Things to Do in Oxford

Author William Faulkner, satirist Stark Young, and art collector Mary Skipwith Buie share something in common—they've all lent their legacies to The University of Mississippi Museum. Originally opened in 1939, the complex encompasses the one-time home of Faulkner, Rowan Oak; registered Mississippi landmark Walton-Young Historic House, which housed famed satirist Stark; and a historic art museum built around Buie’s private collection. Today, the museum uses its three sites to preserve and showcase the artistic past and cultural heritage of the American South through exhibits, demonstrations, and education. Guides lead scheduled tours though the historic homes and the museum exhibitions to avoid waking napping sculptures.

Rotating exhibits center on genres such as Southern folk art by self-taught painters, ancient Chinese ceramics art, and mixed-media works by modern artists. The four permanent collections provide a home for lasting assemblages of 19th-century scientific instruments; Greek and Roman works of art; pieces by American modernists such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Arthur Dove, and John Marin; and a range of Civil War relics, antique costumes, and letters penned by George Washington and John Adams. As part of the museum's focus on education, instructors lead adult studio workshops on topics such as outdoor nature photography, woodcut printmaking, and watercolors. They also let younger artists explore exhibits, use studio space, and question German expressionism's use of forced perspective in ArtZone and summer camp programs.

For each seating option, choose between the following performances:

Inspired by cosmologist Carl Sagan's historic discovery that everything looks totally awesome under strobing blacklights and smoke machines, cosmic bowling turns an ordinary bowling ball into a glittering planet hurtling through a vast and unknowable universe before exploding into a supernova of scattered neon pins. Your Groupon lets you choose one of FunQuest’s two late-night cosmic options, depending on which night you roll. On Friday nights after 10 p.m., you and a partner get two hours of bowling, a large pizza, and two pitchers of soda for dipping—because hungry bowlers leave happy pins, and when pins are happy, an angel slaps a kitten. On Saturday nights after 9 p.m., you and your friend get three hours to bowl, a large pizza, and one pitcher of soda. Shoe rental is included on both days.

Mid-South Ice House sparks heated competition amid icy environs by hosting hockey, curling, and broomball teams. The center also caters to figure skaters with regular freestyle sessions. In addition to athletic endeavors, it supports family-friendly revelry with regular open skates, lessons for ages 2 to adult, and a private party room. Cosmic Skate sessions every Saturday night capture the dazzle of the northern lights, sending a multihued glow over glinting ice.

The Memphis Symphony Orchestra has been breaking strings and the hearts of screaming fans since its inception in 1952. This year, the orchestra will once again resonate throughout the elegantly crafted Cannon Center, sending seasonal shivers down the tickled spines of all audience members. The Home for the Holidays performance includes vocal joys from soprano Ashley Brown, best known for her portrayal of Mary Poppins on Broadway, in addition to a medley of carol-worthy classics performed by the Memphis Symphony Chorus and the University of Memphis Concert Singers. The evening's combination of power and cheer will cause many to be moved to tears, which will likely form puddles in the theater, making exiting nearly impossible without an inflatable raft.

The interactive exhibits and programs compiled by the Pink Palace Family of Museums reinforce a mission that has stayed constant for 80 years: to "inspire people to learn how history, science, technology, and nature shape the Mid-South." Attached to Clarence Saunders' mansion built in the 1920s, the museum's permanent exhibits take an eclectic approach to chronicling the past, revealing everything from ancient fossils to contemporary southern history. Inside, visitors can chart the history of Memphis from the early Spanish explorers through the Civil War or walk through a replica of Saunders' original Piggly Wiggly—the country’s first self-service grocery store, and even see a shrunken head. Global adventures are chronicled on a four-story screen at the CTI-IMAX theater, and the Sharpe Planetarium explores the cosmos from the comfort of a 130-seat theater.

Traveling to east Memphis, one can discern the natural side of the Pink Palace Family of Museums. Lichterman Nature Center encompasses 65 acres of lush gardens filled with native wildflowers, trees, and wildlife. The center combines self-guided nature walks with plant sales and educational activities to expose visitors to the natural world.