Travel Back in Time to Experience Louisiana History
These unique historic sites and attractions around Louisiana offer visitors a glimpse into the past.
Houmas House: Historic Estate and Gardens
Take a tour of Houmas House: Historic Estate and Gardens in Darrow where visitors are treated as guests. The intimate tours display the beauty and intricacies of the historic home, which was once called “The Sugar Palace.” Wander the gardens and enjoy an afternoon refreshment at one of the on-site restaurants or The Turtle Bar.
Tunica-Biloxi Museum
The Tunica-Biloxi Museum houses more than 200,000 artifacts that are considered to be the best physical evidence of the interrelationship between the Tunica-Biloxi and French during the Colonial period. Special artifacts in the exhibit include original bowls, jars and plates that the Tunica-Biloxi people used. You'll also find trading goods, like glass beads, bowls, plates, cooking utensils, tools and guns, that the French gave to the Tunica-Biloxi in exchange for horses and salt. Throughout the year, the local Tunica-Biloxi tribe hosts powwow events in the area. Tribal members, dressed in full regalia, dance and sing to the beat of drums, while crafts and Native-American foods are featured.
Louisiana State Museum
There are a total of 10 museums statewide in the Louisiana State Museum collection, but visitors to New Orleans should include these French Quarter gems in their must-visit list: The Cabildo (where the Louisiana Purchase was decided), The Presbytere, 1850 House, and the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint. These National Historic Landmarks are home to intriguing exhibits with thousands of artifacts and artwork reflecting Louisiana's historic and cultural legacy.
Preservation Hall
Visit Preservation Hall and listen to the sounds of traditional New Orleans jazz played within the halls of the 1750s French Quarter building dedicated to preserving traditional jazz. Both seasoned and budding musicians play at the hall in a continuing effort to preserve and maintain the sounds of traditional jazz. Check out their nightly music programs with shows beginning at 5 p.m. on weekdays and earlier on weekends.
Find more smooth jazz tunes to listen to at the Satchmo SummerFest and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
Biedenharn Museum and Gardens
If you are in Monroe, you must stop into the Biedenharn Museum and Gardens to travel back in time to the early 20th century at the home of Joseph A. Biedenharn, the first bottler of Coca-Cola. Take a tour of the museum, residence and the beautiful gardens. The museum also offers a large collection of Coca-Cola memorabilia including a replica soda fountain with a genuine soda jerk retelling the Biedenharn story.
Vermilionville Living History Museum
Vermilionville Living History Museum in Lafayette is a picturesque representation of a late 1700s-1800s village reenacting how Acadians and Creoles created a new life in the Attakapas Region of the new Louisiana territory. The museum sprawls across 23 acres filled with costumed artisans and musicians acting out the chores and activities of their daily lives.
New Orleans Pharmacy Museum
The New Orleans Pharmacy Museum is an unusual museum located in the Vieux Carré Historic District, and was called “one of the best” by Rand McNally. The historic building houses an extensive collection of pharmaceutical items from a time when pharmacists compounded their own medicines without the structure or knowledge of modern medicine. From showcasing the history of America’s first licensed pharmacist, Louis J. Dufilho Jr., to antique surgical instruments, hand-blown apothecary jars filled with crude medicines, to perfumes and cosmetics and more — the museum preserves the history of pharmacy and healthcare in Louisiana.
St. Charles Streetcar Line
Take a ride on New Orleans’ oldest electric streetcar line. The route covers seven miles of the city with most of the tracks running in the center median on St. Charles Avenue. Riding the historic streetcar line shows off the gorgeous historic homes, buildings and tree-lined streets from the Garden District to Tulane and Loyola Universities. Learn more about the New Orleans streetcars.
Old State Capitol
The Old State Capitol, a 160-year-old National Historic Landmark located on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in downtown Baton Rouge, is a preserved treasure of architecture. The Gothic Revival structure has withstood war, fire, scandal and bitter debates. In 1990, the building went under a major restoration project and is now the Museum of Political History. Schedule a tour, watch "The Ghost of the Castle" theatrical presentation or just wander the museum for free.
Looking for more mystifying history in Baton Rouge? Check out Louisiana's first leprosarium.
Frogmore Cotton Plantation & Gins
Head to the Frogmore Cotton Plantation & Gins to discover how the cotton industry developed from the techniques of the 1700s to the modern processes found today, while exploring the deep history of slavery. Frogmore offers tours that take you through the cotton gin's evolution, quarters once used by formerly enslaved people, a rare steam gin and more. And don't miss the Delta Music Tour which chronicles the history of the area with authentic music that was played through the Delta.
Learn more about Louisiana's diverse culture, State Historic Sites, historic homes and more.