Museum Trail
Museum Trail a 6-mile urban greenway in Jackson, Mississippi connecting communities to museums, parks, nature, public art, and business districts.
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The Museum Trail is a six-mile, multi-use greenway designed to connect cultural institutions, educational campuses, neighborhoods, and public spaces across Jackson. When complete, the trail will link nine museums, four colleges and universities, six new parks and public spaces, the Mississippi Farmers Market, more than 20 public art installations, and over 15 commercial districts and neighborhoods spanning Northeast Jackson, Downtown, and West Jackson. Developed in phases, the project includes eight implementation segments, with one phase completed and two additional phases currently under construction.
The project is led by the Jackson Heart Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing public health in Mississippi through education, prevention, and early detection of heart disease. The Museum Trail supports this mission by promoting active transportation, daily movement, and equitable access to public space.
TREE serves as a planning, design, and implementation partner for the Museum Trail. Our role includes developing the comprehensive trail master plan; designing and fabricating signage, interpretation, and wayfinding systems; supporting grant writing and fundraising for trail construction and public amenities; coordinating contractors for infrastructure and landscape improvements; and leading public engagement through charrettes and community meetings. TREE also supports the trail’s digital presence through web design, communications, and media strategy to promote existing segments and communicate future expansion.
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Year
2020 - Ongoing
Scale
6 Miles (Total)
2.8 Miles (Completed)
3.2 Miles (To Be Built)
Location
Jackson, Mississippi
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DOT Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Planning Grant | $788,000
Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Foundation Grant | $250,000
Community Foundation John F. and Lucy Shackelford Fund | $30,000
AARP Livable Communities Grant | 2024 - $20K
AARP Livable Communities Grant | 2022 - $20K
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APA Chapter President’s Award for Planning | Museum Trail | 2023
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Project Leaders
Jackson Heart Foundation
David Pharr, Museum Trail Founder & Board Member at Jackson Heart Foundation
Clay Hays, Founder of Museum Trail & Vice Chairman at Jackson Heart Foundation
Ray Neilsen, Sponsor & Project Manager of Museum Trail, Board Member at Jackson Heart Foundation
Morgan Geary, Executive Director at Jackson Heart Foundation
Melody Moody Thoris, Community Foundation for Mississippi
Susan Garrard, CEO of MCM, LeFleur Museum District Pedestrian Bridge and Path
Emilly Hoff, Executive Director of MCM, LeFleur Museum District Pedestrian Bridge and Path
Landscape Architect, Urban Planning
Travis Crabtree PLA
Engineering
Neel-Schaffer Engineering
Architecture
WBA Architecture - LeFleur Museum District Pedestrian Bridge and Path
Contractors
Hemphill Construction, Alliant Construction, SoHo Landscaping, Hederman Brothers
Media & Marketing, Brand Strategy, Community Outreach, Web Design & Development
Ansley Crabtree
Graphic Design
Tyler Tadlock, Original Logo
Photography
Ansley Crabtree, Travis Crabtree, April Garon Photography
In 2024, the Museum Trail received a U.S. Department of Transportation Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant to support the extension of the trail into Downtown Jackson.
TREE supported this effort by developing the Downtown connector concept, preparing planning and design materials, and contributing to grant writing and technical documentation in collaboration with project partners. This work builds on TREE’s ongoing role in advancing trail connectivity, public space design, and implementation strategies that support the long-term growth of Jackson’s active transportation network.
TREE supports the Museum Trail project through an integrated approach that spans design development, documentation, and long-term implementation. Our work includes developing the trail master plan, preparing construction drawings and technical documentation, coordinating with engineers and contractors, and designing landscape and public space improvements across multiple phases of the project.
In parallel, TREE leads the project’s visual identity, communications, and digital presence. This includes brand development, signage and way-finding design, web design and maintenance, grant writing and fundraising support, and ongoing media and storytelling efforts that help communicate progress, build public understanding, and support continued investment in the trail.
Together, these efforts ensure that the Museum Trail’s design intent, public-facing identity, and on-the-ground construction remain aligned as the project advances through planning, funding, and implementation.
In Spring 2025, TREE joined community partners to celebrate the ribbon cutting and planting ceremony for the Museum Trail Gateway Sign & Native Garden, a significant new landmark and beautification project. This initiative features native plantings and educational signage designed to raise awareness about pollinators and the importance of native plants in our ecosystem.
In 2023, Museum Trail was awarded the APA MS Chapter President’s Award “In recognition of continuous planning efforts in Mississippi”
APA MS Conference 2023 (Left to Right): Travis Crabtree, Urban Designer & Landscape Architect, David Pharr, Trail Co-Founder, Ray Neilsen, Project Leader, Clay Hays, Trail Co-Founder, and Ben Requet, Director of Planning - City of Oxford
