Grammy Museum Mississippi opens in March

Grammy Museum Mississippi will officially open its doors to the public on Saturday, March 5 in Cleveland, Miss. The grand opening will be celebrated with a slate of activities from March 3–6 and will mark the first GRAMMY Museum to be built outside of Los Angeles.

"After more than six years of building the Grammy Museum's solid foundation in Los Angeles, The Recording Academy is excited to be part of the development of a new Museum site in Mississippi," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy and Chair of the Board of the Grammy Museum.

"With its proximity to our membership communities in Memphis, Nashville and New Orleans, we're looking forward to expanding the reach of the Museum's mission and programs into one of the most musically vibrant regions in America."

Grand opening festivities will kick off with an evening event hosted by The Recording Academy Memphis Chapter on Thursday, March 3, and culminates in an official ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Portnow, Grammy Museum Mississippi Executive Director Emily Havens, Grammy Museum at L.A. LIVE Executive Director Bob Santelli, Delta State University President William N. LaForge, Cleveland, Miss. Mayor Billy Nowell, and Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, and others, on Saturday, March 5. Additional information on grand opening events will be available soon.

"Our Museum will welcome visitors from all over the world to explore all genres of music and truly experience Mississippi's deep music history," said Havens. "In addition, we will provide educational opportunities for thousands of students annually."

Built and operated by the Cleveland Music Foundation — a non-profit organization developed in 2011 — the 28,000-square-foot Grammy Museum Mississippi will be housed on the campus of Delta State University, home of the Delta Music Institute — Mississippi's sole accredited music industry studies program.

Similar to its sister Museum — the Grammy Museum at L.A. LIVE — Grammy Museum Mississippi will be dedicated to exploring the past, present and future of music, and the cultural context from which it emerges, while casting a focused spotlight on the deep musical roots of Mississippi. The Museum will feature a dynamic combination of public events, educational programming, engaging multimedia presentations, and interactive permanent and traveling exhibits, including a Mississippi-centric display that will introduce visitors to the impact of Mississippi's songwriters, producers and musicians on the traditional and modern music landscape.

As previously announced, the Mississippi Museum's debut special exhibit will be Ladies and Gentlemen…The Beatles! Curated by the Grammy Museum at L.A. LIVE and Fab Four Exhibits, Ladies and Gentlemen…The Beatles! provides fresh new insight into how and why The Beatles impacted America in the 1960s — and beyond.

"Music is much more than a form of entertainment for Mississippians — it's a part of our history and legacy," said Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant. "We're thrilled to have a museum dedicated to our part in shaping the nation's music history."

For more information on about GRAMMY Museum Mississippi, visit www.grammymuseumms.org. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @GRAMMYMuseumMS on Twitter and Instagram, and like "GRAMMY Museum Mississippi" on Facebook.