Experience
Nestled in the heart of South Louisiana, this will be a nationally significant cultural destination that draws visitors from around the world as well as those close to home.
"Please join us as we create a new home for the stories of Louisiana’s musical past and present — a gift to future generations.”
Samuel Oliver, Executive Director, Acadiana Center for the Arts
Welcome to the Future Louisiana Music Museum
Here in Louisiana, we come in through the back door and feel right at home.
The main entrance to the Louisiana Music Museum is on Buchanan Street, right around the corner from the Acadiana Center for the Arts.
As you approach, you find a beautiful plaza and accessible glass-fronted entryway that gives you a glimpse of the excitement inside.
A New Museum In The Making
PROJECT TIMELINE:
• Architectural and exhibition design phase: 2024-2027
• Construction period: 18 months beginning in 2027
• Museum opening: 2028
MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMS
• Permanent and rotating exhibits will tell significant stories of Louisiana’s diverse and unparalleled music and its makers.
• The Louisiana Music Hall will present live music in an intimate setting and may be rented for private events.
• Creative spaces throughout the museum will become gathering places that support and encourage musical and cultural exchange.
• Education programs will connect young people to Louisiana’s music stories through field trips and educational experiences that build on and grow AcA’s already extensive impact on Acadiana’s arts education.
COLLABORATIVE PLANNING
The Louisiana Music Museum is drawing upon cultural, community, academic, artistic and archival resources from all over the state.
Our content partner to develop the exhibitions is the Center for Louisiana Studies at UL–Lafayette.
Community advisory and content focus groups with statewide representation are crucial to developing and vetting content and design.
A world-class design team has been assembled to make ideas become reality.
The Exterior
ENTRANCE PLAZA: A welcoming outdoor space with commemorative musician plaques and donor pavers.
OUTDOOR STAGE: An open-air spot for live performances that connects the museum to Downtown Lafayette’s outdoor festivals and events.
ART WALL: A striking dimensional mural reflecting the historic building’s facade that celebrates Louisiana music icons.
SCULPTURES: Distinctive art pieces dedicated to Louisiana music legends who greet visitors and entice them to enter the museum to hear the sounds they play.
Step Inside the Museum
WELCOME DESK: Your starting point for museum info, statewide music journey tips, and special event offerings.
MUSEUM STORE: Browse a curated selection of Louisiana music books, gifts, and souvenirs.
GRAND STAIRCASE & ELEVATOR: Easy access to both levels of the museum, ensuring a smooth and
enjoyable visit.
EXHIBITION ENTRANCE: Historic double French doors transport you to the exhibition entrance. Drawn to the sounds, colors, and lyrics of celebration and community, your curiosity leads you onward.
What's Inside the Galleries
THE SPIRIT OF LOUISIANA: The museum’s galleries offer experiences of the complex, living spirit of Louisiana music and how it connects us all.
This is the guiding focus of every gallery, with each room approaching the subject from different perspectives. Our galleries offer a wide variety of information and storytelling with lots of “wow.” All of the experiences are meant to leave a lasting impression on visitors young and old.
LOUISIANA FRENCH LANGUAGE: All wayfinding and exhibit titles will employ Louisiana French as a co-equal language so that visitors find themselves surrounded by the heritage language of the state.
First Floor
Second Floor
Gallery 1
Gallery 2
Gallery 3
Gallery 4
Gallery 5
Education Space
A versatile space where the Louisiana Music Museum’s stories come alive through its educational programs.
EDUCATION PROGRAMS: A place for focused workshops and hands-on activities for school groups, family days, and youth camps.
COMMUNITY MUSIC EDUCATION: A venue for public group lessons, demonstrations, lectures,
meetings, and jams.
MUSIC CONNECTIONS SPACE: A welcoming place for community-based musicians to meet, collaborate, and create.
Music Hall
Evocative of a classic Louisiana dance hall, the visually striking open space is enveloped by the original wooden walls and worn floors of the 1890 Lafayette Hardware Store.
The Music Hall at the Louisiana Music Museum will be the perfect mid-sized concert venue to connect with musicians and culture bearers. The Music Hall stage will be the scene for intimate concerts, Cajun and Zydeco dances, and private events.
LIVE PERFORMANCES: Intimate concerts present renowned artists, Grammy winners, and music industry icons to unknown musicians who have persisted behind the scenes and shaped the sounds of the state. The Music Hall is where history is made, as up-and-coming Louisiana music artists become the future’s gold-standard.
LIVELY ATMOSPHERE: The historic walls will be filled with vibrant, fun, celebratory visuals that create a Louisiana scene for live events and special gatherings.
Surprise encounters may even sweep you into a dance lesson or entice you to try an instrument you have always wanted to play.
HISTORIC TOUCHES: Providing the perfect backdrop for Music Hall performances, the dance hall inspired design features a classic jukebox to create an authentic atmosphere to make you feel as though this venue has been part of Louisiana’s music scene for decades.
