If you have thought about visiting the state’s new Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and Museum of Mississippi History, then the next few days are the perfect time.

In honor of the National Day of Racial Healing and Martin Luther King Jr. Day, you can visit the two museums today through Tuesday for free. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation is footing the bill.

“The museums tell powerful stories about our state’s past and how the racial hierarchies in Mississippi in particular have impacted everything from our education system to our economy,” said Rhea Williams-Bishop, director of Mississippi programming for the Kellogg Foundation. “The National Day of Racial Healing helps us come together and develop a shared understanding of our history, as an important step in healing and moving us toward a stronger future for our children.”

“The Kellogg Foundation’s gift of free admission to the two Mississippi museums is a most appropriate and meaningful way to honor Dr. Martin Luther King and to celebrate his extraordinary legacy,” said Katie Blount, director of Mississippi Department of Archives and History. “We look forward to welcoming thousands of people to the two Mississippi museums over the Martin Luther King holiday weekend, and we are so grateful to the Kellogg Foundation for their continued generosity and support.”

The museum hours are: Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday: 1 p.m to 5 p.m. Monday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The two museums give Mississippi much to be proud of. Visitors from across the nation, and around the world, will be impressed when they step inside. It’s a one-of-a-kind facility that seeks to tell the story of the state’s complicated past. It would be a shame if all of that story-telling was heard by non-Mississippians. Those of us who call the Magnolia State home could learn quite a bit from visiting the museums. We are hoping some will use the free passes to do just that.