Terrebonne Museum - Houma, Louisiana

Touring the Terrebonne Museum at the Southdown Plantation House. Located at the Southdown Plantation House in Houma, Louisiana the Terrebonne Museum has a lot of exhibits and information to offer visitors. The museum is in a 19th century sugar manor house, which was built in 1859. It began as a one-story Greek-Revival styled house, and a second floor was built in 1893, which added the Victorian architecture that people notice today.

The museum houses a number of interesting exhibits. Visitors will be able to see original furnishings that belonged to the family that built the house – these furnishings are from the 19th century and feature handiwork that is almost nonexistent in many pieces built today.

Another exhibit called Memories of Terrebonne 1890 – 1945 includes an oral history of the house and the surrounding area, as well as a number of photographs and a collection of local artifacts. You can even learn about the famous Mardi Gras and how it is celebrated in Houma.

You will also be able to find a variety of handmade crafts from local artists, including dolls, baskets, and woodcarvings. The Southdown Plantation and the sugarcane industry are also detailed at the museum. You can learn about how the plantation was run as well as about the sugarcane that they produced.

Other sections of the museum include exhibits about the Houmas Indians as well as the other Natives of Louisiana. Learn about their culture and their day to day life. You can also see a restored plantation worker's cabin, which was originally built in the late 1800s.

Also part of the museum are the collected works of Charles Gilbert, the celebrated Terrebonne artist, and the literary collection of a local author named Dr. T.I. St. Martin. The museum contains the largest collection of Gilbert's paintings, as well as original manuscripts from Martin. You can even see a re-creation of the office of Senator Ellender.

The museum has a lot to offer in the way of education, and the plantation and museum is a place that no one in the area should miss. It makes for a fascinating tour.

The Terrebonne Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10AM to 4PM, and is closed on certain holidays. The museum is open for escorted tours only, which take about an hour.

Admission to the museum for adults is $6, while seniors, AAA members, and college students with ID pay $5. Children 6 – 18 are $3, and those under age 6 are free.

Address:
1208 Museum Dr
Houma, LA 70360
Phone: 985-851-0154
Fax: 985-868-1476