Jackson, MS, known as the crossroads of the south, is famous for its blues music and southern cuisine, featuring attractions like the second largest zoo in Mississippi and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. The Oaks House, a historic museum from 1853, offers insights into local history, while the Mississippi Museum of Art showcases a diverse collection of artworks from American and European artists. The city is family-friendly and provides a range of engaging activities for both residents and visitors.

1. Nicknamed the Crossroads of the South, the state capital Jackson MS is well
known for its blues music tradition and Southern cuisine. It is also a city with
interesting attractions, both for residents and visitors.
The city contains one of the oldest zoos, dating back to 1919. Jackson Zoo is
the second largest in Mississippi with more than 525 animals. It welcomes school
groups and has a variety of species on show. Animals include the African
Elephant, Black Bear, chimpanzees, Black Tailed Prairie Dog and Cotton Top
Tamarin. The Reptile House has tortoises and alligators and the aviary contains
swans, flamingos, ostrich and peacocks. There is also the scary tarantula and a
Black Widow Spider.
Sporting heroes are honored at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.
Memorabilia of various sports stars from the past is on display, including for
Jake Gibbs, Dizzy Dean and Walter Payton. The museum presents hands on exhibits
and archive footage of great sporting moments and interviews with top sportsmen
and women. There are specialist exhibitions, including one on sports medicine.
It's a great family day out in Jackson MS and children enjoy it immensely.
The history of the area is found at the Oaks House, also known as Boyd's House.
It is one of the oldest residential houses in Jackson MS and was built in an
elegant Greek revival style in 1853. It was fortunate to survive the Civil War
as most houses in its vicinity were burned to the ground. Mr. Boyd was the
original occupant, a man who was town mayor on four occasions. Subsequent
generations of his family lived in the house until 1960. Now a museum, the mid-
19th century furnishings give an insight into that period and old farm
implements are also on display in the milk house and buttery. The lovely grounds
are filled with azaleas, crepe myrtle and old oak trees.
An impressive art collection is on show at the Mississippi Museum of Art and the
gallery is one of the major reasons to visit Jackson MS. There are changing
exhibits and a permanent collection that mainly contains paintings and
sculptures from the mid-19th century onward by American artists. Mississippi
artists feature alongside famous names such as James Whistler, Georgia O'Keefe
and Andy Warhol. European painters are also exhibited, including Pablo Picasso,
Claude Renoir and Paul Cézanne. There is also a display of basket weaving by
Native American craftspeople.