Acadian-Cajun Genealogy & History » Français  

Acadian-Cajun Places to Visit

     There are several places that you can visit to see exhibits, presentations, etc. of the Acadian and Cajun cultures.    I've listed them according to 4 locations: Louisiana, Canada, Northeast U.S., & France.
If you would like information on guided tours of our ancestral locations in Louisiana, Nova Scotia, or France, check out the Acadian-Cajun Tours page.
Louisiana 
Attractions (red markers)
Abbeville: 
• Abbeville Cultural Center
    Located in downtown Abbeville, this museum features a number of items on the local history.  This includes material on the Acadian-Cajun people.
Baton Rouge: 
• Rural Life Museum
   This is a collection of 7 buildings (including a Cajun home) from 19th century Louisiana.  There's also a barn filled with hundreds of artifacts.
   Open 8:30am-5pm, 7 days a week
Erath: 
• Acadian Museum 
     The Museum contains three rooms: 1) the history of Erath, 2) the Acadian Room, and 3) the Cajun room.
     Open 1-4; M-F
Eunice:
• Prairie Acadian Cultural Center
     The branch of the Jean Lafitte National Park system is dedicated to the Cajuns who settled the prairies of southwestern Louisiana.
Houma:
• Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum
    Has exhibits on the culture of the wetlands region.
• Terrebonne Folklife Culture Center
     Has exhibits and classes on Cajun culture
     Open 9-5, T-F
Jennings:
• Zigler Museum
     It has had exhibits on the Acadian-Cajun culture in the past.  Check to see what they are currently featuring.
Lafayette: 
• Acadian Cultural Center
     This is the headquarters for the Acadian Cultural Centers.  Besides temporary and permanent displays, there is a film about the Acadian story that plays every hour from 9-4.
• Acadian Village
     A number of actual cajun homes have been gathered together.  A replica of an early church is also there.
• Vermilionville
     This is a Cajun & Creole living history museum and folklife village.  There are a number of buildings (authentic and replicated), as well as 'characters' presenting the customs.  
Opelousas: 
• Le Vieux Village
     Take exit 19 from Hwy I-49 and head west into Opelousas, and one of the first things you see is the Le Vieux Village ... a collection of old houses.
Sorrento:
• The Cajun Village
     A collection of restored Acadian Buildings,
Featuring a variety of specialty shops
St. Martinville: 
• Acadian Memorial
     The memorial includes an eternal flame, an Acadian mural, and a bronze wall of names of all the Acadian immigrants to Louisiana.  There is a research room located upstairs with a small library and a few computers. 
• Evangeline Monument
• Evangeline Oak Park 
• Longfellow-Evangeline State Commemorative Area
Thibodaux: 
• Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center
     The branch of the Jean Lafitte National Park system is dedicated to the Cajuns who settled along the bayous such as the Lafourche and the Terrebonne.
 
View Cajun Points of Interest in a larger map
 
Genealogical Libraries (yellow markers)
College Libraries: 
     • Dupre - USL, Lafayette                  • Ellender - NSU, Thibodaux
     • LSU, Baton Rouge                          • Howard-Tilton, Tulane, N.O.
     • McNeese, Lake Charles

     There are three colleges in Acadiana with significant Acadian-Cajun material ... USL, NSU, and McNeese.  Remember to check out their Archives departments, also.  Clearly, the largest repository of Acadian-Cajun material in Louisiana (and probably the entire United States) is at the Dupre Library at USL.  If you had to go to only one place, this is it.  The other universities mentioned have about as much material as the larger parish libraries.  Some specialize in other material that might be relevant to the Acadian-Cajun researcher.  LSU, for example, has a great newspaper collection.
     You can search most of the major college libraries online with LOUIS.
Parish Libraries: 
     • Lafayette, Lafayette                        • Terrebonne, Houma 
     • Calcasieu, Lake Charles                  • St. Martin, St. Martinville

