The B.B. King Museum website reflects the museum’s mantra: “Inspire Hope, Creativity, and Greatness.” The organization has something that few cultural institutions around the state have and that is their team of youth ambassadors thereby encouraging an entirely new generation of blues aficionados. It is not often that a museum named after a famous musician can attest to having had the namesake grace their corridors. This is also where B.B. King has been laid to rest. Plans are also in place to develop a memorial garden in his honor.
The museum exhibits are based on five themes: (1) the land and place, (2) blues history, the music’s relationship to the African American history, (3) character of the music to the people, (4) interracial diversity, (5) and how these things impacted the music of B.B. King. The museum exhibitions are a testament to America’s music. The museum lends perspective to the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi and in the south. Each curated area within the exhibition space has its own focus, from the Delta-1930s, Memphis-1950s, Artist to Icon-1960s.