What’s New This Month

November

November is National Native American Heritage Month! 

This month, we celebrate the cultures, stories, and contributions of Native peoples, past and present. 

Long before it was called New Orleans, this land was known as Bulbancha, a Choctaw word meaning “Place of Many Tongues” or languages.  For thousands of years, it was a vibrant gathering place for many Indigenous tribes, including the Chitimacha, Houma, Tunica-Biloxi, Natchez, and others. We still feel this exciting and collaborative mixing of culture in our local region today. 

Throughout November and beyond, we’ll explore these living cultures through highlighted books and interactive programming. Join us in honoring Indigenous voices and learning about the rich heritage, technology and perspectives that continue to shape our community today! 

Saturday, November 1 and 2: Día de los Muertos

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday celebrated on November 1 through November 2. Because of its Indigenous and European roots, it is celebrated in various ways all over the world. Here in Louisiana, you may observe La Toussaint, or All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. This is a special time to demonstrate love and respect for deceased family members, and to visit and care for the cemeteries. Families make colorful altars in their homes in honor of their loved ones, and the altars are decorated with flowers, candles, and maybe their loved one’s favorite food. We will host a Day of the Dead altar or Ofrenda and design paper marigolds in honor of those we miss. Many cultures associate the marigold flower with remembrance. 

Saturday, November 1: Children’s Community Ofrenda

LCM will activate for the second year the Children’s Community Ofrenda as part of the Dia De Los Muertos celebration in Lafayette Square sponsored by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. LCM will set up an ofrenda or altar for children and an activity table so that they can learn about and share their own connections to the tradition, create paper marigolds and other offerings with their family members, and contribute to a collaborative collage mural. 

Saturday, November 1:  MathHappens: Math Room Grand Opening Day

About MathHappens

MathHappens is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating memorable, meaningful math experiences outside the classroom. Founded in 2014 in Austin, Texas, by Lauren and Philip Siegel, MathHappens partners with museums, libraries, nature centers, and other public spaces nationwide to offer the community hands-on exhibits, interactive materials, and programs that bring math to life. Our mission is to make math visible, accessible, and fun for everyone.

What is a Math Room?

A Math Room is a welcoming, hands-on space where visitors of all ages can explore math through play, puzzles, and discovery. Activities are designed to spark curiosity and invite open-ended exploration – no worksheets, no pressure. Just joyful, creative encounters with math in a comfortable setting. The Math Room is made possible in partnership with the MathHappens Foundation, a nonprofit organization bringing meaningful math experiences to public spaces across the country.

Visit our Math Room on Saturdays 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and Sundays 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. beginning Saturday, November 1.

Thursday, November 6 and 20 at 4:30 p.m.- 6:30 p.m.: Sensory-Friendly Playtime

At LCM, we are committed to building stronger, more connected communities through active engagement. We welcome all families and children of all backgrounds and circumstances. We offer a playtime for families that provides a low-sensory experience where children with sensory-specific needs can explore the Museum without the noise, crowds, and stimulation of typical open hours. We limit the number of families who can attend, turn down sounds and lights, and provide adaptive equipment such as noise-reducing headphones and weighted vests. When available, specialists will be on hand to help facilitate activities and provide resources. If you would like to participate in this event, please register.

Saturday November 8, 11:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.: Super Saurus Saturday

Become a junior paleontologist at Super Saurus Saturday! Learn about dinosaurs and Earth’s geology with members of the New Orleans Geological Society (NOGS). Explore the NOGS fossil collection, see life-sized dinosaur footprints, match predators with prey in geological time, and discover how plant eaters defended themselves from the meat eaters. You can also shake the Earth and watch the movement on a seismograph and complete a scavenger hunt! It’s going to be a dino-mite day!

***LCM is proud to continue our longstanding partnership with NOGS, who have joined us for more than 25 years to present Super Saurus Saturday.

Sunday, November 9, 12:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.: Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) Resource Table

In the spirit of our Community Cornucopia programming, join the Farm to ECE program from the New Orleans Food Policy Council for a hands-on experience all about local food and healthy eating! Families can explore local food access resources—like SNAP assistance, Market Match, Recirculating Farms cooking classes, and free NORD meal sites for kids. Scan QR codes to discover our Farm to ECE curriculum, pick up free kids’ books and stickers, and sign up for our newsletter. Don’t miss our interactive table activity made just for curious young learners! 

