Things to Do in Jackson Mississippi

Jackson Things to Do

Named after Andrew Jackson, Mississippi’s capitol offers visitors plenty of interesting things to do and places to see.

Nature

The Natchez Trace Parkway has large pastures, wooded areas, and numerous historical markers line this scenic roadway and there is also plenty of well-marked places to stop and hike.

Memorials

The Woman’s Confederate Monument honors the girlfriends, mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters of confederate soldiers who fought in the civil war. Look for it at the south entrance to the new state capitol.

The Jackson Boyd House sits somewhat inconspicuously among neighboring homes on a downtown side street. The former residence of Jackson Mayor James H. Boyd, the house is one of the oldest homes to survive the burning of the city during the last stages of the Civil War.

At the Mississippi War Memorial, replica of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier sits in an outdoor courtyard of the War Memorial Building. If you go to the Old Capitol Museum, swing by this nearby memorial.

Museums

The Old Capitol Museum is a beautifully restored 1839 building once served as the Mississippi State Capitol. Now it serves as a museum. Most exhibits are hands-on and geared towards children. The Mississippi Museum of Art  focuses on artists from Mississippi. It also has a decent collection of pre-Columbian art from Central America.

Architecture

Union soldiers burned down the original St. Peters Catholic Cathedral in 1863, but this new building is a fine example of gothic revival architecture and dates to 1897. In 1959, the church added a beautiful ten foot mosaic over the front doors.

The New Capital and Supreme Court building offers free tour-guided or self-guided tours four times a day Monday through Friday.

You can also visit the home of acclaimed American writer Eudora Welty who lived in a beautiful Tudor Revival house, a few miles from downtown Jackson, for 76 years. It’s both a National Historical Landmark and appears on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Mississippi Governor’s Mansion, which was completed in 1842, is Greek revival mansion remains the second oldest continuously occupied gubernatorial residence in the USA.

Editor’s Note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about things to do in Jackson Mississippi.