Event First Free Sundays

Free highlight tours will be offered on the first Sunday of each month. Special programs of traditional crafts, informative lectures, and family activities are planned for “First Free Sunday.”

Magnolia Mound: Museum + Historic Site

Beating the Heat: Staying Cool in Early Louisiana

Aug. 2 / 1-4 p.m. / Presentation at 2 p.m

Explore the creative and practical ways people in early 19th century Louisiana adapted to the region’s intense heat and humidity and the French, Spanish, and Caribbean cultural influences that shaped cooling techniques. From architectural innovations like raised homes and wide porches to daily habits, clothing choices, and the use of natural ventilation, this talk highlights how residents managed comfort before modern air conditioning. Stay to make a crafted hand fan!

Working Landscapes: Gardens, Fields, and Swamps

Sept. 6 / 1-4 p.m.

Join us to explore how people in the past worked with the land and used natural resources in creative and practical ways and gain a fuller picture of plantation life – one that moves beyond the main house to explore the interconnected systems of labor and environment.

From Fire to Table: Early Louisiana Foodways

Nov. 1 / 1-4 p.m.

Join us for a presentation and cooking demonstrations exploring early Louisiana food traditions. Learn how Indigenous, African, French, Spanish, and Caribbean cultures shaped local cuisine, and see simple, traditional dishes prepared using historic techniques in the open-hearth kitchen. Discover the stories, flavors, and shared heritage behind the foods that still bring communities together today.