JACKSON, Miss. (April 9, 2019) –The LeFleur Museum District (LMD), Mississippi’s first of its kind, has been recognized by the Southeast Tourism Society (STS) with the Shining Example Partnership Award for cooperative tourism work in 2018. The LMD is comprised of the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum, the Mississippi Children’s Museum, MDWFP’s Museum of Natural Science, and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum.
The group of four unique museums located at the Lakeland Drive and I-55 interchange produced an economic impact of $28.4 million for the city of Jackson in 2018. “Visit Jackson is proud of the combined efforts the four museums have made to join together and promote themselves as one outstanding destination. Their successes prove that partnerships work, and we are thrilled to be a supporter of their future endeavors,” said Rickey Thigpen, President/CEO of Visit Jackson.
The LeFleur Museum District was established in May 2014 during National Travel & Tourism week and offers a joint-ticket option for visitors to experience all of the museums at a discounted rate. The LMD has thrived since its creation by forming a collective branding alliance, utilizing shared marketing, and hosting joint events.
The LeFleur Museum District’s signature event, the Mississippi Science Fest (MSF) presented by C Spire, was also recently recognized by the Mississippi Tourism Association as “Small Festival of the Year” drawing a three-day attendance of over 4,500 visitors. One of the main goals of MSF is to showcase the diverse opportunities in STEM industries available to the future workforce of our state. This annual event consists of an elementary school age coding challenge presented by C Spire, a Field Trip Friday for students, and an affordable joint-ticketed day on Saturday featuring hands-on activities and exhibitors in STEM industries. This year’s Mississippi Science Fest will take place in the LeFleur Museum District on September 19-21, 2019.
“There is no question each of the four museums which make up LMD have benefitted from working together collectively. We have been able to draw thousands of Jackson area residents as well as tourists to the area,” commented Susan Garrard, Mississippi Children’s Museum President/CEO and current LeFleur Museum District President. “Collaborating on events such as the Mississippi Science Fest brings new educational opportunities to children and families in Mississippi, and gives hope for a brighter future for the residents of our state.”
“We’re very excited to continue our partnership with the Mississippi Children’s Museum and the LeFleur Museum District, which encourages young children to explore and learn more about computer science and information technology disciplines through the Mississippi Science Fest,” said C Spire CTO Carla Lewis. “Congratulations to everyone on the well-deserved recognition.”