Louisiana Art & Science Museum

We decided to give this a shot since entry was free for veterans. We were pleasantly surprised. We got to watch a planetarium show on mummies and my kids (5&10) were enthralled with the mummy exhibit and my youngest cannot stop talking about how she got to see a “real life mummy”. We also really enjoyed the kids play area and are now on the hunt for a magnetic marble run wall like they had. I had to peel my son away from it when it was time to go.

SO COOL!!!! They had plenty of Egyptian artifacts to look at and learn about. They had an interactive science area with crafts and activities. The Planetarium area had an amazing movie section where yey screen different educational films

I had such an incredible time at the art and science museum! 🧪🎨 There was so much to see and learn, I could have spent all day there. 🤩 It's definitely worth a visit if you're in the area. The museum offered so many interactive displays, making it a fun and engaging experience for all ages. Just a heads up, parking is easy to find on the street, but it is metered. Don't forget to pay!

I was surprised by how nice the museum was. The number of ancient Egyptian artifacts was stunning and there is even an actual mummy on display. Furthermore, the movie about Egyptian burial practices was both entertaining and informative. We loved it!

Really cool museum! We brought our 13 month old and one month old and it definitely helped with beating the Louisiana heat! There’s a planetarium that has short movies on the hour. We watched one about space and another about mummies. Both of which were engaging for not only the adults but even our 13 month old was intrigued. Military/Veterans/Fiest responders & family can enjoy for free which is a big plus in my book!

I will say that this is the first time I’ve been disappointed visiting a museum. I mean $15 to see what? No wonder the place was a ghost town. We were barely there for 30 minutes. The exhibits were bare and even the best exhibit, the Egyptian exhibit, was underwhelming. The place stated that you’re not allowed to take photos or videos of the mummy there but sorry, we’re getting the most out of that $15 we spent there! This museum should either be free or $5 at maximum. I’ve paid $10 for way larger museums but this isn’t it. As a Louisiana native, this was unacceptable. I felt bad that my mom didn’t have a good time. Your money will be well spent at one of the neighboring museums such as the USS Kidd. That would be my suggestion, go elsewhere and save your money 💯

We got to explore this museum on the first Sunday of the month and it was Marvelous. I do recommend to get there early to get free parking and it wouldn't be full. Around 3 in the afternoon it got super full but we finished everything around 2-3 hours and we got to see the planetarium shows. The service was perfect, they welcomed us in and were super patient with our questions and they listened.

I have been a patron of LASM for more than 15 years. My kids have outgrown the museum, but I have plenty of family members with little ones, so I still patronize the museum. I love the art, exhibits, discovery play room, and the planetarium. The first Sunday of the month is free for the entire family. It is one of the best family-friendly activities in town for those who like to learn and play.

Returned for nostalgia and was slightly disappointed but people with children would probably have a better time. This museum has several components: art, Egyptian displays, planet displays, steam and children's play areas, and the planetarium where shows are played. I used to go here all the time as a kid and enjoyed it thoroughly. Returning as an adult was slightly disappointing. This seems like a large building, but it is relatively small for the price. The art display is super small and mainly Egyptian focused. I did enjoy the pop up exhibit currently displayed. They do have a great area for STEAM engagement and children's play area. I did not stay this time for a show, but in the past as a child my favorite was when they played a documentary of Katrina. The planetary exhibit is very disappointing. There is a gift shop on the first floor. This is centrally located amongst many other downtown experiences within walking distance. From a child's perspective I can imagine this would still be a great and engaging experience.

this was a fun date idea. I was hoping for more museum space dedicated to the stars/planets..there was a large piece dedicated to mummies-- which was interesting, but not really what I was looking for. The immersive experience in the dome included in the price of the museum was my favorite part... The staff here was very kind as well.

This was my first visit and I attended with my daughter's first grade class. I checked the website before going to see about price and if they honored the Veteran's free admission. When I got there, I was told as a Veteran I couldn't enter free as I was attending a field trip. Other than that, the place is pretty cool. The planetarium inspired my daughter and now her bedroom is decorated as a solar system. I just need to figure out the parking next time, because walking from the parking garage as a disabled person was a bit much and those stairs were awful.

