West Baton Rouge Museum
The West Baton Rouge Museum sits on a six-acre campus in Port Allen just across the Mississippi River from downtown Baton Rouge. It is Louisiana's only museum that traces the history of sugar from the colonial period to today and it is the hub of the Port Allen Cultural Arts District. It has also become a well-loved home for grassroots acoustic music.
The Story Behind the Museum
The West Baton Rouge Historical Association founded the museum in 1968. Over the decades it has grown to include historic structures along with rotating art exhibits and free community events. The campus teaches traditional trades like blacksmithing and woodworking and fiber arts so they are not lost.
The Juke Joint
One of the campus highlights is a historic juke joint that now serves as an exhibit space and a performance space and a classroom. In cooler months the monthly jams sometimes move into the juke joint for an authentic setting.
Old Time Music Open Jam
On the second Sunday of every month guitarist Kent Louque leads an Old Time Music Open Jam built around early to mid-20th-century country songs. Turnout has ranged from a handful of pickers to more than thirty players on guitar and fiddle and mandolin and string bass. New players of any skill level are encouraged to join.
Cajun Music Jam
On the third Sunday of the month the Cajun French Music Association hosts a Cajun jam at the museum. Fiddle and accordion and guitar players of all levels are welcome to sit in.
Why Musicians Like It
Both jams are drop-in with no sign-up. The sessions usually meet in an air-conditioned museum meeting room and the crowd is friendly and family oriented.
More Events
The museum's biggest annual event is SugarFest which celebrates the sugarcane harvest each fall. Blacksmith demonstrations and exhibits and community programs run throughout the year. West Baton Rouge residents get free museum admission.
Good to Know
The West Baton Rouge Museum is at 845 North Jefferson Avenue in Port Allen LA 70767 just minutes from downtown Baton Rouge. Visit westbatonrougemuseum.com for hours and events. Schedules can change so confirm with the venue or host before heading out.
