Baton Rouge families, the Louisiana Children’s Museum opens to the public August 31st and you should start planning your day trip now! We recently had the opportunity to attend a media preview of the LCM, it wasn’t yet complete, yet we felt like we were walking through the most magical of places. It’s going to be something special for Louisiana families, a tactile experience that will delight young and old alike. Every section of the LCM is created to stimulate imagination, creativity and critical thinking in children and families through many inventive and engaging experiences, most importantly PLAY! Every decision made throughout the museum was intricately thought out to help elevate the capacity of our little ones.
Julia Bland, CEO of Louisiana Children’s Museum, spoke beautifully on the importance of childhood, she encouraged us to enjoy and celebrate children where they are and to not make the mistake of wishing away seasons of childhood. The museum has been structured to support parents in their efforts to embrace each stage of development while focusing on literacy, environmental education, health and wellness, STEM, arts, and our rich Louisiana culture.
Why the relocation? The new location allows the museum to better meet the needs of the community as well as improve geographic access and connect children to nature. The attention to detail outside is just as significant as the inside. The Louisiana Children’s Museum will include five new exhibit galleries indoors as well as a literacy center, a parent/teacher resource center, an edible garden, a sensory garden, and full-service café. There are a plethora of reasons to make the day trip to New Orleans to visit the LCM, here are just 6 reasons to start planning your family day trip…
Six Reasons to Visit the Louisiana Children’s Museum
Talk and Play Center
The Talk and Play center is a family-centered space that encourages families to make joyous connections – connections of children to parents, to grandparents, to life long learning, to growing cycles – the continuums, connections, circles, and cycles that we see in so many parts of our lives.
Play With Me Exhibit
Created for children under the age of four, this ground-floor gallery is designed to provide easy access for parents of young children with strollers. Little ones can explore and play while resources are available to support parents in their journey as children’s first teachers. The Play With Me exhibit includes a fun one of a kind Sensory Lagoon, much like a tiny Lilly Pad water bed for children play on and experience. Play With Me also includes a Cypress Tree Book Nook, Peek-a-Boo Puppet Theater, Early Literacy Sensory Wall and a Discovery Zone.
Follow That Food
Follow That Food will be one of the largest galleries. It will take children on a playful Louisiana Growing & Gathering food journey that starts in the fields and coastal waters, passes through the busy Ports & Cargo with stops at the Food & You Market, Creole Kitchen, café and finally, makes its way to the family table.
Dig into Nature
Overlooking the lagoon on the ground floor, this gallery is where children will discover the abundance of natural resources unique to Louisiana and the Gulf Coast Region. Through this tactile and textural set of experiences, visitors will explore the relationships between the diverse resources, ecosystems, plants and animals who live here. The “caring” and “sharing” stations will allow children to bring their own outdoor treasures to examine under massive microscopes and projector. The exhibit also includes Exploration & Innovation, Sedimentation Table, Storytelling Nest, Cajun Pirogue and an amazing Promise Tree Portal.
Make Your Mark
Entering the second floor, Make Your Mark celebrates New Orleans’ rich art and its architectural, musical, historical and cultural heritage. When children understand and embrace their heritage it invites children to discover how to make their mark with their own original creations. This is exhibit includes Studio in the Park, Jammin’ House, Jackson Square, NOLA Urban Design Studio, Build Big Dreams, Book Nook & Light Tables and more!
Move With the River
Move with the River will immerse children in an action-packed wet world of fun where they will begin to explore the story of the Mighty Mississippi River. Families will follow the journey of Louisiana’s most abundant resource, water!
Acorn Café
We’re not done yet, a huge BONUS to your visit to the Louisiana Children’s Museum is the family-friendly Acorn Café! Acorn a Dickie Brennan & Co. Cafe at the new Louisiana Children’s Museum in City Park is the icing on a day of fun exploration. Guests can enjoy a meal indoors or outdoors on the LCM balcony overlooking the lagoon, oaks, and wildlife. The menu is sourced around high quality, local food at an affordable price. The majority of children menu items are $6, and adult entrees range from $6 to $11. Have a little one with a food allergy? No worries! Acorn will be peanut-free and will offer many gluten-free options, including a gluten-free dough for pizzas. Come early or stay late, Acorn will open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. with French Truck coffee and pastries served for a morning starter or an afternoon pick me up.
We can’t wait for you all to visit. The new Louisiana Children’s Museum is breathtaking, but don’t take our word for it, make it a family day trip and plan to visit the new museum in City Park which will open on August 31st.
Learn more about the museum, prices, birthdays and more on the LCM website at LCM.org.
