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Southern Louisiana is drenched in culture, dripping with tradition and saturated with Creole/Cajun cuisine. To appreciate the wondrousness of our region’s way-of-life, it is best to take a peak behind the curtain at our rich history.
Time travel is certainly the optimal method of discovering our past, but until scientists uncover a DeLorean, phone booth or hot tub that can transport a person into another era, museums are one of the ultimate ways to journey through time.
Folklore, or folklife, describes the living traditions and customs that are handed down from one generation to the next, primarily through oral communication or example. To get a taste of our local, hand-me-down culture, take a trip to any one of our area’s museums.
The Terrebonne Folklife Culture Center and Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum in Houma are two great sources of local information. Both located in Downtown Houma’s Historic District, the museums’ main objectives are to preserve, educate and transport you to another point in time.
As the Main Street Manager for Terrebonne Parish, Anne Picou oversees the operation of both museums.
Members and visitors of the Terrebonne Folklife Culture Center can view artwork from local artists, examine exciting exhibits and participate in various classes and workshops, including Cajun dancing, quilting and wood carving, to name a few. Picou said that these classes are making the community’s heritage a part of each new generation.
“It’s to try to keep our folklife classes alive, with what our ancestors did years ago,” she explained. “We tend to be so busy that we don’t take the time to relax and work with our hands and create things. With the computer generation age and so forth, I think it’s a great relaxation tool and it’s a very fun time.”
Guests of the Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum are reminded of the area’s historical and economical connection with the wetlands. Exhibits in the museum include fur and alligator harvesting, hurricane history and one of the more popular attractions, the “wetlands wall,” which is a 46-foot mural that depicts the parish’s eco-line.
Picou said the museum takes visitors on a walk through Acadian history.
“It is a lot of interactive touch screens so you can walk at your own pace and your own leisure and you can listen to the videos,” she said. “So it’s a true venue to go see about our heritage and our culture of Terrebonne Parish.”
The Bayou Lafourche Folklife & Heritage Museum in Lockport is another great stop for a history lesson. The primary attraction of the museum offers the public a chance to travel down Bayou Lafourche on a simulated paddle wheeler. The exhibit, entitled “Bayou Excursion: 1910,” depicts the way-of-life over the course of a century.
“The mission of the Bayou Lafouche Folklife and Heritage Museum is to preserve, promote and interpret the human history, cultural heritage, natural history, arts and folkways of the Bayou Lafourche region,” according to its website.
Demonstrations on boat building, duck carving and net-making are just some of the reasons to visit the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center in Thibodaux. Park rangers share the history of south Louisiana’s wetlands on walking tours and seasonal boat cruises, and children are presented the opportunity to become junior park rangers. The stories and customs of the Acadians, and their transition into becoming Cajuns, are shared with the public through exhibits, artifacts, films and even toe-tapping Cajun and delta music jam sessions. The Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum also hosts jam sessions each week.
Sugarcane plantations are another great hot spot for historical information. The Southdown Plantation/Terrebonne Museum in Houma and the Laurel Valley Village Sugar Plantation and Museum in Thibodaux are two popular area attractions. Both pay homage to the way of life of the early settlers in our area.
Other area museums that may peak the public’s interest include the Louisiana State Wedell-Williams Aviation Museum in Patterson, the Cypress Manor/Mardi Gras Museum in Morgan City, the Regional Military Museum in Houma and the International Petroleum Museum and Exposition in Morgan City, where you can meet “Mr. Charlie.”
Local Museums:
Terrebonne Folklife Culture Center
317 Goode St., Houma (985) 873-6545
Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission: $1
Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum
7910 Park Ave., Houma (985) 580-7200
Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission: $2-3 (group rates available)
Bayou Lafourche Folklife & Heritage Museum
110 Main St., Lockport (985) 532-5909
Hours: Tuesday & Thursday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Admission: $1-$2
Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center
314 St. Mary St., Thibodaux (985) 448-1375
Hours: Monday & Tuesday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Wednesday & Thursday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., and Friday & Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission: Free
Southdown Plantation/Terrebonne Museum
1208 Museum Drive, Houma (985) 851-0154
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Admission: $2-$6 (group rates available)
Laurel Valley Village Sugar Plantation/Museum
595 Hwy 308, Thibodaux (985) 446-7456
Hours: Sunday-Monday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Admission: Free
La. State Wedell-Williams Aviation Museum
118 Cotton Road, Patterson (985) 399-1268
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Admission: Free
Cypress Manor/ Mardi Gras Museum
715 Second St., Morgan City (985) 380-4651
Museum Hours: Tuesdays – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. & Sunday, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. (or by appt)
Museum Admission: $2-$3
Regional Military Museum
1154 Barrow St., Houma (985) 873-8200
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Admission: $2-$3
International Petroleum Museum/Exposition
111 1st St., Morgan City (985) 384-3744
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Admission: $3.50-$5
Not your conventional museums, the Tri-parishes’ sites celebrate our past and our rich culture.
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