The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks’ (MDWFP) Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (MMNS) was selected as a 2025 Torchbearer Award recipient. This award honors the Museum’s outstanding commitment to inclusion and accessibility. MMNS has reflected this commitment in initiatives like the annual Born to Be WILD picnic, along with continued efforts to make exhibits and facilities welcoming and accessible for visitors of all abilities.
The MMNS was recently recognized at the Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities Annual Torchbearers Celebration. The Coalition, founded in 1989, is a nonprofit state-wide cross-disability organization comprised of people with disabilities, family members, professionals and advocates. The Coalition works collaboratively to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life for Mississippians with disabilities and to empower them to reach their full potential in all aspects of their lives. The Coalition’s mantra is, “Opening Doors Together.”
MMNS’s Born to Be WILD picnic is an annual event held in partnership with the Mississippi Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities that provides a welcoming, accessible environment for families of all abilities to enjoy the Museum’s outdoor spaces and programming.
In addition to events like Born to Be WILD, MMNS continues to expand accessibility throughout its exhibits and facilities. Visitors with accessibility needs can enjoy 73 inclusive structures at the LeFleur’s Bluff Playground, closed captioning on all permanent exhibit videos, and a hands-on tactile tour designed to enhance the immersive museum experience. The tactile tour features skulls, furs, fossils, insect replicas, mussel shells, and more, guided by a museum educator who explains each item in detail.
Museum educators are also developing sensory bags designed to support visitors of all ages who benefit from sensory regulation while exploring the exhibits. Each bag includes a curated selection of tools that may include noise-reducing headphones, fidget objects, visual cue cards, sunglasses, and other calming resources. Sensory bags will be available to borrow at no additional cost to visitors.
MMNS is currently working to earn a Sensory Inclusive Certification through KultureCity. Through this certification process, museum staff receive training to recognize and respond to sensory needs, provide appropriate sensory-regulation tools, and create quiet, calming spaces when needed. The training also increases staff understanding of sensory processing differences, autism, PTSD, dementia, and other disabilities, further strengthening the Museum’s ability to serve all visitors.
The Museum is also proud to partner with The Mustard Seed, Mississippi School for the Deaf, and Mississippi School for the Blind to provide inclusive programming and volunteer opportunities for individuals with differing needs.
“Through these continued efforts, the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science remains committed to creating an environment where learning, exploration, and enjoyment are accessible to everyone,” said Museum Director, Angel Rohnke.
