossils. The most complete and most used of these collections of taxa are the freshwater fish and mollusks. This museum acts as both a center for research and education. The mission for the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science is to promote understanding and appreciation of Mississippi's biological diversity through collections, research, scientific data bases, education, and exhibits; and to inspire the people of Mississippi to respect the environment and to preserve natural Mississippi.
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
and is the largest museum in state of Mississippi.
History
The museum was founded in 1933 by Francis A. Cook as a part of the Mississippi Game and Fish Commission. Francis 'Fannie' Cook led a drive to found the Game and Fish Commission the 1920s, including traveling education exhibits at local and state fairs. Then in 1932, Cook wrote the state's first game laws, and became the museum's first director after the Commission was established by the legistlature. In the last seventy years, the main attendees have been the school children and educational institutions.Exhibits
The museum is in LeFleur's Bluff State ParkLeFleur's Bluff State Park
LeFleur's Bluff State Park is a Mississippi state park in Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi in the United States. The park is and sits at an elevation of . It is located off of Interstate 55 on the banks of the Pearl River within the city of Jackson...
and features aquariums, habitat exhibits, and nature trails specializing in the flora and fauna of Mississippi. The museum also houses the state's systematic collections, containing more than a million specimens of fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, invertebrates, plants, and fossils. The most complete and most used of these collections of taxa are the freshwater fish and mollusks. This museum acts as both a center for research and education. The mission for the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science is to promote understanding and appreciation of Mississippi's biological diversity through collections, research, scientific data bases, education, and exhibits; and to inspire the people of Mississippi to respect the environment and to preserve natural Mississippi.