INDIANOLA — Members of the public can now visit the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center’s new exhibits and the newly enhanced pavilion that encloses the site where King is buried.
The 4,500 square foot addition and new exhibits at the museum, which first opened in 2008, showcase the final years of King’s life. Items acquired after King’s death in 2015 that are part of the addition include two of his personal automobiles, a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow and a custom painted Chevy El Camino. The largest item inside the new space is King’s tour bus, which was filled with the latest music technology and served as his home on the road.
Other artifacts include King’s most cherished guitar, a Les Paul given to him by Paul himself, as well as the last two Gibson Lucille guitars signed by King, which were carried on a riderless black horse in his funeral procession. There is also a life-sized bronze statue of King holding his guitar near the burial site.
“This addition has been in the works for several years now, and everyone associated with the project is thrilled that it is finally time to welcome B.B. King fans from all over the world to see the new pieces,” said Bill McPherson, museum board president. “It gives people who have formerly visited a good reason to come back, and for those who have never been, I believe they will have the same response we hear over and over and read in the guest book — that this is an extraordinary place that does justice in honoring a special man.”
Below is a gallery of photos from the museum. Performers from around the country are helping unveil the updated museum to the public on Saturday.
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Bronze sculpture of blues legend B. B. King at his interment site outside the B. B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. The sculpture was created artist Toby Mendez. -
The B. B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in Indianola. 4800-square-feet has been added to the facility, documenting the last decade of King’s life. -
To complete the story of blues legend B. B. King, a 4800-square-foot expansion documenting the last decade of his life was built at B. B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center, connecting current exhibit space with the AT&T Learning Center. -
The final resting place of blues legend B. B. King. The memorial garden is the last stop after touring the B. B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. -
The final resting place of blues legend B. B. King. The neewly designed interment pavillion is the last stop after touring the B. B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in Indianola. -
Visitors can enjoy one of the many videos playing throughout the facility. -
A visitor strolls through the “In the Studio” section of the newly completed 4800-square-feet of exhibit space added to the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. -
Album covers grace the wall of the “In the Studio” section of the newly completed 4800-square-feet of exhibit space added to the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. -
Visitor watch a video in the “IOn the Road” section of the newly completed 4800-square-feet of exhibit space added to the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. -
A section of the newly completed 4800-square-feet of exhibit space added to the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. -
A section of the newly completed 4800-square-feet of exhibit space added to the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. -
B B.King’s Rolls Royce Shadow on display in the newly completed 4800-square-feet of exhibit space added to the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. -
B B.King’s Rolls Royce Shadow on display in the newly completed 4800-square-feet of exhibit space added to the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. -
B B.King’s Rolls Royce Shadow on display in the newly completed 4800-square-feet of exhibit space added to the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. -
Visitors watch a video inside the theater newly completed 4800-square-feet of exhibit space added to the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. -
A legend in his own right, bluesman Bobby Rush tours the new expansion exhibit at the B. B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. Kng’s tour bus is visible in the background. -
B. B. Kng’s tour bus and El Camino on display in the new expansion exhibit at the B. B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. -
A visitor tours the newly completed 4800-square-feet of exhibit space added to the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. -
B. B. Kng’s El Camino on display in the new expansion exhibit at the B. B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. -
One of B.B. King’s renowned “Lucille” guitars. -
The day B. B. King came home for the last time. -
“I am trying to get people to see that we are our brother’s keeper. Red, white, black, brown, or yellow, rich or poor, we all have the blues,” reads the B.B. King quote on a floor-to-ceiling mural of King near his tour bus inside the Indianola museum that honors him. -
Scenes from B. B. King’s going away celebration. -
B. B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center Director Malika Polk-Lee (center) chats with visitors. -
B. B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center Executive Director Malika Polk-Lee, inside the AT&T Learning Center that connects with the new expansion of the King museum. -
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram is amused as Bobby Rush sings, and plays an impromptu tune on a harmonica, during an international question and anwer session at the B. B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center.
The post Photos: B.B. King Museum unveils expansion, new exhibits appeared first on Mississippi Today.
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