To truly experience the Mississippi Delta, a trip on the Mississippi Blues Trail is a must. And there’s no better place to start than the Gateway to the Blues Museum in Tunica!
Blues fan or not, a visit to the Gateway to the Blues Museum will certainly leave you with an appreciation for this truly American music and the moving history surrounding it.
On sight, you’ll immediately be transported to the past as this rustic, 3,500 square foot museum is set in the midst of farmland.
At one time a train depot, the small building has been around for as long as the Blues!
Before you enter, make sure to get an iconic shot of this memorable museum with the stunning backdrop of the Mississippi sky.
Inside the Gateway to the Blues Museum
The History of The Blues
The Blues is so much more than simply a musical genre. In fact, it is arguably the music that made America.
A stroll through the museum will introduce you to the life and the people that created this soulful music. The Blues is an outpouring of their lives, their experiences, their survival.
See the faces. Read the stories. Let them bring the Blues to life for you.
Meanwhile, you can admire the beautiful collection of guitars throughout the museum. Each of the guitars (and various other instruments including harmonicas) was used by the famous and the not-so-famous across a variety of genres.
Interactive Exhibits
Speaking of guitars, one of the interactive exhibits allows you to try your hand at playing a lap steel guitar and a diddley bow.
If learning all about the Blues has you itching to try it yourself, the Gateway to the Blues Museum has an exhibit for that, too!
Local Bluesman, Memphis Jones, will walk you through how to write and record your very own Blues song. Take it home (via email) and show it off to all your friends who didn’t have the pleasure of joining you on your trip to the Gateway to the Blues Museum.
An Introduction to the Mississippi Blues Trail
The museum is just the beginning to all that the Mississippi Blues Trail has to offer. Equipped with an understanding of the history of the Blues through the artwork and exhibits of the museum, you’ll glean so much more from the rest of the nearly 200 Blues Trail markers.
These markers span across the state and even throughout the world, six of which are right in Tunica.
Get a glimpse into each marker throughout the Mississippi Blues Trail Gallery within the museum.
Blues Trail Visitor Center Inside the Gateway to the Blues Museum
Once you’ve taken in all you can in the Gateway to the Blues Museum, be sure to chat with one of the Visitor Center employees for everything you need to know about the Blues Trail.
The Visitor Center has traveling information including the basics like hotels and restaurants, as well as all you need to know to continue on your Blues Trail experience.
Be sure to grab a souvenir before you leave the museum!
While you’re in the Mississippi Delta be sure to swing by Leland, MS and see why it’s worth the detour.
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