Baton Rouge, LA

Old Governor's Mansion
DESCRIPTION: Built by Huey Long in 1930 to be “Louisiana's White House”, the Old Governor's Mansion is now headquarters of the Foundation for Historical Louisiana; reopened to the public in 1999 after restoration and features furnishings and artifacts from nine Louisiana governors, a grand ballroom, French wallpaper, crystal chandeliers, and a marble staircase

ADMISSION: Adults $7, Age 62+ $6, Students (K-12) $5, Children under 5 Free

DAYS & HOURS: tours Tue-Fri 10a-4p

ADDRESS: 502 North Boulevard  MAP

PHONE: 225-387-2464

WEBSITE: http://www.oldgovernorsmansion.org

Old State Capitol
DESCRIPTION: Gothic architectural treasure was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1975; the 150-year-old statehouse with a grand stairway has withstood war, fire, scandal, bitter debate, abandonment and many a "colorful" Louisiana political event; today you can experience a multimedia presentation, interactive exhibits, political research library, political memorabilia, film and videotapes of the state’s colorful leaders

ADMISSION: Free

DAYS & HOURS: Mon-Sat 9a-4:30p, Sun Noon-4:30p

ADDRESS: 100 North Boulevard  MAP

PHONE: 225-342-0500

WEBSITE: http://www.sec.state.la.us/osc

LSU Shaw Center for the Arts
DESCRIPTION: Towering high on a bluff above the Mississippi River, lies a realization of how visual and performing arts stimulate both culture and economic growth in a city; inside the glass skin of the 125,000 square-foot facility resides a art museum, and an acoustically brilliant Manship Theatre seating 325, LSU Museum of Art showcasing more than 17,000 square feet of exhibition space; the facility houses touring and permanent collections and seats 325 people; Designed in the spirit of a London "West End" space, the Manship includes an orchestra level and two balconies, a magnificent audio system, a large fly house and automated orchestra pit to feature some of the region's most exciting up and coming artists; the LSU School of Art Gallery, featuring exciting works from the faculty and students of Louisiana State University are also on display; lastly, the LSU Museum Store, PJ's Coffee House and Wine Bar, Capital City Grill and spectacular rooftop Tsunami Japanese restaurant make this a must visit site; indoor parking available

ADMISSION: varies by venue and event

DAYS & HOURS: Tue-Sat 9a-11p; Sun 11a-5p

ADDRESS: 100 Lafayette Street  MAP

PHONE: 225-346-5001

WEBSITE: http://www.shawcenter.org

Louisiana State Archives
DESCRIPTION: Official repository for Louisiana historical records; everyday people can benefit from the extensive genealogy research library and archives

ADMISSION: Free

DAYS & HOURS: Mon-Fri 8a-4:30p, Sat 9a-5p, Sun 1p-5p

ADDRESS: 3851 Essen Lane  MAP

PHONE: 225-922-1000

WEBSITE: http://www.sec.state.la.us/archives

Louisiana State Museum in Baton Rouge
DESCRIPTION: A 69,000 square foot facility whose permanent exhibits will highlight aspects of Louisiana's history that are nationally significant, and unique; a promising large gallery will also house traveling exhibitions

ADMISSION: Free

DAYS & HOURS: Tue-Wed & Fri 9a-3:30p, Thu 9a-8p, Sat 9a-4:30p, Sun 1p-4:30p

ADDRESS: 640 4th Street  MAP

PHONE: 225-342-5428

WEBSITE: http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/br/br.htm

Old Arsenal Museum
DESCRIPTION: Formerly a powder magazine, circa 1838, the site is surrounded by a 10-foot outer wall and contains hands-on exhibits; The museum contains exhibits about the structure of the historic powder magazine and the history of the State Capitol grounds; listed on the National Register of Historic Places

ADMISSION: Free

DAYS & HOURS: Tue-Sat 9a-4p

ADDRESS: 900 North 3rd Street  MAP

PHONE: 225-342-0401 

WEBSITE: http://www.sec.state.la.us/museums

LSU Rural Life Museum
DESCRIPTION: Located on the 450-acre Burden Research Plantation, Rural Life Museum is a 5-acre indoor/outdoor museum which pays tribute to the forgotten lifestyles and cultures of pre-industrial Louisiana, with exhibits ranging from tools, vehicles, African art and figurines, to a voodoo exhibit; located on a 430-acre agricultural experimental station owned by LSU, the museum has 15 of the original buildings including slave cabins, blacksmith shop, a gothic revival style church, and the one-room school house where children of the overseers and neighboring farmers were educated

ADMISSION: Adults $9, Age 62+ $7, Ages 5-11 $5, Children under age5 Free

DAYS & HOURS: daily 8:30a-4:30p

ADDRESS: 4630 Essen Lane  MAP

PHONE: 225-765-2437

WEBSITE: http://rurallife.lsu.edu