What’s New This Month

October Playtime

October 3 and 17, 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 now.  

October 5, 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.: Hispanic Heritage Month Food Demonstration 

We will continue to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a food science demonstration in the Edible Garden. Olga Lillie will be joining us to discuss traditional Hispanic cuisines, and how it how it connects to our Louisiana cuisine as well! Guests will have the opportunity to touch, smell, and taste as they learn.   

October 12: Family Folklife Day  

October is Louisiana Folklife Month and Creole Heritage Month! Come celebrate our 3rd Annual Family Folklife Day with us. You may not think about it too often, but everyone has a “folk culture” – or living traditions that take place within a group – and a child’s folk culture starts first with the family and community around them as they grow. What are some traditions, songs, foods, games you have in your family? How do you do things the same, or uniquely from others in your community? How can you be intentional about the traditions you continue, reclaim, or start new with your family and friends? How does culture grow from the land where we live and how do we honor it? On Saturday, October 12th, share your experiences with us and learn about the diverse representations of culture that make up our communities in New Orleans. Recognizing and sharing our cultures allows us to feel belonging within our group and helps us to connect to others. When we connect and learn about each other, we can celebrate our differences and strengthen the identity and relatedness in our own families and communities. The day will be filled with demonstrations, performances, storytelling, community interviews, short film screenings and interactive activities featuring wonderful local collaborators and community partners such as Grayhawk Perkins, Spy Boy Walter, VIET, Be Loud Studios, NOVAC, Little Stompers, Alliance Française de La Nouvelle- Orléans and more.  

October 15, 12:00 p.m.: In Dialogue

We are re-launching our In Dialogue series to introduce our new Health & Wellness Director Delaney Campo. Join us on October 15 at 12:00 p.m., via Zoom for a live video discussion on the importance of health and wellness for children and parents. You’ll learn more about this important topic and how LCM can help you and your family reach your wellness goals. Join this event on October 15 at 12:00 p.m. CT (save this Zoom link). If you’re unavailable at that time, the recording will be posted here on this page after the event.

October 19, 11 a.m. – 3 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, complete a dino scavenger hunt, and receive a real dinosaur bone fragment to keep!  It’s going to be a dino-mite day! 

Wednesday October 23 – Sunday November 3: Día de los Muertos Altar by Artist Cynthia Ramirez

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday celebrated on November 1st through November 2. Because of its Indigenous and European roots, it is celebrated in various ways all over the world. Here in New Orleans, you may observe All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. This is a special time to demonstrate love and respect for deceased family members. 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. Local Artist Cynthia Ramirez will create a special Día de los Muertos Altar in our Make Your Mark Gallery that will remain until November 3rd in honor of those we miss. Many cultures associate the marigold flower with remembrance, and the cempasúchil (or Aztec Marigold) in plays an important role in the Día de Los Muertos celebrations in Mexican culture. Paper marigolds are often crafted traditionally during this time. We will explore paper marigold making in our Studio in the Park, as well as Papel Picado which are folk art flags created for different celebrations in Mexico and named for the meaning “punched” or “perforated” paper . Día de los Muertos is as much a time to celebrate life as it is a special time to remember.

October 26: Fall Fest  

We are excited to invite you to our Fall Fest at the Louisiana Children’s Museum—a celebration of all things autumn and some things spooky, creepy and magical. Join us October 26 for:

• Spooky stories by the campfire
• Magic potion brewing
• Pumpkin painting and other gourd-geous games
• Monster Mash Dance Party
• Meeting our scarecrow and some creepy crawlers in our Edible Garden

Costumes are encouraged for all guests this weekend! It’s going to be a boo-tiful festival!