[04/29/03]About 175 detailed models and a 250-square-foot diorama of the siege of Vicksburg have been moved into their new home in Vicksburg’s newest museum.

The Vicksburg Battlefield Museum on North Frontage Road at the Battlefield Inn replaces the Gray and Blue Naval Museum that operated for several years on Washington Street.

Lamar Roberts, director of the privately owned museum that features models of boats from the Civil War era through War World II, said he expects the new location will be better for businesses.

“We’re going to have a lot more visibility out here near the interstate,” Roberts said.

The new museum is shaped like a Civil War gunboat and is nearly complete. Workers are feverishly installing displays for the models. Roberts said the grand opening is planned for May 25, the Sunday before Memorial Day, and he plans to open for previously scheduled tours in the next two weeks.

The new museum, at about 4,000 square feet, is also twice as large as the former museum downtown. It will be consolidated with The Vanishing Glory, a 30-minute film dramatization of the Civil War campaign and Siege of Vicksburg and will feature prints of the historical murals being painted on the floodwall at City Front.

The Vanishing Glory was also formerly in downtown Vicksburg and was shown in the former Strand Theatre. Rights to the movie were purchased by Warner Byrum, who owns the Battlefield Inn, adjacent to the new museum.

Although some people had raised questions about the museum and film moving from downtown, Roberts said he believes it can help the city.

“I think we’ll be a better ambassador for Vicksburg out here because we can tell people about Vicksburg and send them on in,” Roberts said.

The new museum will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., which Roberts said should help draw tourists who spend all day touring the national park.

The federal park, created in 1899, preserves much of the battle lines from the 1863 siege when the forces of Gen. U.S. Grant squared off with Gen. John Pemberton. The city surrendered on July 4, setting the stage for reunification of the United States.

The park attracts nearly 1 million visitors per year and, in addition to monuments and memorials along its roadways, has a museum and visitor center at the entrance and the Union Gunboat Cairo display and museum near the Vicksburg National Military Cemetery.

The Vicksburg and Warren County Historical Society operates a museum inside the Old Court House on Cherry Street, and the Vicksburg Foundation for Historic Preservation operates the Biedenharn Candy Company Museum. The latter, on Washington, is the site where Coca-Cola was first bottled and sold by Joseph Biedenharn.

Additional privately operated museums are the Great Animal Adventures Children’s Museum and Yesterday’s Children Antique Doll and Toy Museum.

There are no museums operated by local or state governments here, but a city-federal venture is under way to create a river-rail center near City Front to include the towboat MV Mississippi and tell the civil works story of the Army Corps of Engineers.