Great eclectic collection of art and science. Really interesting science exhibits. Engaging art collections. Rotating planetarium show.

I have been wanting to visit for quite some time now, and I have finally made it! There is limited street parking in front, and a paid parking lot a few blocks away. Admission prices are very reasonable. This is in the old train depot, and has had the addition of the planetarium. All of the employees I encountered were friendly and very helpful. The planetarium was huge with plenty of seating. The art galleries rotate, though I am not sure how often. The kids play areas seemed very nice and interactive. I would recommend this to anyone in the area.

Literally more expensive than museums in major cities. More $$ for : No Parking and lackluster exhibits. From the moment we arrived after paying $20 for parking, the disappointment began. $15 per adult (2 adults) and $12 for a 3 year old kid! First, the museum is poorly lit and outdated and many of the pieces seemed to be replicas. We went to watch the planetarium show which starts at 2 but after being seated the employee told us there would be a delay while we waited for a birthday party to arrive. After ten minutes, we left as our toddler was getting antsy. We walked through several other rooms where the staff was preoccupied with cutting down Coke boxes. I'm not sure what was going on. We managed to see the mummy exhibit. It hasn't changed in 40 years but we still found it interesting. The other cool object was a Triceratops Skull on loan from the Raising Cane's founder. Bottom line. Probably one of the least impressive museums that I've ever been to.

Nice Sunday afternoon outing. We arrived right before opening and were able to park right in front of the building. I took my 11 year old daughter for our weekly mommy and me summer outing. Great for all ages and inexpensive! I really enjoyed the Egyptian exhibit. My daughter was a little afraid once she realized the mummy on display was real. Nice art work and other exhibits. We watched a movie in the planetarium about solar system. It was a little too kiddy for her age but we still enjoyed the cool design of the theater room nonetheless. Definitely make this a visit!

Having grown up in Baton Rouge, I visited LASM numerous times on school field trips, always loving the displays and children's area, and especially being drawn in by the mummy permanently residing there. I grew up hearing it was a female child, but as with many technological advances in science, I found out on my visit last week that it was discovered it was actually a male child in residence there. Over Christmas break, a friend was in town (he also grew up here, but he loves space and science), and we decided to venture downtown to LASM and see what was going on. They have lots of interesting and interactive space information, history on explorers, and fossils of stones and also a full dinosaur skull to view. There is currently a stunning Iridescence exhibit of all sorts of beetles and butterflies, as well as different color and light displays. There's a dress adorned with natural beetles that catch your eyes with their color reflections. They have a scavenger hunt of sorts of the little ones were they had to find certain "hidden" (in plain sight) pictures around the museum and take a picture by them to get a prize from the museum. How fun and a way to keep the kids entertained while enjoying the displays. After viewing the art and science parts of the museum, we headed to the planetarium to watch a show on American music. Heavily focused on our region and beloved entertainers who birthed jazz and blues, it was quite a good educational piece with lots of great music . All the staff working there were very friendly and helpful. I think LASM should be on every local's list, as well as those visiting and want to learn a little more about everything!

Great spot to bring the kids on a hot day! There are a lot of different rooms and exhibits that kids of all ages can enjoy. We usually check out the space section first. There are several interactive exhibits that are likely more geared to older kids (6+) but younger kids can still enjoy them, just to a lesser extent. Right above the space room is the planetarium which has shows throughout the day. The "full screen" in planetariums are always so neat. For the most part, the shows are made for adults, but there is one animated feature that gets played that is great for kids. There are a few more neat exhibits upstairs, my favorite being the Egyptian section where they have a mummy! They also have some really old kitchen utensils that my 4YO was awed by. We usually finish up at the two kids rooms, which are divided up between activities for younger kids (~5 and under) and older kids. In the smaller room, there are activity tables (drawing, coloring, etc), a fort with stairs, a library, kitchen play set, and a play area for kids under 3. The second room has more advanced activities, including crafts, building blocks, some computer games about health, architecture drawing station, and a huge ball run. Our almost 2YO can't do much in the second room but our 4YO enjoys both rooms equally. There is usually a volunteer or staff member in both kid rooms to keep things orderly. Stroller parking right outside. The staff across the whole museum is really nice! Limited parking is usually available across the street, but we have had to park far away when there is an event at the river center. Annual memberships are definitely a deal if you go more than twice. We usually make it here about once a month in the summer and once every two months in the milder months, and the kids don't ever get bored of it!

