Vicksburg Museum Map
Your guide to the river city's historic halls and lauded landmarks.
“See what a lot of land these fellows hold, of which Vicksburg is the key!” President Abraham Lincoln uttered this now famous phrase at the height of the Civil War, referring to the necessity for the Union capture of Vicksburg to bring an end to the conflict and thereby dissolve the Confederacy. Once maintaining a crucial role in the war due to its central location on the Mississippi River, Vicksburg is a place steeped in history, and visitors will find that around every storied corner awaits an opportunity to travel back in time. Today, the river city is home to an assortment of attractions documenting its pivotal past up to the present, including a legion of local museums and landmarks—six of which are located within walking distance downtown.
Those curious about how the Mississippi River has shaped the life around it for generations should visit the Jesse Brent Lower Mississippi River Museum, which explores the waterway's relationship to society. The recently developed Catfish Row Museum is a cultural heritage experience that examines Vicksburg's early era, including how the city was established as an urban center within a plantation society, as well as the impact of the Black experience on the region's cultural landscape.
To learn more about Vicksburg’s role in the Civil War, head to the Old Depot Museum to view an expansive diorama of the Siege of Vicksburg, and then stop by the USS Cairo Museum, a Union gunboat that sunk in 1862 and is now displayed at Vicksburg National Military Park. The newly-opened Vicksburg Civil War Museum downtown highlights the significance and contributions of Black soldiers in the war.
Finish off an exciting trip with a self-guided tour of the stunning Old Court House Museum, a National Historic Landmark constructed atop one of the highest bluffs overlooking Vicksburg, or take flight with a plane ride at the Southern Heritage Air Museum.
The Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum houses an extensive range of exhibits, artifacts, and brand memorabilia interpreting the early days of Coca-Cola, from the history of the Biedenharn family founders, to the process first used to bottle the iconic drink, to the evolution of the soda company's advertising throughout the years.