Beautiful and haunted (allegedly) old historical plantation home with a lot of history nestled in…read morethe historic downtown. It's now a museum.

First we wandered the visiting center. It was a great start toward familiarizing ourselves with the…read morecharacters we were about to hear/learn so much about on our tour. Our guide, Dionne, is SO knowledgable and relatable. She shared honest stories about the people who built and lived in the beautiful house. Stories that included not only the wealthy owners, but the enslaved who made their wealth possible and lives comfortable. The presentation of the true history of Louisiana and our United States is so very important. Invest an hour or two in this lesson. You won't be sorry.

This is an amazing state-run museum that is dedicated to the history of this area. One half is…read morededicated to the timber industry and outlining the history of the industry in the area. The other half is dedicated to the areas contributions in the aviation industry. A small section is dedicated to the Audubon contributions to the aviary studies. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. The timber industry section was just amazing with canoes, sections of cypress trees, how things were made and processed and how the area was settled. There is a quick movie playing on a loop detailing the history of logging, how they lived and what was done in the area. There are so many instruments and tools here. It is amazing. The aviation industry section has a neat movie that is immersive detailing the history of aviation in the area and the impact it has had. It is so cool about the history, and I never knew the contributions citizens of Louisiana made to it, and the impacts. If you are in the area or driving by, I highly suggest stopping in for a bit.

Checked this place out over the weekend. The aviation part I actually didn't care about too much,…read morebut the cypress logs were amazing! One half of the museum is dedicated to cypress logging in the region. There are tools and displays showing you how it all went down. There's also a 500 year old tree found in the Atchafalaya. Amazing to inspect up close. They also have a small collection of early boats and how they were involved in the timber game. The other half is the planes. Apparently several aviators in the area played a vital role in the development of the industry nationally. There's a little film and some airplanes and info and there you have it. I wouldn't drive from too far away just for this...but if you're passing by why not?

List as great small space museum. Lots of historical facts and beautiful space. Nice to visit in…read moretandem with the Acadian museum which is next door along with the Longfellow Evangeline Oak outdoor exhibit. Recommended place to RVer's from Harvesthost.com from the www.campingonthebayou.com site in St Martinville, LA. Great opportunity zone for a walking tour to see several sites and grab a coffee from Studio Gallery and Coffee. Find more from YELP at https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-studio-gallery-and-coffee-bar-saint-martinville.

Admission here includes admission to the Acadian Museum next door. There are a lot of information…read moreboards detailing the history of African Americans in the area. There is a whole lot of information to take in. They also seem to be expanding the display areas. Words fail me when trying to explain this place. If you are in the area, come by.

The Capitol Park Museum is definitely worth a visit…read more There are some genuinely interesting exhibits, and it does a good job showcasing Louisiana's history and culture. It's engaging enough to spend a solid amount of time exploring, especially if you're already visiting other museums in the area. That said, certain parts of the museum felt a bit repetitive - almost like carbon copies of exhibits you might see at the Old State Capitol or other nearby museums. If you're doing multiple stops, you might notice some overlap. Still, the admission is very affordable, which makes it an easy and worthwhile stop overall.

Honestly, I had high hopes, but I should have known better. The state of LA has a rich history of…read morebeing part of the Deep South so I'm not sure why I expected anything elevated, learned, recognized, or truthful to be here. The museum is cheap to get into, can be completed in less than 2 hours and is technically geared more towards school age, but since it was our first time in the state capitol I figured it was worth the visit. I actually found myself crying, actual tears, in the middle of a museum for how poorly done the entire portion on slavery was. If ever there was a chance for a state to tell the real story, the real history, this would be it and that isn't what happens here. At EVERY turn there was some watered down version of how slaves "benefited" or "learned skills" and I was horrified. There was an entire section dedicated to slavery and not one school field trip was visiting that section and there were at least 2 buses of kids in the location. Let me be clear though, when I say a section was dedicated to slavery they did not tell the full story or the truth and they didn't even try! The one highlight was learning the history of mardi gras upstairs, but it was very Krewe heavy and I want to believe there's more history to learn there as well.

The LSU Rural Life Center and Burden Museum and Gardens are a hidden gem in Baton Rouge. They are…read morelocated right by I-10 on Essen, so they are easy to find. It's a very large property, and serves many purposes and hosts many events. It's a great resource that our city is very lucky to have. There are gardens and research facilities here associated with LSU, there are historical buildings and artifacts from Louisiana, then there are forests and wetlands, these are linked by roads and hiking trails. There's lots to see, and there are various events to participate in. One of these events is the new Louisiana Lights Festival which is a holiday-themed light show. It's impressive already and it's just getting started. Each year will bring more to this event! Another great event is the fall festival with its corn mazes, petting zoos, hay rides, and other fall fun activities. There are different events throughout the year, one need only check the website to be informed. There's really something for everyone here, from agriculture, horticulture, children's playgrounds, hiking, history, or just a place to have a picnic, this facility is there to meet the needs of the community. It's something that our residents and visitors should be aware of and utilize!

