Throughout its 204-year history, the city of Lafayette has made important contributions to Louisiana music. The first Cajun song ever recorded was “Allons à Lafayette” by Joe and Cleoma Falcon, released in 1928. Nearly a century later, the Acadiana Center for the Arts (AcA) in Lafayette is proud to announce another important debut: the opening, in 2027, of the Louisiana Music Museum, the first facility of its kind in the state.   

Lafayette is a logical city for a museum with this state-wide focus. The rich local culture there gave the world zydeco, Cajun music, Creole music—all sung in French—and swamp pop, which have kept dance floors full for generations. Early rock, rockabilly, and original rock variations have also emerged from this musical hub of southwest Louisiana. So have rhythm & blues, country, classical, jazz from traditional to avant-garde, and gospel. A cappella ballads with medieval French roots still inspire modern interpretations, underscoring the Museum’s bilingual commitment.  

The Louisiana Music Museum will also encompass such diverse sounds as the country music that made national history in Shreveport, the rural blues of North Louisiana, the wellsprings of traditional jazz, R&B, and gospel in New Orleans, and more. Equal parts informative and fun, the Museum will make a stimulating new addition to downtown Lafayette. 

Samuel Oliver, Executive Director of the AcA, explained that the museum’s mission is to “celebrate the state’s rich musical heritage. The Acadiana Center for the Arts is building this transformative project in an equally special building, the historic 1890 Lafayette Hardware Store. We will bring this space to life again.” The old store, with its distinctive nineteenth-century façade, has the right feel for its upcoming new incarnation.  

Museum Director Jane Vidrine—a veteran educator, author, and musician—said, “Our goals are to establish a nationally significant destination in downtown Lafayette, inspire a deep appreciation for Louisiana’s unique culture through immersive storytelling, and develop a self-sustaining museum and state-of-the-art music center powered by local and national collaborations. The Louisiana Music Museum will enrich the offerings for music enthusiasts who come to Lafayette from all over the world, especially from Francophone countries.  

“We’re also excited about hosting local and regional residents who will visit again and again to see changing exhibitions and attend performances and workshops. Plus, the Museum’s school programs will add a robust Louisiana music component to AcA’s already substantial Arts in Education effort which serves sixty thousand students throughout Acadiana.  

“Architectural and exhibition plans for the twelve-thousand-square-foot renovation are nearly complete. The Museum’s back door will serve as its main entrance, referencing the classic Cajun song “La porte d’en arrière” by D. L. Menard. That door leads into a modern expansion of the original hardware store, doubling its size. The ground floor will house the Museum’s permanent exhibits, including historic photos, posters, records, and musical instruments. Interactive media-driven exhibitions and hands-on exhibition elements will deepen the Museum’s ability to tell important and little-known stories of Louisiana music and musicians.  

“A grand staircase leading to the second floor will open onto an expansive space with natural wood reminiscent of historic Louisiana dancehalls. Here is where performances and educational programs will feature musicians from all over the state. A rotating exhibits gallery will offer deep dives into museum themes, and current research to showcase the ever-evolving story of Louisiana music.” 

Ann Savoy—musician, author and Cajun/Creole music researcher—is one among many people expressing anticipatory enthusiasm. “It is such a boon to have the beautiful old hardware store be repurposed as a museum,” she said. “We have long needed the amazing subject of Louisiana music looked at carefully and presented in an appealing and creative way to make it accessible to all our many visitors.”  

The prominent Cajun folklorist and linguist Barry Ancelet noted, “The AcA immediately engaged knowledgeable community members, including musicians, record and event producers, venue operators, and music writers and historians, to advise them on the key issues and elements to consider. The architects and the members of the exhibition design team really listened to us and integrated our ideas into their designs. I think that the effective blend of old and new underscores the concept that this music has a history which we venerate, but also a future that we anticipate.”        

Herman Fuselier, host of the popular weekly radio show Zydeco Stomp and the Executive Director of Tourism for St. Landry Parish, observed, “Louisiana has shaped music across generations and across the globe, from the Clifton Chenier zydeco album bought by a young Mick Jagger to more than a hundred million still dancing to ‘Cupid Shuffle.’ Yet the stories behind the creators are often confused and misunderstood. The Louisiana Music Museum will set the record straight—and celebrate it!”