July 24
July 24, 2008
Laurita Bridget DuBois Ledet
July 28, 2008Storytelling, play-acting, parading and musical performances are common in bayou country, and officials with the Bayou Country Children’s Museum said the upcoming museum in Thibodaux should be no exception.
“These creative expressions were naturally incorporated into a gallery on the arts and Mardi Gras where children can express themselves while having a good time and celebrating our unique way of life,” said Kathleen Gros, the museum’s capital campaign committee president.
The concept of building a museum in Thibodaux started nearly 10 years ago when a group of community leaders saw there was a need for year-round recreation for area children.
However, before any funds were solicited, the committed surveyed more than 1,100 elementary school families to get feedback on if the museum was worthwhile. Gros said the response was overwhelming.
The total cost of the museum will run about $4.2 million. Gros said the 45,000 visitors and tourists that will annually attend the museum would support the operational budget.
The committee has completed its three-year operational budget and purchased the land for the proposed site near Nicholls State University. Regional business and community leaders have also adopted several of the exhibits, according to Gros’ figures.
The committee is still seeking donors for the gallery and exhibit sponsorship. Levels of support vary and cost between $500 and $500,000, which is payable over five years. Gros said the museum’s sponsorship naming rights are being offered for $2 million, payable over 10 years.
Donations are tax deductible, Gros emphasized, adding, “All donors will be recognized in a suitable manner for their generous gifts.”
The capital campaign committee that is in charge of soliciting donations for the land, the building and exhibits was established in 1998. A museum director and staff have yet to be hired. Gros said the committee is waiting until the building is constructed.
In the meantime, local educators eagerly anticipate the museum’s arrival.
Lafourche Parish school chief Jo Ann Matthews said she encourages the effort of the board of directors and all others involved in opening a museum where children will experience the celebration of learning.
“The museum will not only provide the type of recreational learning experience desired by parents and adults, it will have a lasting impact on children’s development,” she said.
When complete, the museum will serve as a regional setting for nearly eight parishes including Lafourche, Terrebonne, St. Mary, Assumption, St. Charles, St. John, St. James and Ascension. Gros said census data indicates of the 460,000 people approximately living in those parishes; 80,000 are children between ages two and 12.
“The Bayou Region is growing,” she said. “Between 1990 and 2002, the area has grown nearly eight percent. With that growth has come an increase in demand for recreational activities for residents of this area.”
The museum will have some similar characteristics of an historical museum with its educational exhibits that enhance learning; however, it will differ because many of the exhibits are hands-on, not hands-off like many of the local museums in the area, Gros said.
The outlining theme for the children’s museum, a 501(c)(3) organization, is “A Bayou Runs Through It.” Visitors and tourists will experience what it’s like to travel down a bayou from the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico.
“In bayou country, water is a way of life. The main path through the children’s museum looks like a bayou, meandering through various exhibit galleries, easily accessing the partial walls that double as climbing structures,” the committee president said.
The nine educational adventure galleries will act as a gateway of knowledge to educate and promote the unique cultures and industries of south Louisiana. Visitors and tourists will encounter a variety of crops, massive oak trees, Cajun cottages, seafood, bridges, boat building, oil and gas industries and, of course, coastal erosion unique to this area.
“All the exhibits will have a ‘Cajun flair,'” Gros said. “And they also correspond with established Grade Level Expectations (GLE) requirements and serve to further inspire teachers to include more hands-on activities in the classroom.”
“The museum would be an optimal place for educational experiences that are in line with GLE requirements,” added Mary Breaud, the special education curriculum manager in Lafourche Parish.
The children will play and have fun, she said.
Nationally, children’s museums are beginning to offer many unique “play” experiences that other learning setting like a library are not able to provide, Gros said. They are recognizing the value of play in learning.
