During your visit to this Baton Rouge attraction, explore the Capitol Park Museum’s two permanent exhibits that showcase the history of Louisiana with emphasis on the major events and people that have shaped The Pelican State into what it is today.
Louisiana State Museum Collection
Samplings from the Louisiana State Museum’s impressive collection of more than 450,000 artifacts and works of art bring the exhibits throughout the Capitol Park Museum to life. The Louisiana State Museum Collection is comprised of: the Visual Arts Collection, known as one of the most comprehensive and encyclopaedic collections of Southern art in the United States; the Jazz Collection, with artifacts that chronicle the music and careers of the men and women who have shaped the tradition of New Orleans jazz at local, national and international levels; a collection of 15,000 costumes, textile and carnival items ranging from the late 18th century to the present; the Science and Technology Collection, comprised of approximately 6,000 artifacts that illustrate the history of Louisiana in the context of technological development from the 16th century through the 21st century; and the Decorative Arts Collection with an emphasis on Louisiana-related artifacts from 1790 to 1890.
Exhibits
The Capitol Park Museum’s two permanent exhibits Grounds for Greatness: Louisiana and the Nation and Experiencing Louisiana: Discovering the Soul of America, explore Louisiana’s history, technology, art, food, music, and sports, the aspects that make Louisiana nationally significant and unique from the Louisiana Purchase, to Sportsmen’s Paradise, to Mardi Gras traditions throughout the state. Museum highlights include a 48-foot wooden shrimp trawler that will take you on a journey through Louisiana’s shrimp history, a Confederate submarine from the Civil War, a Lucky Dog hot dog cart that captures the character and charm of New Orleans’ French Quarter and musical artifacts from Fats Domino, Buddy Guy, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown and Aaron Neville.
- In addition to its permanent exhibits, the Capitol Park Museum houses a large gallery dedicated to changing and travelling exhibitions.