Top Places to See Awe-Inspiring Art in Lafayette, LA

Winter is the best time to catch up with the latest artists’ exhibitions and get inspiration from the paintings and modern sculpture. When the nights are dark and dull outside, you can get some color back in your life by visiting one of the great galleries Lafayette, Louisiana, has to offer. Find out more about where to go and what to see this year.

Acadiana Center for the Arts

This cultural center is the perfect location for fundraisers and performances. You will find Latin music and theater shows, as well as art exhibitions. The galleries provide contemporary artists the opportunity to display their work and offer themed exhibits, such as a collection of expressionist artists, visual displays, and modern installations to get you thinking and inspire your imagination.

Hilliard University Art Museum

This modern gallery’s exhibits focus on historic events and recreate artists’ personal memories. In May, you can find the “Spotlight on Francis Pavy” exhibit, showcasing different techniques applied and experimented with by the artist. Local artists are regularly featured in the Hilliard Museum, and you can find unique collections from individual painters and sculptors. The photography collection has images from over 100 local photographers. It’s located on the campus of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Cathedral Museum and Gift Shop

This religious museum has some unique memorabilia from early bishops and clergy and showcases the life of the church centuries ago. The St. John Cathedral Parish has a history of 185 years, and you can find religious artwork exhibits or check out the regular collections. The Historical Vestment Exhibit has several photographs as well as liturgical items, and you will find a Baroque Neapolitan crèche, with 18th-century Nativity characters.

Lafayette Science Museum 

For families looking for a fun, hands-off experience to introduce their children to the world of experiments and science, this is the place to visit. With its own planetarium and virtual reality lab, the museum is engaging and entertaining for all ages. The creations of the virtual reality show are among the best interactive installations created in recent years.  You can visit the observatory or some of the permanent exhibits, such as the one about “Leaving Earth,” that tells the story of space travel, or the “Virtual Aquarium” that introduces kids to underwater creatures without disturbing the fish. If meteorites captivate you, visit the special exhibit and learn more about the impact they caused when they landed on Earth.

Alexandre Mouton House 

If you would like to go back in time, you must visit the Alexandre Mouton House, which is full of original 19th-century furnishings and decor. Those interested in Lafayette’s history will find answers to their questions, and there are interesting events held here, such as picnic luncheons in 19th-century style. You can book your tour Tuesdays through Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Whether you love how contemporary photographers capture the moment or would like to take a step back in time, you will find plenty of art galleries and interactive museums to satisfy your curiosity. Take the weekend off and visit one of these galleries for intellectual stimulation.

Image “Le Musee De Lafayette Historical Marker” via Flickr by  QuesterMark used under CC BY-SA 2.0 

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