Baton Rouge Attractions

The Baton Rouge Zoo has more than 1,800 animals featuring fish, reptiles and amphibians of Louisiana in the L'aquarium de Louisiane and The Otter Pond; Parrot Paradise with rare and colorful birds from the tropics; a Kids Zoo as well as the Cypress Bayou Railroad.

Flamingo Cove and Giants of the Islands exhibits featuring our Chilean flamingos and Galapagos and Aldabra tortoises. The KidsZoo complete with hands-on farm animal encounters, plus the new Safari Playground.

Exhibits at the Enchanted Mansion Doll Museum in Baton Rouge include antique and modern dolls.

The 14 acre site of Hilltop Arboretum in Baton Rouge was purchased after World War II by Emory Smith and his wife, Annette, as a working farm and country retreat. Visitors can travel the winding paths that lead to the bamboo grove, century-old oak trees, the "Cathedral" where tree canopies form a green protective room and the "Emory Smith" magnolia.

The Louisiana Arts & Science Museum is housed in a historic train station in Baton Rouge. The museum features fine arts, hands-on science, art activities and an Egyptian tomb exhibit.

The Louisiana Naval War Memorial in Baton Rouge consists of an observation tower, museum complex and the USS Kidd, a Fletcher-class destroyer. The Nautical Center has many one-of-a-kind artifacts, a model ship collection, and a miniature replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall found in Washington, D.C.

Magnolia Mound in Baton Rouge is an example of the architectural influences of early settlers from France and the West Indies. The home looks exactly as it did in the 1800's, a wooden structure of bousillage construction. Furnished with Federal-style pieces, it is surrounded by oak trees (some more than 200 years old.)

The Old State Capitol in Baton Rouge is a Gothic-Revival castle that was built in 1847. The castle was burned by the Union Army, and in 1882 it was repaired and served as the state capitol until 1932. The building is now the Center for Political and Governmental History. Exhibits include The Huey Long Assassination Exhibit, The Governors' Exhibit, The Campaign and Elections Exhibit, and The Louisiana Purchase Exhibit.