I have young kids and am constantly on the search for weekend activities. I'm so glad that we bought annual passes for LASM! We rotate this with Knock Knock Museum to escape the summer heat while keeping the kids engaged. Some of the activities are too advanced for my 1.5 year old son, but my 4 year old daughter loves this place. She's watched multiple shows at the planetarium and spent hours at the kids rooms. The facility itself is well run and the staff is usually friendly. I read that they are revamping the two kids play areas so we will definitely be renewing our membership next summer!

"Explore, learn, immerse and imagine". Yes, you can do all of these things at the LASM... most likely all in one day, too! I always love coming here to see what's new and re-visit on-going exhibits they have up. This is a great place for families; hence, very kid-friendly! There are many hands-on exhibits here. For kids: there is a room that has pretend kitchen, pretend food, art station and a toddler station. There is another room that has an exploratory room, where kids can learn a bit of physics and natural science! I have not yet visited the planetarium, but hope to soon I love many of the temporary exhibits that come in. My recent favorite that will be here from October 2014 - January 2015. I was introduced to this exhibit by attending the Creative Louisiana group talk and a presentation was given by artist - Jason Hackenwerth on his upcoming sculptures for the "Inflate. Draw. Pour." exhibit. I was floored and could not wait to see the installation of his work. I even got to sit one-on-one with the artist and ask him more about his artistry. He has constructed sculptures all over the world made of thousands of latex balloons! Wowza!! It is a must-see, so take your family, while the pieces are up until January. First Sunday of the month is free admission! * Planetarium * Exhibits * Kid-Friendly * Art Installation * Baton Rouge Museum * Discovery Room *

The LASM is a great place to bring kids. If you're an adult you may get bored quickly, but the kids will love it. For The Kids The LASM has a lot of things kids will love. The planetarium shows are highly entertaining to the younger humans, particularly the laser show before the actual film. On the day we went we watched a film about super volcanoes which was very informative and made me fear global extinction. There was also a fashion exhibit that was somehow related to a reality show. The exhibit consisted of mannequins wearing the most ridiculous outfits I have ever seen. I have no clue how some furry purse made in to a dress is supposed to be fashionable. But what the hell do I know considering every shirt I wear is plaid. The main area that kids will like is the area specifically designed for them. I don't recall what the room was called, but inside were all sorts of hands on science displays. There was a large Rube Goldberg machine, a mock up of the human ear, animal pelts, a sciency plinko style game and even a kaleidoscope mirror display that will make your kids look funny. Unless of course they already look funny. Then it will make them look funnier, or normal, or something like that. Now that I have discussed some of the stuff kids will love, let me move on to the thing I thought was super freakin cool. They have a mummy. A real, live mummy. Well, it isn't really live, but you get the picture. There it was , behind the glass in a darkened room made to look like a pyramid. An actual mummy. The wrappings around his head were peeled back where you could see his fairly well preserved face and hair. This is not for the faint of heart and does have a tendency to frighten kids, but I was fascinated. I stood there staring envisioning what it was like back then and what kind of life this mummified dude lived. It was a moving experience. OK, I realize I sound a bit like a lunatic, but trust me. Go stare at the mummy and you'll see what I mean. Parking in this area is a bit difficult. Expect to walk a few blocks from one of the nearby pay lots. I recommend walking along the river as the view is incredible. If you have kids, or you like mummies, check out the LASM.

Although the collection of art isn't very large you'll find great pieces being rotated through the museum. I spent hours here as a kid exploring and falling in love with art, so it is kid friendly. It is a great place to go solo to relax and reflect, maybe catch a show too.

Enjoyed a great installation highlighting Iridescence, photos do no Justice! Several artists featured and lots of information with two more live installations coming. The building is right on the riverfront, lots of great natural lighting, knowledgeable staff, clean and Covid compliant.

