Science, Stories and Culture Come to Life
Few other states can offer learners the environmental and cultural complexity of Louisiana. Coastal regions and wetlands provide living examples for lessons in ecology and climate resilience, while New Orleans boasts nationally significant centers exploring music, war, science, and experiences of enslaved people. Students are encouraged to view history through perspectives often difficult to learn from textbooks. Field trip groups can become young scientists and examine Louisiana wetlands and Gulf Coast ecosystems, or explore history through artifacts and stories at a historic plantation. Trace the development of jazz in the state, from local traditions to a world-renowned art form, and discover incredible programming accessible to everyone.
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“Programs show students how Caribbean, African, American and European traditions came together in the Crescent City and ultimately created a globally influential art form.”
The National WWII Museum (New Orleans)
Explore The National WWII Museum during its newly redesigned Operation Field Trip, which supports student groups before, during and after their visit. Educators have access to standards-aligned resources to prepare students before their visit. After a museum orientation, student gallery guides help groups learn about WWII through political, military, personal, and technological perspectives with fascinating exhibits and interactive activities. The museum also offers an engaging 4D film, Beyond All Boundaries, for an immersive history lesson.
Whitney Plantation (Wallace)
The Whitney Plantation in Wallace takes middle and high school students beyond generalized accounts of slavery and deep into the personal lives and experiences of enslaved people. Educational tours are designed for grades 5-12 and use guided discussion, historical structures, primary sources, and experiential learning to help students consider the systems of slavery. During the 75-minute tour, groups can trace inequality and resistance through the experiences, voices, and physical spaces of those who shaped the site. Students are encouraged to practice observation and interpretation while considering how evidence, including documents and oral histories, helps historians piece together individual lives.
Audubon Aquarium & Insectarium (New Orleans)
The Audubon Aquarium & Insectarium in New Orleans offers K-12 students opportunities to learn about marine biology and conservation subjects up close through investigative experiences. Groups can explore ocean ecosystems, Louisiana bayous, native Gulf Coast species, insects, endangered animals, and more, while considering food webs and human impacts on wildlife and their habitats. Hands-on activities include a shark and ray touch pool, with exhibits highlighting the region’s biodiversity. The Aquarium becomes an interactive classroom with lessons in environmental science, biology, local aquatic ecosystems, and stewardship.
Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve (Greater New Orleans)
The Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve demonstrates the relationship between Louisiana’s landscapes and people through immersive learning experiences. The park’s six sites cover a range of subjects, from wetlands, zoology, and Cajun culture to the Battle of New Orleans and the Mississippi River. Ranger-guided programs and science projects are some of the experiences for field trip groups, where students are encouraged to make observations, collect ecological data, and understand climate resilience. Other locations throughout the park interpret music, history, and regional culture, all with programming aligned with Louisiana standards and honoring the Every Kid Outdoors initiative.
New Orleans Jazz Museum (New Orleans)
Creativity and jazz history come together at the New Orleans Jazz Museum, with specially designed K-12 field trips that incorporate musical history, dazzling exhibits, and interactive learning opportunities. Programs show students how Caribbean, African, American, and European traditions came together in the Crescent City and ultimately created a globally influential art form. Groups can explore recordings, instruments, artifacts, and photographs and connect them to the history of Congo Square, the evolution of the drum kit, early jazz innovators, music advocacy, migration, technology, civil rights, and storytelling. Self-guided experiences can be enhanced with free educational resources, including lessons, worksheets, videos, and hands-on activities for grades 4-8. Educational spaces at the museum include the Ruth U. Fertel Jazz Lab and the Jazz Education Center, reinforcing an emphasis on supporting future musicians and preserving history and cultural knowledge.
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