Delta Blues Press Release

November 20, 2025

Delta Blues Museum to Unveil New "The River & The Road to the Blues" Collaboration

Clarksdale, Mississippi

Museum to open new exhibit, launches new educational programming on "The River and The Road to the Blues"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[Clarksdale, Mississippi - November 18, 2025] - In January 2026, Delta Blues Museum will unveil a new collaborative project, "The River and The Road to the Blues," made possible by an FY25 grant received from the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area (MDNHA) as well as a promotional support grant from Visit Mississippi.

Through a new traveling exhibit and interactive educational program online, "The River and The Road to the Blues" explores the impact the Mississippi River and Highway 61 had on Blues music. The project features a new interactive Explore and Learn program as well as a traveling exhibit created in partnership with Quapaw Canoe Company, Mississippi Wildlife Heritage Museum, Highway 61 Blues Museum, Yazoo Mississippi Delta Levee Board and the Mississippi River Parkway Commission (MRPC).

Premiering at Delta Blues Museum, the ten-panel exhibit will later move in June 2026 to the Mississippi Wildlife Heritage Museum in Leland. Both museums are recognized as official MRPC Interpretive Centers, and each museum will offer a special commemorative ticket allowing admission to both museums during the course of the exhibit.

The Museum will host an opening reception for the exhibit in January and will be free and open to the public. The online Explore and Learn feature is already live and accessible on the Museum's website, and lesson plans for educators are also available.

Expanding educational programming is a priority for Museum Director Shelley Ritter, who hopes the exhibit and interactive feature will be of interest to other interpretive centers and to educators. "Delta Blues Museum continues to explore Blues history in more immersive and interactive ways," Ritter said. "Funding partners like MDNHA and Visit Mississippi offer us a path to provide more educational resources online and create lifelong learning opportunities for Blues fans of all ages."

Additionally, allof Delta Blues Museum's online programming is free to the public--user donations are suggested and appreciated. Online access is available at: Explore and Learn

About the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area

MDNHA is a 501c3 nonprofit organization managed by The Delta Center for Culture and Learning at Delta State University and partnered with the National Park Service (NPS) to stimulate cultural and economic development in the Mississippi Delta region.

About Visit Mississippi

Visit Mississippi, a division of the Mississippi Development Authority, serves as the state's official destination marketing organization. As storytellers and cultural ambassadors, we champion Mississippi through strategic global marketing, innovative partnerships, and creative collaboration. Our mission is to elevate the state's thriving tourism economy and inspire visitors from around the world to discover the magic that is Mississippi. Learn more at visitmississippi.org.

About Delta Blues Museum

Established in 1979 by the Carnegie Public Library Board of Trustees and re-organized as a stand-alone museum in 1999, the Delta Blues Museum is Mississippi's first music museum. A 2013 recipient of the IMLS National Medal for Museum and Library Services--the nation's highest honor for museum and library service to the community--and a 2014 recipient of the National Arts & Humanities' Youth Program Award, the Delta Blues Museum is dedicated to creating a welcoming place where visitors find meaning, value and perspective by exploring the history and heritage of the unique American musical art form, the Blues. The Museum is also recognized as a Great River Road Interpretive Center. For more information on events or programs, please call (662) 627-6820, or visit the Museum web site at www.deltabluesmuseum.org.

Members of the press may register in the PRESS ROOM on the Museum's website to access further information, downloadable images and related materials.

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This newsletter is supported in part by funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, and, in part, from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

This site is made possible through support from the Mississippi Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Rock River Foundation.