The best museums to visit while visiting a new place are those with a local focus. Then they become not just a cultural institution, but an important addition to any tourist’s itinerary, offering a chance to understand the history and background

The best museums to visit while visiting a new place are those with a local focus. Then they become not just a cultural institution, but an important addition to any tourist’s itinerary, offering a chance to understand the history and background of a place.

The Lafayette Natural History Museum & Planetarium is such a facility. While its traveling exhibitions from organizations like the Smithsonian and National Science Foundation give the museum universal appeal, many of its stationery exhibits either revolve around Louisiana’s natural history or shine a spotlight on it. The art and culture displays feature southern Louisiana artists, while The Water Planet exhibit highlights Louisiana’s coastline and the Bayou Vermillion watershed, local to Lafayette.