Mississippi Children’s Museum opens reimagined garden exhibit, ‘The Enchanted Land of Story’

By Editor | April 23, 2024

Embark on a magical journey as the Mississippi Children’s Museum in Jackson unveils the Gertrude C. Ford’s “The Enchanted Land of Story.” This captivating garden experience invites guests to imagine, explore, and discover a realm where stories come to life.

The Gertrude C. Ford Literacy Garden initially opened its doors in 2014 and has warmly received over a million visitors in the last decade, prompting significant renovations and exciting updates. This transformation into “The Enchanted Land of Story” is made possible through generous grants from the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) and the Hearst Foundations, in addition to the originating support from the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation.

Inspired by the whimsical verses of artist Sherry Norfolk’s commissioned poem found below, the exhibit promises an immersive adventure through 11 enchanting experiences spread across the newly-renovated 14,000-square-foot garden.

Throughout the enchanted journey, beautifully-illustrated exhibit signs featuring dragons will guide visitors, culminating in a chance to perform in the amphitheater and tell of what they did while there. The museum’s senior graphic designer, Lori Nesbitt, illustrated the directional signage and murals. The museum’s exhibit team, led by Director of Exhibits Rachel Myers and Assistant Director of Exhibits Shelby Sessums, worked with fabricators to design the renovated exhibit and educational experience.

“We are thrilled to invite families to explore and engage with the wonders of ‘The Enchanted Land of Story,’” said Myers. “We can’t wait for guests to splash in the dancing waters, make melodies on the xylophones, and find all the hidden play areas between the hedge maze and acorn home.”

Experiences include:

Floating Clouds – Practice your climbing skills in the Floating Clouds treehouse.
Talking Trees – Play among the Talking Trees sound sculptures.
Desert Island – Interact with sand to make a sandcastle or build other creations.
Live Oak Home – Explore and play in the acorn house, then crawl through the maze.
Topsy-Turvy World – Twirl in spinning chairs and walk on balance beams to experience moments of movement and balance.
Mushroom Ring – View an original miniature house by Mississippi artist Lee Harper inside one of the life-sized mushrooms and be inspired to build your own.
Giant’s Knee – Climb over giant tree roots and play under the imaginary Giant’s Knee.
Singing Forest – Make melodies and explore the rhythm and power of music by playing original scores or composing your own with percussion instruments.
Dancing Waters – Dance and play under our magical rain cloud where guests can splash in puddles and explore misty portals. Bring your rainboots and a dry change of clothes to fully embrace this experience.
Dragon’s Lair – Be transported into the Dragon’s Lair through an interactive mural where guests can write poetry, draw, dance, and interact with larger-than-life talk tubes to tell stories to their friends and family.
Storytellers’ Circle – Perform in the amphitheater and tell your story “Of what you did while there.”