Amazing! A beautiful nature oasis. From mossy oaks to sunflowers, there is so much to look at here!…read more Located right off the interstate or on Essen Lane, the Burden Gardens is Baton Rouge's hidden gem. Besides just looking at nature or going on a nature walk for free, there are several events that take place here regularly. Junior League has a kid-friendly event under the outdoor the gazebo each month, there is the Louisiana Lights event in December, and a corn maze in Oct. This place is huge! There is a meeting place, which is easily accessible when you pull in. There are also places to stop and sit and go to the restroom. A great place to explore!!

What an amazing museum! Inside of an old train depot, there is so much to look at, so many…read moreartifacts. You could spend hours inside and just relax looking at things from the past. Theater seats, dentists seats, shaving supplies, so much from the past.

Wonderful museum with thousands (probably tens of thousands) of artifacts from the olden days. The…read morelady at the front desk was super nice and gave us an overview of a number of the more interesting items in the museum. One of the coolest things was an old cash register and timesheet machine (forgive me for not knowing its actual name). Also a cute stuffed mink with a flower by its ear in the back room, near the old washing machine. Don't forget to snap a photo with the crawfish outside and the old train car!

We were visiting Baton Rouge over the holidays and this was recommended to us for our 6 year old…read more It was AMAZING!! We had a blast from the moment we walked into this two story museum of fun! We especially enjoyed the dance room, the arts room, the vet office, and the grocery store. So many fun opportunities for learning and only $15 per person - a great way to spend hours for very little money. Also appreciate that they don't let in adults who are not accompanying children - a nice safety check! Everything was clean, fresh, and the staff were all so friendly! Definitely recommend to anyone w young children!

This is quite easily the best children's museum that I have ever been to, hands-down. There are so…read moremany different areas for kids to explore. There are activities on the first and second floor. There are things to do and see and get dirty and get all hands on, both inside and outside. The staff are so friendly. The ones who are working in certain hands on areas are very good about maintaining clean working environments not just for themselves, but for the children as well. You have everything from stem learning areas to the artist garden, and the pelican pottery area. There is an area where kids learn about bubbles and the Girl Scouts had an event today where they were learning about the solar system. There is just so much for kids to see and do here. Admission is $15 but I can tell you, it is worth absolutely every penny. If I lived any closer, I would easily pay the $100 for the membership. That would be entirely worth it. There is this one structure that looks like a bunch of piled up both open and closed books. It is actually a climbing structure for the kids. It extends from the base floor all the way up to the second floor, which is the main level. It is quite a sight to see your child hook their head up from the structure up and over the guard rails on the second floor. The kids here were so friendly. They were very friendly and no one was pushy. The parents are also allowed to climb on the structure. That was pretty cool. I don't know about you, but I don't trust my knees. I would rather not slide or fall off anything that I really shouldn't have had any business climbing up all over on anyway. We met some really great people here. We had such an amazing & lovely time here!

We spent a few hours driving and walking through this beautifully preserved piece of nature on…read moreAvery Island after doing the self-guided tour of the Tabasco Factory, that ticket includes the Jungle Garden experience. We couldn't have picked a better day to visit the area, the temperature was perfect with low humidity and no bugs - you must allow yourself plenty of time to soak in the peaceful surroundings and get out of your vehicle to get up close to the wonders of this garden. Besides the beautiful grounds and water structures there are plenty of surprises you'll discover along the way we unfortunately didn't see any alligators or deer today but there were an abundance of birds, a few turtles basking in the sun and lots of squirrels scurrying through the grounds and giant oak trees. This is a beautiful place and just one of the wonders you'll find while exploring Louisiana I've lived in Louisiana for almost half my life and I'm still amazed at the beauty this state has to offer this is just one of the many places that's preserved and protected for generations to enjoy and appreciate...

This is a great activity to spend a few hours, especially on a nice day. It's a good mix of driving…read moreand walking around or you can choose to just drive and listen to the self guided tour. We saw lot of alligators. The bird city was neat too. You could hear the birds well before you could see them. At the park entrance there is a little gift shop too with snacks, drinks, bathrooms and souvenirs.

Beautifully restored Plantation Home and grounds. Awesome tour guides with lots of fun and…read morehistorical information. Plan to take your time, walk the grounds, enjoy the views, sit on a bench and listen to nature, grab a quick or fancy meal at one of their restaurants, visit the museum. We thoroughly enjoyed several hours more visiting than we'd planned on and we're very glad we did !!

Amazing Tour and Museum Experience…read more Houmas Plantation House is an amazing place to visit. We started our day early and had breakfast first. There's a simple American/New Orleans-style breakfast buffet with eggs, sausage, and grits, available from 8-10 a.m. The plantation opens at 9 a.m., and the first house tour starts at 9:30 a.m. The house tour lasts about an hour. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. This was my second time taking the tour, and although the guides were different, they shared the same history in their own unique storytelling styles. Both were engaging and easy to follow. Don't forget to tip the tour guides--they do a great job. After the tour, we walked through the gardens in the morning. It's about a 45-minute stroll at a relaxed pace--walk, rest, and enjoy the scenery. Very peaceful. Later, we went to the Carriage House Restaurant, which has amazing food. The bar is also great--try the Houmas signature drinks, they're delicious. You can enjoy your drink inside or outside, then walk around more or relax. If one person wants to do everything--breakfast, museum and house tour, lunch at the Carriage House, and buy a few souvenirs--expect to spend around $150 or so. Overall, it was a great, peaceful experience, and I highly recommend it.