Dates & times
All times are local to the venue · America/Chicago
- 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
A Very Merry Night in Jackson: Santa Photos and North Pole Play
At Journey to the North Pole, children can sort pretend holiday mail, turn gears in a clock tower and build their own routes through train play. A Very Merry Night brings that exhibit into a separately ticketed family fundraiser at the Mississippi Children’s Museum on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026.
A village of small jobs to try
The museum draws on navigation, geography and holiday literature to shape Journey to the North Pole. In the Gertrude C. Ford Exhibition Hall, that idea takes the form of a winter village with train cars and a Polar Palace.
Several features give children a role in the setting. At the child-size post office they can sort letters and packages; a separate station lets them write to Santa and practice addressing a letter. They can turn the clock tower’s gears to change the time, or use toy trains and movable pieces at the village train table. The museum also describes train cars where students can create a holiday journey.
The play extends to the reindeer stables, where children can feed, pet and care for play-size reindeer. These are features of the seasonal exhibit; the fundraiser announcement promises hands-on holiday programming but does not publish a separate activity timetable for the evening.
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A literary setting within the play
The exhibit also includes a setting named for Eudora Welty: a living room and porch with a fireplace and books, where holiday readings are scheduled. That reading space adds a quieter, book-centered feature to a village otherwise organized around hands-on tasks.
Further reading: Journey to the North Pole • Mississippi Children's Museum facebook-square instagram-square twitter-square Scroll Up Icon ↗
The fundraiser and exhibit have different dates
The museum describes A Very Merry Night as an opening-night event for Journey to the North Pole. Its seasonal exhibit listing gives dates of Nov. 22 through Jan. 3, while the fundraiser takes place the evening before, Nov. 21. Guests need the fundraiser’s separate ticket; regular museum general-admission tickets are not valid for special events.
Further reading: A Very Merry Night • Mississippi Children's Museum facebook-square instagram-square twitter-square Scroll Up Icon ↗ · Journey to the North Pole • Mississippi Children's Museum facebook-square instagram-square twitter-square Scroll Up Icon ↗
Santa’s listed window ends before the fundraiser
The museum lists Santa’s Nov. 21 appearance from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; A Very Merry Night runs from 6 to 8 p.m. The listed windows overlap from 6 to 7:30, so Santa is not scheduled through the event’s closing time. The museum cautions that appearance times may change.
Saturday, November 21, 2026 · Mississippi Children's Museum
- A Very Merry Night: early access to photos with Santa, the Journey to the North Pole holiday exhibit, and hands-on holiday-themed programming.
Saturday, November 21, 2026 · Journey to the North Pole
- Santa appearance listed by the museum’s holiday exhibit page.
Details to check before you go
Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026
A Very Merry Night runs from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Mississippi Children’s Museum, 2145 Museum Boulevard, Jackson, MS 39202.
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A separate event ticket is required
The museum requires an A Very Merry Night ticket for entry; regular general-admission tickets are not valid. The event information does not state the ticket price.
Check the photo and arrival details
The event announcement promises early access to photos with Santa, but does not say whether a photo is included with the event ticket or costs extra. It also does not clarify whether ticket holders may enter before the event’s 6 p.m. start.
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Socks and a height check
Socks are required for the Puffin Pals Play Rink. The Snowflake Slide is 45 feet long and requires riders to be at least 36 inches tall; the museum lists a toddler slide for children below that height.
Getting to the Mississippi Children’s Museum
Address and driving directions
The event is at 2145 Museum Boulevard, Jackson, MS 39202. From I-55 North, the museum directs drivers to Exit 98-B for Lakeland Drive; at the first light on Lakeland Drive, turn right onto Museum Boulevard. The museum is about a quarter mile ahead on the left, next to the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science.
The museum’s visitor information does not list a transit route, event-specific parking arrangement or accessibility details. The map link can calculate directions from your starting point.
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Before you make a plan
Can I use a regular museum ticket for A Very Merry Night?
No. The museum requires a separate A Very Merry Night ticket; general-admission tickets are not valid for special events.
Will Santa be there until the fundraiser ends?
Santa is listed from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., while the event runs until 8 p.m. The museum says appearance times may change.
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Is a Santa photo included with the ticket?
The event announcement promises early access to photos with Santa but does not say whether a photo is included or costs extra.
What should children bring or know before using the exhibit?
Bring socks for the Puffin Pals Play Rink. The Snowflake Slide requires a minimum height of 36 inches; a toddler slide is listed for children below that height.
Are there age and accompaniment rules?
The exhibit is described as appropriate for pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, but no event age restriction is stated. Museum guidelines require children to be accompanied by an adult age 18 or older and adults to be accompanied by a child.
Location & Google Maps
Mississippi Children's Museum
2145 Museum Boulevard, Jackson, MS 39202
Map search by venue and address. Check the organiser’s entrance details before travelling.