About Catfish Row Museum
The Building
Built in 1911 for manufacturing wagons and carriages, the historic home of the under-development Catfish Row Museum was once a car dealership and 7-Up bottling plant. The building was operated as the Monte Carlo Club, a venue for nationally acclaimed blues and R&B acts, throughout the 1970s and 1980s. The building was purchased in 2011 by Shape Up Mississippi, a nonprofit organization. The building will feature the museum and exhibit galleries, spaces for special events, a restaurant and live music venue, a retail shop and an observation terrace.
The Experience
Visitors will learn about:
• The relationship between the river and the people who settled here
• How Vicksburg was established as an urban center built within a slave and cotton plantation society
• How the African American experience has influenced the cultural heritage of Vicksburg and the Mississippi Delta
• How the ethnic diversity of Vicksburg settlers continues to develop and support a rich and complex culture — music, art, literature and foodways
The Audience
• Locals — The exhibit experience and live programming will transform the former Monte Carlo into a unique gathering place for Vicksburg residents.
• Blues Tourists — The museum will give the back story of the blues and provide a unique venue for live music.
• Cultural Heritage Tourists — The engaging, visual, tactile and media-rich exhibit experience will serve as a roadmap to encourage further exploration at other cultural heritage sites.
• Military History Tourists — Museum progamming will extend the Vicksburg National Military Park experience.