AcA’s
LOUISIANA MUSIC MUSEUM
is COMING SOON!
Home of the future Louisiana Music Museum: 121 W. Vermilion St. Downtown Lafayette in the Historic Lafayette Hardware Store
Roadhouse, Raceland, Louisiana by Russell Lee, September 1938 Library of Congress
The Louisiana Music Museum is a program and property of Acadiana Center for the Arts (AcA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with the mission of “Fostering Art and Culture in Acadiana.”
This project is an expansion of AcA’s cultural and educational impact on the community as well as a significant draw for tourists to the region.
Mission: Enrich the world by celebrating the stories of Louisiana’s musical legacy through its people, places, and cultures.
Vision Statement: The Louisiana Music Museum stands as a testament to the rhythms and harmonies that resonate within the history of our state, from Indigenous roots to the globally-connected present. This preeminent museum aims to present Louisiana music’s unparalleled stories with accuracy, inclusivity, and innovation.
“From Cajun and Creole traditions to blues, jazz, and funk, the Louisiana Music Museum in Lafayette will celebrate the state’s rich musical heritage. We’re building this transformative project in an equally special building, the historic 1890 Lafayette Hardware Store. We will bring this space to life again with a vibrant flow of live music performances, educational tours, resources for musicians, and of course, world class exhibitions.
Nestled in the heart of South Louisiana, this will be a nationally significant cultural destination that draws visitors from around the world as well as those close at home.
Please join us as we create a new home for the stories of Louisiana’s musical past and present – a gift to future generations.”
Samuel Oliver
Executive Director
Acadiana Center for the Arts
Project Team
Acadiana Center for the Arts Executive Director:
Samuel Oliver
Acadiana Center for the Arts Officers:
Taylor Davis, president
Dr. Ronnie Daigle, past-president
Sarah Gauthier, president-elect
Tracy Frentz, secretary
Michael Munzing, treasurer
Louisiana Music Museum Director:
Jane Vidrine
Louisiana Music Museum Committee Co-Chairs:
Charles Boudreaux
Ethan Jordan
Architects:
Moliere Chappuis Architects & Thomaz Regatos Design
Exhibition Designers:
Ariel Efron, Experience Director, Art Processors
Christine Murray, Creative Director – Content, Art Processors
Project Partners:
Lafayette Consolidated Government
Lafayette Travel
Center for Louisiana Studies – UL
Our Goal is $10 Million in order to:
- Establish a nationally significant destination in Downtown Lafayette.
- Inspire a deep appreciation for our unique culture through immersive storytelling.
- Develop a self-sustaining museum and state-of-the-art music center powered by local and national collaborations.
“Our Louisiana music heritage deserves a place that brings together past memories while inspiring today’s musicians to create and carry forward our legacy.”
– Jane Vidrine, Director, Louisiana Music Museum
Economic Impact:
As a new significant driver of tourism, the economic impact of the Louisiana Music Museum, a program of the Acadiana Center for the Arts, will be felt across the region. Calculations by AEA Consulting with visitation data from Lafayette Travel estimate that the museum can:
- Attract 215,000 visitors each year
- Generate $945,000 in state and local tax income
- Support 236 FTE jobs in Lafayette
- Total $8.8 million in direct economic impact each year
Cultural Impact:
While tourists are a key audience, the Louisiana Music Museum will be a dynamic cultural hub where locals return again and again for concerts, lectures, special exhibitions, and workshops.
Cultural impacts in the region include:
- Strengthening the downtown cultural district
- Creating jobs for musicians, music scholars, and cultural ambassadors
- Expanding the appreciation and preservation of Louisiana’s diverse music community
“J’ai passé dedans la porte d’en arrière”
“I passed through the back door”
– D.L. Menard
Here in Louisiana, we come in through the back door and feel right at home.
The main entrance to the Louisiana Music Museum is on Buchanan Street, right around the corner from the Acadiana Center for the Arts. As you approach, you find a beautiful plaza and accessible glass-fronted entryway that gives you a glimpse of the excitement inside.
Entrance Plaza: A welcoming outdoor space with commemorative musician plaques and donor bricks.
Outdoor Stage: An open-air spot for live performances that connects the museum to outdoor festivals and events.
Art Wall: A striking dimensional mural reflecting the historic building’s facade that celebrates Louisiana music icons.
Sculptures: Distinctive art pieces dedicated to Louisiana music legends who greet visitors and entice them to enter the museum to hear the sounds they play.
Step inside the museum
As you enter, you’re greeted and swept into an inviting three-story atrium filled with natural light – a welcoming space designed for gathering, exploring, and beginning your Louisiana’s music heritage journey.
Welcome Desk – Your starting point for museum info, plus statewide music journey tips, and special events offerings.
Museum Store – Browse a curated selection of music books, gifts, and souvenirs, or grab a coffee and enjoy some tunes.
Grand Staircase & Elevator – Easy access to both levels of the museum, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable visit.
Exhibition Entrance –Historic double French doors transport you to the exhibition entrance. Drawn to the sounds, colors, and lyrics of celebration and community, your curiosity leads you onward.
