the old depot museum

r1manchester

the main attraction is a large diorama of the siege of Vicksburg complete with toy soldiers (some of which are shown as casualties). there is a 25 min. video about Vicks., but it is in the same room as the diorama and other exhibits and people wander around and talk as you are trying to listen.mostly, there is a large collection of model ships from the civil war era. also a gift shop.admission $5.00 is quite a bit for what you get. happy trails

Amador

This museum, in the 1907 railroad terminal building, is filled with ship models, tracing the history of river watercraft and some saltwater vessels. Best of all is a large and complete model of the siege of Vicksburg, which helps to understand the 47 day ordeal.

annie6409

wow what a surprise the depot has awesome architecture and history. was pleasantly surprised to find train layouts. artifacts ect. must see to appreciate.

john8485

Located in the old depot, this museum has operating train layouts in three scales and lots of railroad history but the best part is the model ships. Every type of civil war ironclad is represented, something I have never seen before. Great friendly volunteer staff are eager to answer all your questions. Very user friendly.

Redrosebud2014

Fabulous displays of Ships motels the Civil War lay out of the battle of Vicksburg, and more. Excellent movie of the battle. a must see on your tour. Elevator access to the second floor.

1BamaBacker

The Old Depot Museum doesn't just highlight railroading. It is a museum for the history of transportation. It has been important for the nation and was important for the Civil War battle fought in Vicksburg. Kids will love the model trains and battlefield diorama. everyone will love the old car miniatures and the railroad artifacts. And of course there has to be a section on riverboats and the military craft used on the river. It is a fun visit for everyone. Everyone in our party from 10 to 66 enjoyed it.

sleepymama23

There is a neat diorama and video about the Vicksburg Battle. A lot of soldiers died there. Unless you are interested in the battle and different types of boats, you might want to skip this museum.

librarian73

We were very pleased that we toured this place before we went to the battlefield. There is much to see hear about the Civil War in the area. Kids would enjoy all the model ships. The film is short and very informative. Glad we took the time.

Fannie24

It was suggested we see the display here before touring the battlefield, and we were glad we had. The huge diorama gave a realistic vision of the scope of the battle, and the video, while overly long and a bit difficult to understand in parts, was worthwhile ( for the most part!).In addition to the civil war section, there are lots of railroad and ship models, displays, and other memorabilia. We appreciated the help from the two friendly seniors who were working that day.

llh007

This museum has an extensive collection of model Confederate and Union vessels to include paddle-wheeler steamers, gun boats, cruisers, tow boats, iron clads, cotton clads, hospital ships, blockades, blockade runner monitors & sea raiders. It also has over 50 US Navy & Coast Guard model ships that have carried Mississippi names. The collection features the history of war and transportation in Vicksburg. The diarama of the Vicksburg battleground is done with an acute attention to details and shows the 47 day-siege with clarity. There is also a collection of 120 models depicting the history of the automobile. The 30-minute film of the Vicksburg story titled "The Vanishing Glory" is interesting but the pictures are small and do not fill up the screen, but it is sufficient to make you understand the inhumanity of war. The most interesting are the huge layouts of electric trains with complete towns to include a variety of buildings. The details are fascinating!

globeseeker007

This museum is located in a colorful old building which is over a century old. There are two railroad cars on the tracks adjacent to it. One can climb up on these cars and look inside. The museum is filled with ship models and electric trains which are set up and in running condition. The docent in the museum gave us a guided tour of the first floor and ran the trains for us. There is a diorama of the Battle of Vicksburg which shows where the Union and Condederate lines were located. A film is also available to view. There is another floor to this museum. This is a fascinating museum and is filled with history. One can spend several hours here.

barbara270

The Old Depot Museum is very interesting. They have a diorama of the battlefield which is very well done and interesting. If you've never heard the part Chester the camel played in the Civil War, check out the diorama and you'll find out. The museum has a lot of beautifully done models of ships and boats that were on the river during different time periods. I was amazed at the model ships, they were first rate. They also have some miniature cars. There's also some Civil War items. They show a 30 minute movie. While an older movie, with the same contents of the movie shown at the Battlefield Visitor Center, it's worth taking the time to see. The museum displays cover two floors. The admission was very reasonable and I would suggest a visit.

GaryW965

We expected to learn more about the railroad history of this area. Instead, we were treated to several electric train setups, a few railroad items, but mostly Civil War history much of which we had already seen at the Vicksburg National Military Park. There was a fairly well done video presentation about the battle of Vicksburg; but the viewing area is less than one would expect. For the $5 entrance fee we probably got our money's worth, but it certainly was not what we had hoped for.

XWagonmaster

Visiting from NC with the family. We had just left the battlefield an were seeing down town. Lots of trains in 3 different scales. About 100+ quality ship models on two floors. The battlefield diorama gave a better perspective of the Battle of Vicksburg, also showing photos of the current battlefield. The $5 cost is worth every penny...... A MUST SEE.................................................

220sarahk

Well maintained displays of model trains, cars, etc. There is a miniature battlefield with a short video about the siege. Very friendly staff.