George Ohr was known as the Mad Potter of Biloxi. The pottery that he made had very thin walls, unusual glazes, and twisted and pinched designs. He also made fun pieces like puzzle mugs and clay coins.
The museum buildings were designed by Frank O. Gehry but just as construction was beginning , Hurricane Katrina came through and destroyed most of it. Several buildings are opened now with a small collection of Ohr’s work plus temporary exhibits of other artists.
The art museum buildings are accessible but the doors are very heavy making it almost impossible to open them from a wheelchair. Most people will need help. The labels, numbers that correspond to a printed brochure, are not visible on the pottery that has been placed on the higher shelves. An outside observation deck, accessed by an elevator, has brick walls which are too high to see over.
Admission to the art museum includes admission to the Pleasant Reed House. Pleasant Reed was an born a slave in Mississippi. Shortly after the Civil War ended he moved to Biloxi where he built his house and raised his family. The house was donated to the museum but it was also a casualty of Katrina. The current house, a reproduction, is an interpretive center with a short movie and exhibits about the family and early Biloxi. The house is completely accessible.
The parking lot for the museum is very small but RVs can park on the adjacent streets or in the parking area for the museum offices. Ohr Museum
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