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We welcome you to experience this place of land and water. We invite you to discover our history and experience our innovation. We beckon you to share the passion we have for this place we call the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We are the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area
(MS Coast NHA).

The beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast is one of only 62 congressionally designated National Heritage Areas. A program of the National Park Service, National Heritage Areas are selected based on their cultural significance to the United States. The Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area — or MS Coast NHA for short — covers the six coastal counties in Mississippi. We identify, preserve and promote this unique culture so more people can understand and enjoy what the Mississippi Coast has to offer. We are your Mississippi Coast NHA.

HISTORIC

Ours is a place of history. The Spanish and French explored this land preceded by Native Americans who lived here for thousands of years. A drive here reveals stunning homes that have survived the ravages of disaster, downtowns whose history is being reinvented each day. Lighthouses here shine as beacons to our past and optimism about our future. Across our communities we revel in sharing our history in an array museums and historic sites.
Ours is a place of history. The Spanish and French explored this land preceded by Native Americans who lived here for thousands of years. A drive here reveals stunning homes that have survived the ravages of disaster, downtowns whose history is being reinvented each day. Lighthouses here shine as beacons to our past and optimism about our future. Across our communities we revel in sharing our history in an array museums and historic sites.

INNOVATIVE

We are a place of innovations. It is here that we build ships that defend our nation. It is here that the rockets that propelled our country into space were tested and proven. It is here that we bring the bounty of America to the western hemisphere through our ports. We are innovators in art. It is a place where creativity thrives. Our people create paintings, pottery, and sculpture that have come to be known worldwide.
We are a place of innovations. It is here that we build ships that defend our nation. It is here that the rockets that propelled our country into space were tested and proven. It is here that we bring the bounty of America to the western hemisphere through our ports. We are innovators in art. It is a place where creativity thrives. Our people create paintings, pottery, and sculpture that have come to be known worldwide.

NATURAL

Our land is defined by the water that connects us. We are beaches, bays, rivers, creeks, swamps, marshes, islands, and shores. We are home to the nation’s last remaining unimpeded river and 36 miles of sandy beaches. Our water provides us ecological riches unrivaled in other places. Our environment creates seafood known worldwide, freshwater that flows abundant from artesian wells, and unmatched habitats that sustain untold species of flora and fauna.
Our land is defined by the water that connects us. We are beaches, bays, rivers, creeks, swamps, marshes, islands, and shores. We are home to the nation’s last remaining unimpeded river and 36 miles of sandy beaches. Our water provides us ecological riches unrivaled in other places. Our environment creates seafood known worldwide, freshwater that flows abundant from artesian wells, and unmatched habitats that sustain untold species of flora and fauna.

FLAVORFUL

We are a people with a flavorful culture. We blend customs, ethnicities, and backgrounds to bring a warm pace of life that welcomes visitors and soothes the soul. We are a place where food unique to our region is shared in grand seafood houses, gourmet kitchens, backwoods barbeque joints, and tiny dives. Our zest for life is celebrated throughout the year with small festivals, large events, and coast wide celebrations.
We are a people with a flavorful culture. We blend customs, ethnicities, and backgrounds to bring a warm pace of life that welcomes visitors and soothes the soul. We are a place where food unique to our region is shared in grand seafood houses, gourmet kitchens, backwoods barbeque joints, and tiny dives. Our zest for life is celebrated throughout the year with small festivals, large events, and coast wide celebrations.

FEATURED MGCNHA EVENTS

EXPLORE UPCOMING MGCNHA EVENTS

HISTORIC

INNOVATIVE

NATURAL

FLAVORFUL