Tuesday, November 11: Veterans Day

In honor of Veterans Day, visit the Book Nook in our Make Your Mark Gallery Wednesday through Sunday this week to explore books about veterans and join us in celebrating their service.

Thursday, November 13, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.: Kindness Grows

November is Kindness Month at LCM, and we’re celebrating World Kindness Day on Thursday, November 13! Keep the kindness growing by joining us in the edible garden for a special story time and lesson on the power of kindness. Guests will also be invited to help plant seeds of kindness in our garden.

Tuesday, November 18, 12:00 p.m.: LCM In Dialogue Series Online Session: Understanding and Supporting Your Picky Eater with Rebecca Connick, MOT, LOTR, and Nicole Bryson, MA, CCC-SLP, of Ripple Child Development, LLC

The LCM In Dialogue Series is dedicated to connecting with families and educators through discussing important topics that impact the health and wellness of children. Parents and caregivers are constantly looking for resources and expertise to guide them through the many different stages of parenthood. They often seek advice for the difficult questions that children bring home, based on what they see in the world around them. This series can help guide caregivers in creating a dialogue with their children.

The LCM In Dialogue Series offers monthly online, interactive sessions with health professionals and experts who will discuss topics that impact children and families, including parent-child attachment, gun violence, screen time, eating habits, and so much more. Register to attend this event live via Teams.

The sessions are also recorded and can be found right here on our website, where we have a curated library of resources for our community.

Saturday, November 22, 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.: Farm to ECE in the Edible Garden 

Join the Farm to ECE program from the New Orleans Food Policy Council for a hands-on exploration in the Edible Garden! This month we’re celebrating the local richness of LCM’s Community Cornucopia with Farm to ECE’s crop of the month — sweet potatoes! Kids and families can enjoy some time in the Edible Garden with demonstration and garden activities, learn where their food comes from, and take home special goodies like free seeds from our Little Free Seed Library and local food access resources. Come dig in and grow with us! 

Saturday, November 29, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.: Native Plants and Pigments Workshop

United Houma Nation citizens, Dr. Tammy Greer and Monique Verdin from the Okla Hina Ikhish Holo (People of the Sacred Medicine Road) network of Indigenous gardeners, will host a native plants and pigments workshop on November 29, 2025, from 1:30-3:30 in LCM’s Edible Garden. Dr. Greer, steward of the Southern Miss Medicine Wheel Garden at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, and collaborator Monique will share lessons about tending to wild places and the wisdom of native plants, followed by a watercolor painting session using natural pigments. 

Fall into the Season

Throughout the month, visit our galleries for some exciting programming:

Fall 2025 Artist in Residence Shannon Atwater: Mid September – Mid November    

Join our Fall 2025 Artist in Residence – Shannon Atwater! Shannon brings her skills as a favorite local author and illustrator to LCM this fall as we continue to collaborate on our very own book together! Contribute some ideas, words, or artwork to this collaborative project, learn about the process of creating a book from start to finish, and be a part of this very special project.  

Visit Shannon in our Studio in the Park on the following dates: 

11/2:  11:30-2:30 

11/6:   10am-1pm 

11/9:  11:30am-4pm 

11/13:  10am-1pm 

11/15:  10am-4pm 

11/20: 10am-1pm 

11/29 or 11/30 from 11-4

Starting Wednesday, November 19: Community Cornucopia and Still Life: Studio in the Park

In appreciation of the bounty of our land and our responsible stewardship of it, we highlight some local growers and related organizations in our area and share the importance of makin’ groceries locally, eating seasonally, and supporting efforts toward equitable food systems. Explore observational drawing and watercolor painting with a freshly grown, harvest-inspired still life that uplifts the diversity of colors, patterns and shapes found in nature and in our community!

Follow That Food Gallery: Share your favorite family recipes as we imagine our fall feasts.

Play With Me Gallery: Play in our fall sensory bin during Toddler Time at Ten.

Tuesday, November 25: LCM OPEN for Thanksgiving Break!

We’re opening our doors to welcome guests enjoying their Thanksgiving break. Please note that LCM is usually closed on Tuesdays from September through May. Please note that we will be closed Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27.