14 Must-See Art Museums in Louisiana

By Sarah Batrous

What’s more interesting than seeing artwork? Discover something new by visiting the many art museums in Louisiana.

Alexandria

The Alexandria Museum of Art is a place of learning and enrichment. Since opening its doors in 1977, the museum has grown to act as a beacon to the community through offering events to exhibit art and to support healthy lifestyles. themuseum.org

Baton Rouge

The Old State Capitol Museum is a 165-year old Gothic Revival building that is a sight to behold, and its stained glass windows seal the deal. louisianaoldstatecapitol.org LSU’s Rural Life Museum sits within a 25-acre park and consists of 30 historic homes and outbuildings. It is meant to educate visitors about everyday rural living and preserve the practices of several cultural groups. lsu.edu/rurallife

Lafayette

The Hilliard Art Museum is nestled in ULL’s campus. Its collection consists of 18th through 21st century European, Asian, and American art works. hilliardmuseum.org

Lake Charles

The Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center is best described as a public art gallery and cultural facility. Made up of traveling exhibits, every time you visit there is something new and exciting to study. cityoflakecharles.com

Monroe

The Biedenharn Museum & Gardens is known for its beauty, and it boasts the ELSong English gardens and conservatory, a Coca-Cola Museum, and a Bible Museum. bmuseum.org The Masur Museum of Art is known as “the largest collecting and exhibiting visual arts museum in Northeast Louisiana” and is the former home of the Masur family. Plenty of paintings, prints, and sculptures are on display year-round. masurmuseum.org

New Orleans

The New Orleans Museum of Art is the oldest fine arts museum in New Orleans. The have an impressive collection of “40,000 objects, spanning 5,000 years of art and is noted for its extraordinary strengths in French and American art.” noma.org The Ogden Museum of Southern Art was established in 1999 and is noted to hold the largest and most comprehensive collection of Southern art. ogdenmuseum.org The Contemporary Arts Center focuses on showing bold styles by artists producing their works through the visual arts, photography, and sculpture. Their cutting-edge theatre is also considered a mustsee. cacno.org

Northshore

The Abita Mystery House is another strange but interesting museum of sorts. Modeled as a miniature town with plenty of interactive art pieces, including displayed memorabilia and truly wacky “junk.” abitamysteryhouse.com The Abita Springs Trailhead Museum is a “quaint, one-room museum” that is usually open on Fridays and Saturdays to teach visitors about local history and culture. trailheadmuseum.org

Shreveport

The R.W. Norton Art Museum houses an exceptional collection of art from 2400 BC Early Egyptian works through contemporary artists who are living and working today. “The Norton is the perfect place for everyone to enjoy! Whether you are 9 months or 90, the collection and botanical gardens are a wonder to behold and a jewel in the crown of Shreveport-Bossier and the state of Louisiana,” comments Emily Feazel, the Designer of Exhibits and Special Events. rwnaf.org The Meadows Art Museum at Centenary College recently collected new paintings from local Black artists to add to their collection of over 1,600 pieces. themeadowsmuseum.com