Lafayette Science Museum

Subject: Science/Nature, History

433 Jefferson St.
Lafayette, LA 70501

(337) 291-5544 | General Information
(337) 291-5544 | Reservations
(337) 291-5464 | Fax

What you need to know!

General Public Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday 9:00am – 9:30pm, Wednesday – Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm, Saturday 10:00am - 6:00pm, Sunday 1:00pm – 6:00pm; $5.00 adults, $2.00, seniors $3.00, children ages 6-12

School Tour Hours and Admission Rates: Tuesday – Friday, 8:30am – 1:00pm; Free

Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: 10:1
Advance Time Needed to Make Reservations: Two weeks
Number of Students per Visit: Up to 250
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: Two hours
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Grade Level Appropriate: K – 12th
Lunch Facilities: Picnic area, full-service restaurants, and fast food are in the area.
Gift Shop: Yes
Bus parking available

Tell Us About It!

Don’t be surprised if the Lafayette Science Museum feels like new. The museum opened in 1969, but quickly outgrew its original building. Early in 2002, the museum moved a few blocks away to a renovated 1920s department store building on Jefferson Ave. in downtown Lafayette. The museum features a state-of-the-art planetarium with a 40-foot dome, a hands-on Discovery Area, an auditorium, classrooms, and over 10,000 square feet of exhibitions. The museum is committed to explaining and exploring the natural world, the universe, and the role people play in interacting with the world and the cosmos. The two-story building offers changing exhibits that vary from underwater to outer space, from dinosaurs to diamonds.

What Can We See and Do There?

The Lafayette Science Museum offers educational programs, star shows, and quarterly changing exhibits. The astronomy programs are available to school groups on Tuesday – Thursday between 9:00am and 1:00pm with reservations. Guided tours are available and teachers can elect to lead their own classes through the multimedia exhibits about Louisiana cultures and natural history. The Discovery Room is a science oriented play space for students to observe, test, handle, and probe specimens from A to Z such as art, astronomy, botany, ecology, entomology, geology, ichthyology, paleontology, and zoology. The education department offers out-reach programs for classroom use. Teachers should call the museum for the schedule of up coming exhibits and to find out what out reach materials and programs are currently available.

How Do We Get There?

From I-10, Exit 103 to US 167. Travel south about 2.4 miles. Turn right onto Jefferson Street. Travel four blocks to West Congress. The site is on the left.

From I-49, after passing under I-10, travel approximately 2.4 miles. Turn right onto to Jefferson St. Travel four blocks to West Congress. The site is on the left.

From Rte. 90, turn left onto Jefferson St. Travel five blocks. The site is on the left.

Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?

This site offers an indoor field-trip experience.

Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards

K-4th grades: SI-E-A1-7; SI-E-B1-6; ESS-E-A1-5; ESS-E-B1-3; H-1C-E1, 4
5th-8th grades: SI-M-A1-8; SI-M-B1-6; ESS-M-A5; ESS-M-C2, 4-5; H-1D-M1, 6

What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip Visit?

Call the education department to arrange for a loan of a Discovery Box or a Suitcase, (337) 291-5544. The museum will mail teachers a pre-visit packet at the same time field trip reservations are made.