Lafayette History Museum

Fifty years of preserving and sharing Lafayette's history.

A lot has changed in the half-century since the museum was founded, but our mission of showcasing the history of Lafayette through our exhibits, programs, and tours has remained constant. Celebrating our fiftieth anniversary this year meant we had even more opportunities to connect with the community and share the history of the place we call home.

We made major progress on completing an inventory of our collection, which will allow us to take better care of our artifacts, create higher-quality exhibits, and share more of Lafayette’s history. We opened new exhibits at the museum that celebrate the coal mining and agricultural history of the area, while also exploring more recent history and how Lafayette evolved after the last coal mine closed. You can now step into Abuela's Cocina and learn what life was like for one of the many Mexican-American families who have contributed so much to Lafayette. We partnered with more local organizations to create community events like History Happy Hour and Lafayette Learns, celebrate the centennial of the Pioneer Elementary school building, lead walking tours throughout the city, and more. In total, we've served nearly 3,000 visitors and attendees to museum exhibits, walking tours, and educational programs, including over 600 students from local schools. None of this would have been possible without your support.

Still, it was not an easy year. 

We are not a city museum, and rely in part on state and federal funding to complete major projects. This year, support from one major state fund was significantly less than expected. Now, we are hoping to raise $8,500 to close the gap so we can keep our collections manager on staff and continue improving care of our collections. We also have about $6,000 remaining in our campaign to raise the matching funds for the State Historical Fund grant to preserve the Lewis House. Our swing-for-the-fences fundraising goal in the next two months is $15,000.

Despite uncertainty in funding, we have big plans for 2027. We are deepening the stories told in our rotating exhibit to share the local history of pharmacies, schools, and more. We will continue to fundraise and work to protect the historic Lewis House, built in the 1890s, that houses the museum. We will continue to increase partnerships with arts and cultural organizations around Lafayette, care for our collection, host programs, and welcome visitors into the museum space. 

Will you consider supporting our mission? Donations from individuals like you are critical to allowing the museum to remain open and serve the community, and any amount helps.