I am always trying to find a way to spend time with my younger sisters when not busy with work or school. I decided to check it out with them and let me just say this is an amazing, interactive place. It allowed me to enjoy my family time and allow my siblings to engage and understand art and many cool scientific things such as space. I 10/10 recommend it.

It's smaller than you think. There are cute rooms for the kids. One for the babies the other Room is for bigger kids. The bathroom is on the opposite side of the building. Not bad, but it's free every first Sunday and that's about the only time we'd go back.

Lovely art, There is almost NOTHING to do in Baton Rouge, easily one of the most dead cities I have ever been in in the world. So going to this museum was a must for me as I tried to kill some time. I can honestly say thought that it was a good time being wasted. I didn't feel that I was just out on the limb doing absolutely nothing. I really felt engaged being inside and immersed in the history, but I'm a science nerd so of course I gravitated to the astronomy. I'm a happy camper!

LASM is a good, but small, museum and planetarium - do not go in expecting the museums of New York or Washington DC. Admission is reasonable, except when the Main Art Gallery is changing exhibits. Keep an eye on the website or call the front desk for information regarding the current exhibits, because they usually have something interesting going on. If you're planning on taking your kids there during the late spring or fall, call the front desk in the morning to see if they're busy with school groups - April tends to be their busiest month and they sometimes have several hundred students in the museum at one time. The floorstaff are all extremely sweet and love kids. LASM is closed on Mondays and has shortened hours on Sundays, so keep that in mind when planning a visit.

*Edit* Nita made this right for us and I was so appreciative of her. Normally i love this place. Today I'm super bummed. We came to see Flight of the Butterflies at the Planetarium with our son which starts at 3:00. We were here trying to buy tickets at 3:04pm since there's a festival in downtown Baton Rouge that slowed us down. ZERO grace period for that, would not let us in. It's my sons favorite movie and this would have been his first time at the movies. It was the highlight of my Mother's Day weekend plans. I can't believe they expect everyone to be extremely punctual for a planetarium showing. You'd think between announcements and seating, they could give people at least 5 minutes to get their seats. I hope they adjust this in the future. Parents bringing kids to movies could always use a few minutes because stuff happens. I know they have to draw the line somewhere but 4 minutes late is reasonable IMO to let someone in. Not to mention how difficult it can be to navigate and park in downtown BR.

Overall, good for a day, but I have a hard time imagining a membership is worth it. This museum has a few really cool things, especially the mummy, but there just isn't a lot to the museum. I would expect to see a museum in one of the smaller cities in the state, not in the capital. I don't want to come across as too negative, but I just wasn't impressed by how few exhibits they had. But to be fair, a few of them were really nice; I enjoyed the exhibit on the solar system. Even though it was designed for kids, I felt like I learned a bit too. I wouldn't plan a day for just this museum, but it fits in nicely if you want to visit a few different places over the course of a day.

I like this museum because it is small. You get to see amazing stuff but you wont leave feeling overwhelmed by how much you saw. The planetarium is amazing. I sould say this place is more awesome for kids, as they have a huge kids area where they can play and learn, make art, and do other interactive activities. For adults, I would say the planetarium side or the Mummy exhibit are the most fun/interesting. Spoiler alert, there is a REAL MUMMY! If you go at the right time, a guide will be there to teach you all about the mummy's history and why he is so unique! My absolute favorite part of the museum is the "see what you weigh on all of the planets" interactive exhibit. You stand on a platform and it tells you how much you would weigh on each planet. It's super fun and a good way to gain some perspective. The stones and fossils they have are also really interesting and beautiful. Surely everyone can find something they love here! The gift shop has great prices compared to other museums I would say!

This museum proves that size doesn't always matter as long as it's packed with engaging exhibits and content. This museum has a little bit for everyone, the art lover, the history buff or the budding astronomer. The egypt exhibit is very immersive, as it does a great job of setting the scene. The kid's arenas are separated by age which is nice and there is quite a bit to do in both areas. The permanent collection of art is quite nice, which a mix of international and regional flare. The temporary exhibits I've seen have always been wonderful; my favorites being Josephine from a few years ago and the current balloon exhibit. It's a wonderful, inexpensive museum and well worth a trip. We spend around 2-3 hours there each time. Con: Parking is a nightmare, no set museum parking, so only parking available is on the street. Good luck with that.

