ENROLLED
2022 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 118
BY REPRESENTATIVE SELDERS
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To commend the Louisiana Art & Science Museum on the occasion of its sixtieth
anniversary.
WHEREAS, on July 24, 1962, the Louisiana Art & Science Museum was granted its
501(c)3 nonprofit status to enhance the understanding and appreciation of art and science
for general audiences and students by presenting unique, educational, and entertaining
experiences that encourage discovery, inspire creativity, and foster the pursuit of knowledge;
and
WHEREAS, in 1988, the city-parish government purchased the old Yazoo &
Mississippi Valley Passenger Railway Station from the Illinois Central Railroad for
$100,000 and leased the building to the Louisiana Art & Science Museum for a term of
ninety-nine years through 2087; in 1998, the old train depot was placed on the National
Register of Historic Places; and
WHEREAS, in 1998, the Louisiana Art & Science Museum entered into an
agreement with both the state of Louisiana and the city of Baton Rouge for a $16.8 million
project to build a planetarium, atrium, education rooms, and galleries at the south end of the
building; in 1999, the Irene W. and C.B. Pennington Foundation funded an endowment for
the operations of the planetarium; and
WHEREAS, on May 22, 2003, the Louisiana Art & Science Museum opened the
Irene W. Pennington Planetarium and ExxonMobil Space Theater; the planetarium, with its
sixty-foot dome and seating for one hundred seventy-one spectators, is one of the largest and
most technologically advanced planetariums in the southeastern United States; since its
inception in 2003, the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium has welcomed over one million
visitors; and
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WHEREAS, in 2019, the Louisiana Art & Science Museum welcomed over one
hundred seventy-five thousand program participants; of these participants, one hundred five
thousand were K-12 students from more than forty parishes in Louisiana and five counties
in Mississippi; additionally, 18% of these participants were tourists; and
WHEREAS, in 2020, the Louisiana Art & Science Museum survived the shutdowns
encountered by nearly one-third of the nation's museums as a result of the COVID-19
pandemic; the pandemic resulted in a significant reduction in the museum's earnings,
staffing, and visitation; during the tumultuous year, the museum remained open to the public
as mandates allowed and created a free-access, virtual museum and digital learning platform
to engage isolated individuals and quarantined audiences, including those in healthcare and
hospice facilities; in total, over forty thousand individuals were provided virtual and onsite
programs in 2020; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Art & Science Museum and Irene W. Pennington
Planetarium remains accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, a standard held by
only 6% of museums nationwide; it houses over four thousand works of art, including
Louisiana modern and contemporary art, American art, European art, and scientific objects
and antiques that include an authentic mummy housed in one of the only permanent ancient
Egypt galleries in the southeastern United States; and
WHEREAS, in 2021, the Louisiana Art & Science Museum secured over $500,000
in relief funding; as a "Blue Star" museum, it offers free admission to veterans, active
military members, first responders, and the families of these individuals; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, in partnership with local
corporations, provided over three thousand high-needs students with STEAM-based virtual
education programs to introduce them to concepts and careers in STEAM-based
occupations; and
WHEREAS, this year, the Louisiana Art & Science Museum celebrates the sixtieth
anniversary of its status as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization; this momentous occasion will
be marked with a collections catalog and a fundraising Gala titled "Diamonds of History",
which will feature the piece Mighty Women by Ashley Longshore; the event will also mark
the beginning of extensive renovations to the museum's state-of-the-art, hands-on children's
galleries after two years of delays brought on by the pandemic; and
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WHEREAS, the Louisiana Art & Science Museum has a full calendar ahead of it for
the next three years; in 2023, it will celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Irene C.
Pennington Planetarium; in 2024, the museum will celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of its
acquisition of the only authentic mummy in the state of Louisiana; and in 2025, it will
celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of its historically significant building; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Art & Science Museum is a true treasure to both the city
of Baton Rouge and the state of Louisiana; it is most deserving of the highest recognition
for its fortitude during the pandemic and on the occasion of its sixtieth anniversary.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
commend the Louisiana Art & Science Museum on the occasion of its sixtieth anniversary;
does hereby further recognize the museum for educating our region's youth in both art and
science in order to reduce drop-out rates and increase workforce development in STEAM-
based careers; and does hereby extend sincere support for the Louisiana Art & Science
Museum, including the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium, for its commitment to the service
of the general public, students, and tourists and thereby enhancing the state's educational,
cultural, and economic development.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be sent to the president
and executive director of the Louisiana Art & Science Museum.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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