Alexandre Mouton House

Subject: History

1122 Lafayette St.
Lafayette, LA 70501

(337) 234-2208 | General Information
(337) 234-2208 | Reservations
(337) 234-2208 | Fax

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What you need to know!

General Public Hours and Admission Rates:

Tuesday – Saturday, 9:00am – 4:30pm;
Sunday, 1:00pm – 4:00pm; $3.00 Adults, $2.00 Seniors, $1.00 Students

School Tour Hours and Admission Rates:

Tuesday – Saturday, 9:00am – 4:30pm; Free

Notes

Student to Chaperone Ratio Requested: 12:1
Advance Time Needed to Make Reservations: Two weeks
Number of Students per Visit: Up to 50
Suggested Length of Time for Visit: One hour
Handicapped Accessible: First floor of museum only
Grade Level Appropriate: 4th – 12th
Lunch Facilities: Picnic area and fast food restaurants are nearby.
Gift Shop: No
Bus parking available

Tell Us About It!

Located in the heart of Lafayette, Alexandre Mouton House is dedicated to preserving and teaching the history and culture of south Louisiana. This house museum opened its doors to the public in 1954 as the original Lafayette Museum. Today, this three-story town house recalls 200 years of regional history through exhibits and tours. The museum includes permanent exhibits about the Civil War, period furniture, the city’s nuns and convent community, and Mardi Gras. The story of the historic house unfolds with Louisiana’s colonial period in the 18th century to World War II in the 20th century. The architecture is an eclectic mix of fashions and includes a dog trot passageway to an early outdoor kitchen exhibit, the “Sunday House,” and a smokehouse.

What Can We See and Do There?

Around me will hover
In grief or in glee
‘Till life’s dream be over
Sweet memories of thee
Rosa Mills, 1855

This inscription, among the oldest found on a window pane in the Alexandre Mouton House, is testimony to the lives touched by history in Lafayette, Louisiana. Other glass windows are inscribed including one which reads, “Vermillion Ville,” the city’s original name. The museum building was home to a long line of influential men including a Louisiana governor, several senators, and some Civil War heroes. Students are led by trained tour guides through the museum starting in the “Sunday House,” a unique one-room abode used by the Mouton family once a week when they traveled into town for church from the plantation. Teachers are encouraged to take a free preview-tour of the museum. Museum personnel are available to assist teachers in planning their class field trips and in selecting specific exhibits to be highlighted on the students’ tour.

How Do We Get There?

From I-10, take Exit 101 on Hwy. 182 South which will become University Ave. Travel approximately three miles and turn left on Lafayette St. The museum is located one-half block down on the left.

Bad Weather! Now What Do We Do?

The museum tour is an indoor experience, and the building is heated and air conditioned.

What Can We Visit Nearby?

St. John’s Cathedral; University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Louisiana State Educational Benchmarks and Standards

K-4th grades: H-1A-E1-2; H-1B-E1-2; H-1C, E1-4
5th – 8th grades: H-1A-M1-3, 5; H-1B-M2, 3, 6
9th – 12th grades: H-1A-H2, 4; H-1B-H1, 2, 5, 7

What Can We Do In Class Before Our Field Trip?

A Teacher Resource Guide and Student Activity Packet are available to teachers just for the asking. The black-and-white booklet is packed with 25 pages of information and in-class worksheets that can be easily photocopied for students.

S-T-R-E-T-C-H Out Your Field Trip Benefits

Hold onto that resource guide for classroom assignments to follow up the museum visit. Puzzles and quick coloring projects inside will jog kids’ memories and prompt class discussion.