Mississippi Museum Displayed Historic Dummy Mummy
The Two Mississippi Museums in Jackson has placed a rare papier-mâché artifact on public display through October.
Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Puppetry
The Two Mississippi Museums is currently exhibiting the Dummy Mummy, an artifact acquired by state historians in 1923. Visitors in Jackson can view the object in its original cloth-lined wooden coffin until the end of the month.
Why it matters
The exhibit provides a rare look at a peculiar historical curiosity that has spent much of the last century in climate-controlled storage. It showcases the state's efforts to preserve and catalog items from its unique collection.
The artifact was acquired by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History in 1923 and remained on view at the State Capitol until 1961. A 1969 medical examination confirmed the figure is crafted from papier-mâché and antique newspapers.
The players
Mississippi Department of Archives and History
This state agency is responsible for collecting, preserving, and providing access to the archival resources and historical artifacts of Mississippi.
James Sessions Butler
He was the original individual who provided the artifact to state historians in 1923.
Gentry Yeatman
He was a medical student who performed the definitive 1969 X-ray examination that revealed the internal composition of the artifact.
The details
The exhibit features the artifact preserved within its original cloth-lined black wooden coffin. It offers an opportunity for the public to inspect the construction that was originally mistaken for a human remain before scientific analysis.
Timeline
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History acquired the artifact in 1923.
The artifact was moved to storage in 1961.
A medical student X-rayed the artifact in 1969.
The mummy is on public display throughout October 2026.
The artifact returns to storage on November 1, 2026.
Industry Dynamics
This temporary exhibition follows the archival protocols established during the 1961 storage of the Dummy Mummy. It highlights the museum's role in shifting institutional assets from private collections back into the public cultural sphere.
Local residents have until the end of October to view the artifact within the museum halls in Jackson. After this date, the item will be unavailable for public viewing as it transitions back to climate-controlled storage.
The takeaway
This exhibit demonstrates how historical artifacts can be recontextualized for modern education through scientific verification. Visitors can observe how initial assumptions about historical objects often require re-evaluation as technology evolves.
What happens next
The artifact is scheduled to be removed from public view and returned to its designated storage facility on November 1, 2026.
Further reading
Explore the history of non-human figures in regional displays in our Puppetry section.
