The Origin of the Louisiana State Museum

Did you Know?

Did you know that the Louisiana State Museum came into being, in part, as a result of the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition held in St. Louis?

The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, which was also known as the St. Louis World’s Fair, opened on April 30, 2004 in St. Louis Missouri. It was held to commemorate the Centennial of the Louisiana Purchase and many of its attractions had themes related to the Purchase and its outcomes. More than sixty nations participated in the fair. So did 43 of the nation’s states, and Louisiana was prominent among them. Most of the sculptures and statues erected for the fair had themes related to history of the Louisiana Territory, and one of them, the Louisiana Purchase Monument, became an important centerpiece of the fair. The monument was located on the fair’s central plaza across from the main hall and featured important events in the history of Louisiana at its base. The pinnacle stretched 100 feet into the sky and supported a sculpture depicting peace in the world.

Louisiana also contributed a building of its own to the fair. That building was a replica of the Cabildo in New Orleans and it too held exhibits dedicated to the history of Louisiana and of the Louisiana Purchase. The exhibits featured many important portraits and fine antiques and also included artifacts related to the state’s accomplishments in business and industry since the Civil War.

Replica of the Cabildo at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (also known as the St. Louis World's Fair)

At the conclusion of the St. Louis Exposition on Dec. 30, 1904, the Board of Commissioners who had been responsible for creating the Cabildo replica and gathering the artifacts for its exhibits, began to lobby for a permanent home for those collections in Louisiana. As a result of their efforts, one of the Louisiana State Museum’s earliest incarnations opened on May 3, 1905 at 730 Carondelet Street in New Orleans.

Ultimately the Louisiana State Museum assumed responsibility for the Cabildo and Presbytere on Jackson Square and its exhibits were moved to those sites in 1910 and 1911. Since that time, the museum has acquired responsibility for a number of other important historical properties in the French Quarter including the Madam John’s Legacy and the Old United States Mint.

Today, the State Museum system includes sites in Natchitoches and Patterson, Louisiana and plans are underway for the opening of a new and up to date state history museum in Baton Rouge, slated to open in May 2005.

A century after it began, the Louisiana State Museum is still working to find innovative ways to serve the state’s citizens and its many visitors, whether on-site in its museums or on-line with its multi-faceted website.

Louisiana State Museum staff members are hard at work on exhibits that focus on the history and culture of the state for the new State Museum Branch that will open in Baton Rouge in 2005.

Want to know more about the history of Louisiana? Explore the Lousiana State Museum's website, http://lsm.crt.state.la.us and visit the Louisiana State Museum.

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