Baton Rouge Culture

Downtown redevelopment efforts have brought an expansion to the arts and sciences. In the past few years we have seen some remarkable additions to our landscape.

The Louisiana Art and Science Museum is located on the banks of the Mississippi River. The museum has long held exhibits for adults and children in addition to summer learning opportunities. The most recent addition, opened in June 2003, is the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium and ExxonMobil Space Theater. If you live here and you haven't been there you should go.

The Shaw Center for the Arts, opened in 2005, is a world class center for art and theatre. It houses the Manship Theatre, LSU Museum of Art, LSU School of Art Gallery, and LSU Laboratory for Creative Arts and Technologies. The LSU Museum of Art alone has 17,000 square feet of exhibitions for touring and permanent collections. The Manship Theatre is an intimate setting seating 325 people in exquisite space for musical, dance, and theatrical productions. There are also 2 adjacent black box theaters and a
contemporary art gallery featuring up and coming local artists.

The Baton Rouge Symphony has multiple offerings for classical music fans of all ages. The Masterworks Series is performed by the full orchestra in Baton Rouge's downtown River Center. There are additional chamber productions, a youth orchestra, and special events with venues selected to match the occassion.

If you are looking for a little Louisiana history then you might want to visit the Old State Capital. The Old State Capital was restored in 1994 and is the Center for Political and Governmental History. Located in downtown Baton Rouge, it's old gothic architecture is remarkable and the facility serves as a gathering place for community meetings, special events, theater, and political debates.

The plantations of South Louisiana are part of our history. The French style of architecture continues to influence contempory home design. The natural beauty of these sites is awe inspiring. In the City of Baton Rouge you can visit the Burden Plantation and Magnolia Mound. The surrounding parishes are graced by homes on the National Register of Historic Places.

Culture Links:

Louisiana Art and Science Museum
The Shaw Center for the Arts
Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra
Old State Capital
Plantations