LSU Museum of Natural Science Celebrates Louisiana’s Native American Heritage

When: Friday, June 1, 2007, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: LSU Museum of Natural Science, 119 Foster Hall, Baton Rouge

Cost: Not available

Age limit: All ages

Categories: Museum exhibits, History/Science

Description: BATON ROUGE – The LSU Museum of Natural Science, or LSU MNS, Divisions of Anthropology and Education have joined forces with the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism’s archaeology division to celebrate and promote Louisiana’s rich Native American heritage.

This program, which opened June 1, brings a new, permanent display to the LSU MNS, showcasing the cutting-edge archaeological and anthropological research being conducted at the university and around Louisiana. It includes information about Native American cooking, hunting, fishing and housing technology. The display also includes a comprehensive discussion

of how Louisiana’s prehistoric period can be interpreted in the ancient mounds scattered across Louisiana, including the 5,000-year-old LSU campus mounds and artifacts found throughout the state.

The depth and scope of this project, highlighting university educators and researchers, is expected to both attract and retain distinguished graduate and undergraduate students to the university. It will also provide excellent opportunities for faculty development.

Another facet of the program includes the development of a traveling exhibit similar to the one housed in the museum. It will be loaned out to other institutions and Louisiana schools free of charge in order to complete the museum’s mission of continuous educational outreach.

Other educational materials developed in conjunction with the traveling exhibit include an activity book linked to the K-8 curriculum developed in collaboration with the Louisiana

Department of Education, and a new interactive Web site where additional materials can be viewed and downloaded for use in the classroom. All lessons in the activity book were designed to provide important LEAP-test style questions specifically geared toward educating students about Louisiana’s Native American prehistory.

Sophie Warny, director of education at the LSU MNS, said, “This exhibit will enhance the education of Louisiana’s students while showcasing Louisiana’s rich prehistory and the work

of the state flagship university’s archaeologists – particularly Rebecca Saunders and her collection manager, Steve Fullen, and their associates – who are conducting fascinating archeological research that helps us better understand Louisana’s past with each one of their discoveries.”

The exhibit is also expected to boost state tourism, as the exhibit was developed to serve as an important part of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism’s Louisiana’s Ancient Mounds Driving Trail Initiative. The initiative is intended to showcase and promote the numerous mounds in northeast Louisiana, increasing public awareness of the valuable cultural resources found within the state.

The museum and all of its exhibits are open to the media and general public.

For more information, please contact Sophie Warny at 225-578-5089, 225-578-2855 or swarny@lsu.edu, or Steven Fullen at 225-578-3958 or sfulle4@lsu.edu.