Oscar Wilde wrote in The Picture of Dorian Gray: “Behind every exquisite thing that existed, there was something tragic.”
On the morning of August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina made landfall along the Mississippi coast and began a two-day path of destruction with a 28-foot storm surge and 55-foot sea waves. More than 90% of the Gulf Coast of Mississippi suffered near total devastation with flood waters reaching 12 miles inland from the beach. While damage to property has been estimated to be in excess of $125 billion, the emotional effects of Hurricane Katrina continue to this day and cannot be calculated.
If any one word could be used to describe the spirit of the people in this area in the wake of tragedy it would be resilience.
For centuries the Mississippi Gulf Coast has been at a crossroads of The Old and New South. With the near total devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, not only were lives and legacies swept away but also long-standing gambling casinos and dilapidated structures. More than 90% of the structures within a half-mile of the coastline were completely destroyed.
An abundance of vacant lots stretches for miles east along Highway 90 from Gulfport giving evidence of the powerful surge. At Dolan Avenue, sunlight streams through spindly branches of massive oak trees stalwart against tragedies of centuries past. Shadows fall upon scattered trailers or pathways that lead to the outline of a foundation which at one time defined a family home or business.
Three blocks from the beach along Dolan Avenue gold stars are painted on the street, reminiscent of what good boys and girls received in grade school. Set back from the street is former grounds of the Mississippi City Elementary School, built in 1915.
Inspiration for the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center
In 1984 while a student at Ole Miss, Lynn Meadows was killed in an automobile accident. Creating beauty from tragedy, Lynn Meadow’s parents, Carole Lynn and Joe Meadows, opened the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center in her name and in her honor in 1988. In an area devoid of stimulating activity for children outside of chasing seagulls along a sandy beach, the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center stands out as an example of beauty, resilience and a future filled with hope and opportunity. In fact, the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center is the only children’s museum in Mississippi.
Less than three blocks from the coast, the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center was one of the few structures that remained in the area. Standing defiantly among hallowed oak trees, the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center has been completely renovated after Hurricane Katrina and welcomes visitors to see the hope and promise that the human spirit can resurrect from tragedy.
The museum is unique as it “breaks the rules of traditional museums by encouraging visitors to touch, talk, play and learn. Exhibits at the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center are catalysts for questions, exploration and discovery; thus the entire experience is a playground for the mind.”
Attractions at the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center
You could easily spend an entire, invaluable day at the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center as the exhibits challenge every corner or imagination and educational discipline. Features of the local community and environment are put in practical terms for young children to understand as they learn to operate a crane or drag the gulf for shrimp or load bananas onto 18-wheelers to be brought to market.
At the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, children are encouraged to appreciate diversity and those with disabilities in the “What It’s Like to be Me” exhibit. The wonders of science are on display as children can touch a tornado or learn how a pulley works. They can sit a spell in the Pelican Porch and Bayou Bait Shop where they can feast on food prepared by young chefs.
They can operate a locomotive or run a grocery store or even be in the front of the camera as a news reporter or in the back as a broadcaster. There are performances to watch at the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, or you may choose to be a participant! Children can experience what it would be like to check into an historic Mississippi City Hotel of the late 19th century.
Not only does the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center challenge emotional and intellectual boundaries, but also physical boundaries as there is ample outdoor space spread out over 6 acres to run and play and climb, where children can inhabit a kid-sized log cabin or explore a tree-house village. You don’t need a fortune-teller to predict you’ll be visiting Lowe’s shortly after you return home. Who wouldn’t want to have this in their own back-yard?
The Lynn Meadows Discovery Center—A True Educational Experience
Though Lynn Meadows dreamed of being a teacher, her dream has become reality prompting young, inquisitive minds at the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center.
There is certainly a lesson for parents to learn during their visit to the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center. Grief could have overtaken Carole Lynn and Joe Meadows, but their resilience is testimony to the potential to create beauty out of tragedy.
A visit to the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center is a rewarding, educational experience for everyone in the family. Plan your visit today: The Lynn Meadows Discovery Center.
Brian Berenty - Not all who wander are lost.
