Exhibits

Based on Eudora Welty's memoir, One Writer's Beginnings, this exhibit follows Welty's path to becoming a Pulitzer Prize-winning author through her own words and artifacts from her life. Glimpse her literary awards and treasured belongings, like her favorite childhood storybook, her father's telescope, and the typewriter she took to Europe. For an interactive experience, guests are invited to type on some of the same kinds of typewriters Welty used.

This exhibit highlights how Evers’ assassination and its aftermath furthered the Civil Rights Movement and inspired Eudora Welty to write her fictional short story, “Where Is the Voice Coming From?,” published in The New Yorker just 25 days after the shooting. Though small in scale, this exhibit illustrates the power of writing and storytelling as a form of activism and inspires viewers to learn more about the life and legacy of Medgar Evers.

Step back in time and explore the garden that inspired so many of Eudora Welty’s literary works. The Welty garden has been carefully restored to the 1925-1945 period when Welty and her mother, Chestina, tended the garden together. Garden exhibit signage features interviews, family photographs, Chestina’s garden journals, and Welty’s correspondence to showcase the hard work, dedication, and passion that made this beautiful haven a home. Explore the Welty garden at your own pace or listen to the Welty Garden Audio Tour for a more guided experience.