West Baton Rouge Museum

The West Baton Rouge Museum, nicknamed the “Sugarcane Museum,” sits on a historic parish complex in Port Allen just across the Mississippi River from downtown Baton Rouge. Alongside exhibits on the region's sugar industry and a collection of preserved plantation-era buildings, the museum has become a well-loved home for grassroots acoustic music traditions in the greater Baton Rouge area.

Atmosphere and Setting

Jams take place in an air-conditioned museum meeting room, with sessions occasionally moving to a historic Juke Joint on the museum grounds during cooler months. The setting is casual, family-friendly and rooted in the region's cultural history.

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. Attendance has ranged from a handful of pickers to more than thirty musicians strumming guitars, fiddles, mandolins and string bass, with new players of any skill level encouraged to join in.

Cajun Music Jam

The following week, on the third Sunday of the month, the Cajun French Music Association hosts a companion Cajun Jam at the museum, keeping South Louisiana's Cajun French musical tradition alive with fiddle, accordion and guitar players of all levels welcome to sit in.

Other Programming

The museum's broader calendar includes historical exhibits, a working 1904 World's Fair sugar mill model display, blacksmith demonstrations, and seasonal community events throughout the year.

For Performers

Both monthly jams are informal, drop-in sessions with no sign-up required — musicians are simply invited to bring an instrument and join the circle.

Good to Know

The West Baton Rouge Museum is located at 845 North Jefferson Avenue, Port Allen, LA 70767, just a few minutes from downtown Baton Rouge across the Horace Wilkinson Bridge.