When you step into the MAX in downtown Meridian, you may have an urge to look up toward the sky. The high ceilings of the two-story rotunda help draw attention to huge, eye-catching portraits of many of Mississippi's greats in the arts, music, and other creative disciplines.

Elvis Presley hangs overhead, of course, and so do many others. At the present time, there are almost 40 luminaries, including Jimmy Buffett, Oprah Winfrey, William Faulkner, Tammy Wynette, Morgan Freeman, and Eudora Welty, in this Hall of Fame section of the impressive space that covers nearly 60,000 square feet. 

Including its parking area in the rear, the sprawling building seems to occupy almost an entire block of a city that's seeing a spirited resurgence. Like many places in Mississippi, it's fully embracing its artistic heritage. There are other high-profile museums nearby, and the adjacent Riley Center offers first-class concert experiences. Part of busy 8th Street is named for the late David Ruffin, a native son who was the lead singer of The Temptations.

In a fairly short time, Meridian's MAX, which is shorthand for the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience, has become a prominent downtown landmark. Since opening in 2018, it's served as the official showcase for the state's many top achievers in the areas of music, literature, and the visual and culinary arts, as well as movies and television. If someone is highly accomplished in any of these fields, you can bet he or she is either prominently featured at the MAX or will be in the future.

"Instead of being about one thing, it's about a few different things that are all connected," says Jeremy Sollie, the MAX's marketing manager. "We exist to recognize and celebrate Mississippians who have made an impact in culture. It can be from music, writing, acting, painting, or woodworking — all across the artistic and cultural spectrum. We also want to provide resources, inspiration, and training to the next generation of artists."

In addition to the permanent galleries, there are rotating exhibits that call attention to the works of other noteworthy individuals. For instance, through Jan. 3, visitors can experience the intriguing large metal sculptures, prints, and acrylic installations that are the works of imaginative artist Cecelia Moseley. (A native of Meridian, she is also operations manager of Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark in Birmingham.)

Farther inside the circular space that features the Hall of Famers, the MAX leads you through a virtual "community" that represents different facets of the state's varied cultural contributions. 

For instance, a quiet library space —  with a desk, chair, and typewriter as its centerpiece — has bookcases filled with many of the state's distinguished authors. It might be fun to thumb through the volumes on the shelves to see how many of them you have read or have in your own collection.

Nearby is a re-creation of a classic front porch. This reinforces the idea that the custom of storytelling, whether casual and informal or immortalized as the written word, could well be the secret to Mississippi's literary prowess.

Just across the road, so to speak, is a church sanctuary, adorned with wooden pews and a gorgeous stained-glass window. Religion is big in Mississippi, for sure, but this feature also calls attention to the many famed music makers who got their start with sanctified music before branching off into other styles.

Another stop on the tour is a mock-up of a juke joint, which, of course, puts a spotlight on the many blues legends that are native to Mississippi. This museum version of a down-home club has a stage full of instruments and empty barstools overlooking video presentations and artifacts from musical icons such as B.B. King and Bo Diddley.

In a space devoted to visual artists, you'll find pieces from famed potter Peter Anderson of Ocean Springs, sculptor Richmond Barthé of Bay St. Louis, and photographer Maude Schuyler Clay of Greenville.

While enlightening, the MAX is also a comfortable place to just hang out and spend some time. There are seating areas inside and out, whether at the tables and chairs in the lobby or outside in the garden atmosphere of the courtyard, or on the breezy rooftop terrace. In addition, the MAX is a popular venue for private events, from weddings to high school reunions to business training sessions.

"When we're at our best, you can go throughout the MAX and see different people exploring, learning, creating," says Sollie. "On our ground floor, we have 2-D and 3-D studios with things like pottery classes and stained-glass classes. Upstairs, we have interactive displays and kiosks where people can learn to do things like printmaking, pottery, and woodworking."

As spacious as it is, the MAX is by no means crowded or cluttered. This makes for an easy and relaxed self-guided tour experience. While pondering all the remarkable achievements from so many native Mississippians, you also can't help but think that the MAX has room to grow to accommodate many others who deserve to be heralded.

Who knows, a visit to the MAX may even motivate someone to set out on their own artistic path toward greatness. 

"The hope is always that someone will pass through these doors, maybe on a field trip or with their family, and will get inspired, and then one day be in the MAX, as well," says Sollie." Maybe they'll be the next legend that will be in our Hall of Fame or somewhere else in the space."

Meridian's MAX is at 2155 Front St., and is open Tuesday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $14 for adults ages 18-64 and $12 for students with ID, seniors 65 and older, and military personnel with ID. Admission is $8 for those ages 6-17 and free for educators and children 5 and under. Admission is free on the first Saturday of each month.