JANS – On June 22, the Museum Trail unveiled its newest public art installation featuring the largest mural in Mississippi. “A Journey Through Jackson” was designed and installed by local artist Gavin Bird. The mural spans 478 feet along the trail in Belhaven Heights Park. 

“The trail is practical, but we also want it to be beautiful,” said David Pharr, Jackson Heart Foundation Board Member. “By partnering with local artists for public art commissions, we can give the trail a personal, creative touch that will make the experience of traveling along it even more enjoyable. We’ve seen trails like this in other cities help by physically connecting the city, but we’ve also seen all of the opportunities they create for public art displays to help beautify the city at the same time. This beautiful, massive new mural is just another reason to visit the Museum Trail.” 

“‘A Journey Through Jackson’ captures the beauty, eclectic nature, and the power of our great city,” said Bird. “To have a canvas this large has given me the artistic freedom to tie in all the key subjects and landmarks that needed to be included to properly tell the story. The opportunity to paint this project on the Museum Trail has been an honor.” 

The new mural was led and supported by the Jackson Heart Foundation and Red Dot Storage. The Museum Trail is Jackson’s first multi-use trail system, located in the heart of the city. Organizers broke ground on Phase II of the trail earlier this month, and with its completion the Museum Trail will span from Belhaven to Downtown Jackson to the LeFleur Museum District with a goal of extending the trail to connect eight museums while enhancing the quality of life and making Jackson a pedestrian-friendly city. 

“Jackson Heart Foundation is committed to the Museum Trail as our leading project,” said Harper Stone, Jackson Heart Foundation Chairman. “We hope this trail will provide people in the community with a beautiful outlet for exercising and improving their cardiovascular health. We are grateful to have Gavin Bird, a talented local artist, add to the natural beauty surrounding the trail with his mural which truly captures our state capital, and what it is all about!”

The new mural, “A Journey Through Jackson,” can be accessed through Belhaven Heights Park. To learn more about the Museum Trail, visit https://www.themuseumtrail.com.