The Saenger Theatre for the Performing Arts in Biloxi is home to the Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra, Gulf Coast Opera Theatre, KNS Theatre, JAMO, local dance companies, and several community arts organizations.

Center Stage in Biloxi presents live theater productions for all ages year-round. Two active community theater groups — the Biloxi Little Theatre and Gulfport Little Theatre — also stage several shows annually. Lynn Meadows Discovery Center also has a strong performing arts program for children and young adults.

Art lovers will enjoy exploring the area’s many galleries and studios. One local favorite is the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art, which showcases the pottery of George Ohr, the famed "Mad Potter of Biloxi". In 2002 the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum became an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, giving South Mississippians access to that national treasure trove. Ground was broken last year on a new $20 million museum designed by internationally-acclaimed architect Frank Gehry; the new museum is scheduled to open in 2004.

Facilities like the Mardi Gras Museum and the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum, both located in Biloxi, offer a deeper appreciation of the coastal region’s rich history. In Gulfport, the Centennial Museum details the city’s growth over the last century, and the Seabee Museum depicts the history of the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps and the Seabees.

For the younger set, Gulfport hosts an interactive children’s museum, the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center. The center provides hours of hands-on learning experiences and is noted as one of the top 50 children's museums in the nation. Children and adults alike enjoy watching the dolphins and sea lions at Marine Life Oceanarium located in Gulfport. Impressive marine exhibits also are found at the J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium in Biloxi, which boasts 48 aquariums, including a 44,000-gallon Gulf of Mexico tank.

The Harrison County Library System maintains three libraries in Biloxi, two in Gulfport, one each in D’Iberville and Pass Christian, and study centers in Biloxi and Gulfport.

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