Disclosure :: this post is sponsored by the Louisiana Children’s Museum.
A New Spin on an Old Favorite :: Louisiana Children’s Museum
It doesn’t take much arm twisting for us to hop in the car and head to my home town in New Orleans and hang out at City Park for a day. I get to share some of my favorite childhood memories with my own kids including feeding the ducks, playing, lounging and snacking on beignets! With that being said, you’re going to find our family at City Park a WHOLE lot more in the coming months … and why is that you may ask? Because more memory making is to be had being that the neatest children’s museum will be calling City Park home as of August 31st when the doors officially open.
Louisiana Children’s Museum will be debuting their brand new project which can be summed up as an amazing new spin on an old New Orleans favorite. I recently was able to see a preview of this masterful creation. After 13 years of meticulous and thoughtful planning centered around children, this 47-million-dollar labor of love will welcome families from all over. Not only is it a beauty from the outside but what’s inside is even more special!
Photo credit: Images © 2019 Neil Alexander
If you grew up remotely close to New Orleans, you likely visited the Louisiana Children’s Museum on Julia Street in Downtown New Orleans. Remember those signature blue doors at the entrance? How about the massive bubbles you could make? What about grocery shopping? As kids, we always had to “make groceries” to get a feel for being in the real world. Now that I’m fully “adulting” these days, I can say grocery shopping isn’t all it’s cracked up to be but oh how I cherish all of those memories of rolling my grocery cart around at the museum as a youngster. With over 30 exhibits and outdoor learning experiences, there will still be nods to the exhibits we grew up loving but in reimagined ways. I’m always trying to think of ways that my boys can have a taste of my hometown and this is it! The Louisiana Children’s Museum couldn’t be opening at a better time for making new memories with modern installations and relevant activities that align with the growth of our state. Not to mention, everything that was created was done so by little minds and locals alike! For example, there’s one floor that’s comprised of a huge water table area that shows the life of the Mighty Mississippi River.
The special details that are sprinkled throughout the museum will bring about warm fuzzies in your heart. Right down to the kid-sized doors and windows {affectionately known as “kindows”} for the tiniest fun seekers. It’s bright and welcoming with a holistic emphasis on catering to the entire child through play-based learning. The museum is also home to one of 3 “Bean Machines” in the world where the kids can simulate transportation in a fun way. Guests will also see that there are over 1000 pieces of art produced by local children displayed throughout the museum including the bathroom signs.
Either before or after the kids play their hearts out, families can head on over to Acorn NOLA, a delicious cafe that is spearheaded by the renowned Dickie Brennan & Co. You most certainly will not go hungry nor will you have to go downtown to get a taste of delicious and authentic New Orleans cuisine complete with healthy options for the whole family. From robust local coffee from French Truck to locally sourced meats, you’ll want return if even to grab a “picnic roll” from the café to enjoy under the shady City Park trees.
To learn more about becoming a member of the Louisiana Children’s Museum, check out the details on their website HERE. You can certainly save money for general admission as the membership lasts for a full year. If you visit more than 3 times in 12 months, then a LCM membership would be for you. LCM members are invited to Members-Only Previews on Sunday, August 25 and Monday, August 26 from 9:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. This gives families the opportunity to visit the museum before they open to the general public on Saturday, August 31 at noon. We hope to see you there!
