Mardi gras, the day before Ash Wednesday, bears with it a history of celebrations in New Orleans which date back to 1711. It is no wonder that the origins of Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day in America are often traced back to Mobile in New Orleans. However, it is a much lesser known fact that Mardi gras has been celebrated by the residents of the gulf Coast, long before New Orleans had even developed their tradition.
And it is this history of Mardi gras in Biloxi that the Biloxi Mardi Gras Museum commemorates. Housed in the historic Magnolia Hotel, the museum was established in 1847. Spread over an expanse of five rooms, the museum houses an eclectic collection of Mardi gras costumes and exhibits. The Classic Revival structure of the museum has been restored to recreate the antebellum tone of the era. Here, you can trace the history of Mardi gras, by means of the colorful exhibits which include photographs and other memorabilia, right back to 1699, when the French arrived in this region. The Magnolia Museum itself is a significant landmark of the pre-Civil War tourist trade that Biloxi witnessed in the days before the Civil War. At the Biloxi Mardi Gras Museum, you will also find the story behind the Magnolia Hotel as it recounts the tales of its former glory. You can also take a look at the elaborate regalia that the citizens of this region adorned themselves with, and the progression in these costumes, which bear testament to the changing faces of this festival in Biloxi.
The Museum also organizes an array of parades and carnivals complete with bedecked floats. The annual Mardi gras Walking Parade invites children under the age of 12 to participate in this unique non-motorized parade. Here, children can create their own costumes, decorate their bikes or wagons and even skateboard down Howard Avenue. This parade is held in February every year and begins at Howard Avenue before progressing to the Vieux Marche and Lamuese Street after which it disbands at the Town Green. Here, participants are offered refreshments and a costume contest is organized.
The museum also houses pictures of all the past parades that have been conducted at Biloxi, and information about any future parades that you can participate in while you're in town. The museum is open from 11 am to 4 pm, Monday through Saturday. For further information, you can call 1-228-435-6245 or simply visit them at 119 Rue Magnolia in Biloxi.
