Shrimp and oysters from the Biloxi Bay were a local delicacy until the 1870s when canning plants and rail cars filled with ice made it possible to ship fresh and canned seafood long distances. Biloxi became known as the “Seafood Capital of the World”, processing 5,988,788 pounds of oysters and 4,424,000 pounds of shrimp by 1902. The abundance of jobs drew Polish workers from Baltimore Maryland, Cajuns from Louisiana, and new immigrants from Hungary. Many settled alongside the local residents to make a unique cultural mix. The exhibits in museum cover the lives of these workers; seafood and fishing methods; and small boat building and racing.
The museum is accessible. The placement of some of the signs makes them hard to read from a seated position but, since the museum just opened in August, I expect that things will improve with time. It’s also located in a low lying area so it’s built on high piers. The elevator which accesses the entry level wasn’t working when we visited but we were able to use the freight elevator.
The area around the museum was hit hard by the storm surge from Katrina and parking is plentiful. Museum
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