I've been going to the LASM since I was a kid. The first Sunday of the month, you get free admission and reduced prices to the shows. For the kids, they have two science discover playrooms. The art exhibits are always changing too. We went to one that showcased photographs from the Louisiana flood. It was beautiful work. Then one time they had this exhibit where everything was carved from wood. One exhibit that never changes is the ancient Egyptian mummy. You get to walk through this little tunnel(which use to scare me as a child) and into a little room where you can see a real mummy. It's pretty neat. Then in the next room they have the Egyptian artifacts and details about the Egyptians. After that you can go into the space part of the museum. They have all kinds of displays about the planets and space. It's really neat! They usually have about 3 or 4 different shows playing too. It's a nice way to spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon!

This is a wonderful museum in downtown Baton Rouge. They had a wonderful Egyptian display with a mummy. There is also a separate area for children as well. If you are downtown, this is a great place to spend the morning or afternoon.

There were some cool elements, like the charcoal drawings currently on display. And the Egyptian area was ok. The planetarium, which we were not even planning on going in was the best part. Really cool interactive pieces. If I had done a little more research and realized it was mainly for children (there is a cool kid's zone and some other interactive things that, while adults could definitely take part in, it is designed for kids), I probably would have crossed it of our list. And considering it had the highest entrance fee ($9) of anything we did, I definitely would recommend seeing one of the other art museums instead. I was also surprised at how small it is. We walked through it in less than an hour. If you have kids, then maybe check it out. Otherwise, time and money could be spent better elsewhere.

They have a REAL mummy in their Egypt section! Very cool. Geared towards younger children; they have interactive exhibits and a planetarium. I go for their revolving exhibitions every few months. I discovered one of my favorite photographers here about 5 years ago.

Fun for all ages!! The kids rooms they have are amazing and hands on! The rest of the museum is great but wouldn't recommend for 3 and under.

As mentioned in other reviews, it's a small museum and adults can quickly get bored. We viewed the movie about dinosaurs. It was about two (bad acting) explorers. I expected to be flying with dinosaurs the whole time (as advertised), not following a stereotypical teenager and weird dad.

I give it four stars for kids. The kids really enjoyed both museum and planetarium. The most interesting thing to me was the Egyptian room with the mummy. I was disappointed in the IMAX show because it was more of a cartoon for kids, nothing near a regular learning IMAX. Will not pay for a show there again but we will definitely be back to museum. It was about 35 bucks for 2 adults and 2 children combos museum/show.

Cheap to get in, IMAX theater, and some local art. Not bad but not amazing.

CUt! The fabulous exhibit of costumes from movies is a real coup for us! Though small, the selection if costumes presented, along with information on how each piece was made, makes it a delightful exhibit for all ages! Little girls will enjoy the fairy tale dress from Phantom of the Opera while seamstresses will love the attention to detail and the merging of old pieces into the garnet to make them look authentic. It was a great visit for my sister and mr!!

Small, but has some neat exhibits. My kids and I got to look at a real 2000 year old mummy. So that was awesome. The planetarium was great, and the science exhibits were fantastic. Also, they have great hands on kids exhibits. We loved it. And we would definitely come again and recommend it to anyone staying in Baton Rouge.

I love how LASM keeps up with trendy artists and local talent. There is a constant reaching out for more fresh creative art and this is what will keep Baton Rouge up with all of the other major cities of its size.

Awesome! Wish I went here more often, and that there were more places like this in Baton Rouge!

This place would be great for young children if only the staff in the kids areas were actually kid-friendly. They didn't engage with the kids at all, on multiple occasions, and mostly just stood/sat there watching. The only time they even spoke was to tell us what not to do. They were like security guards, which I don't think is ideal for a children's area. A smile or a "hello" would have been nice, rather than just cold stares and no interaction. I've been to plenty of kids museums and this is the first where the staff are so unfriendly. The staff in the rest of the museum were actually much nicer than those in the kids rooms.