A Louisiana State University capital campaign has raised more than $5 million for a new visitor center set to open this fall at the LSU Rural Life Museum in Baton Rouge. The 20,000-square-foot, air-conditioned building will feature exhibit space, craft demonstrations, classrooms, an interpretive movie room and expanded gift shop.

The outdoor museum consists of more than 25 historic buildings, including a shotgun house, jail, pioneer’s cabin with potato house and corn crib, and a 1710 Acadian house, the oldest building in Louisiana. The Barn contains hundreds of tools, vehicles and other artifacts dealing with everyday rural life up to the early 20th century. In the working plantation area is a complex of buildings authentically furnished to depict major activities on a 19th century plantation. The adjacent Windrush Gardens contains 25 acres of semiformal gardens.

Student group tours are available for grades pre-K through 12. Click here for reservation information.

For more information about the museum, visit http://www.rurallife.lsu.edu.