The three largest cities in Acadiana have the largest amounts of Acadian-Cajun material.  But every parish library in Acadiana, and many other parishes in Louisiana, has a collection of genealogical materials on Acadian-Cajun material.  Of these smaller libraries, the best seems to be St. Martinville. Some resources found there are available elsewhere only in much larger libraries.  The large libraries in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas, though not Acadiana, also have Acadian-Cajun material.
Louisiana State Archives
      The Main Research Library is on the first floor.   It features a wide variety of materials for historical and genealogical research.   It offers a large inventory of microfilmed records, including the Confederate Pension Applications, State Land Records and Louisiana Census Records, as well as selected census records from various southern states, and Louisiana Vital records. 
     The Louisiana State Archives is located at 3851 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70809-2137 
Louisiana State Libarary
     The state library has a large collection of material, including many works on the Acadian-Cajun people.   It is located at 701 North 4th Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802.  It is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 - 4:30.
Canada
There are a number of highway markers for Acadian landmarks in Nova Scotia .
Annapolis Royal, NS:
• Fort Anne National Historic Site
     Canada's oldest Historic Site, it marks the location of Port Royal ... the "capital" of Acadia   A museum displays the history of the fort.
     Open 9-6; mid-May through mid-October, by appointment the rest of the year
• Port Royal National Historic Site
     The highlight of the location is a reconstruction of the early 17th century structures (the Habitation) built by the earliest French settlers.
     Open 9-6; mid-May through mid-October
• Melanson Settlement National Historic Site
    An archaeological dig found the remains of the community begun by Charles Melanson & Marie Dugas circa 1664. [more]
View Acadian Points of Interest in a larger map
Arichat, NS:
• Nicholas Denys Museum
    Open June-Sept., 9am-5pm
Aulac, NB: 
• Fort Beausejour National Historic Site
     This fort was built in 1751 by the French, but was captured by the English 4 years later. in 1755 in the battle for control of Acadia. The site features interpretative paintings of the life of the garrison, stone ruins, grassy ramparts, picnic areas and a gift shop.
     Open 9-5; June through mid-October
Caraquet, NB: 
• Village Historique Acadien
      The Acadian Historical Village represents Acadian life (1770-1890) after they were exiled from their homeland in the 1750s.    The wax museum at the enrance contains 23 scenes (with 86 figures) representing Acadian from 1604 to 1761. Over 40 original buildings have been restored and may be toured.  The site includes over 9000 artifacts. [map]
• Museé Acadien
     This museum contains artifacts of the Acadian culture from the Acadian peninsula area dating back to the days of the first settlers.
     Open 10-8 (except for Sunday: 1-8); mid-May through mid-September
Charlottetown, PEI:
• Port-la-Joye–Fort Amherst National National Historic Site
     This is the site of the first permanent settlement on Prince Edward Island, known then as Ile St. Jean.  The grassy ruins of the fort are still visible. 
Cheticamp, NS:
• Artisan Cooperative
     The museum has a small display Acadian artifacts, and also has demonstrations of wool carding, spinning, weaving and rug hooking.  There is a craft shop with locally made hooked rugs.  Acadian-style foods are also sold.
     Open 9-5 (May-June), 8-9 (July-August), 9-5 (September-October)
    Admission: Free
• Acadian Wax Museum
     The museum contains 23 scenes (with 86 figures) representing Acadian from 1604 to 1761. The website says it's closed, however.
• Les Trois Pignons
     This is a cultural and information center.  It is home to La Société Saint-Pierre and other community organizations.  There you can find the genealogy and history of the Acadians at Cheticamp, as well as a collection of fine artifacts (including the LeFort tapestries).
Falmouth, NS: 
• Ste. Famille Cemetery
     This restoration of the Acadian Ste. Famille parish cemetery has been underway for three years.
Kouchibouguac National Park, NB:
• Beaubears Island National Historic Site
     This was an Acadian refugee settlement in1756-59.
Louisbourg, NS: 
• Fortress of Louisbourg  [Note: There are a couple more Louisbourg-related links on the LINKS page] check
     This is a reconstruction of the 18th century French fortress.  Though not an Acadian structure, it is certain that some Acadians visited there and many more had dealings with the community.
     Open 9:30-5 (9-7 in July & August); May 1 through October 3
Saint-Joseph-de-Memramcook, NB:
• Monument Lefebvre National Historic Site
     This site began as a commemoration f the survival of the Acadians.  The site has also devoloped an additional purpose, to remember Father Lefebvre and the resurgence of the Acadian culture in the 19th century.
     Open 9-5; June 1 to Oct. 15
Meteghan, NS:
• Old Acadian House & Tourist Bureau 
      Open Mid-June to mid-September 
      902-645-2389
Miscouche, PEI:
• Le Musee Acadien
     The museum is a combination of audio-visual presentations, permanent and temporary exhibits and genealogy resources. 
     They are in the process of creating a great-looking website (it's still under construction).  For now, you can find their information at another page.
Moncton, NB: 
• Musée acadien de l'Université de Moncton 
     The museum features permanent and changing temporary exhibits on the Acadian culture.  It's holdings include over 30,000 artifacts and photographs.
• Centre d'études acadiennes
     THE repository for Acadian reference material.  It's in the Champlain library at the University of Moncton in New Brunswick.
Mt. Carmel, PEI:
• Acadian Pioneer Village
     This is a reproduction of an Acadian settlement of the 1820s.  [1-800-567-3228]
     Open: 9-7; early June through late September; (their email isn't working)
Pointe-de-l'Église:
• Centre Acadien
     The center has about 10.000 volumes and 100 linear meters of manuscripts and other Acadian-documents, in addition to several collections of recordings of interviews on the lifestyle and music of Nova Scotia [list of their resources]; .Open 8:30 AM to noon; 1 to 4 PM
Quebec:
• Musée acadien du Québec à Bonaventure [Google English translation]
     June 24-Labor Day: Open 9-6; Labor Day-Thanksgiving: Open 9-6; Rest of the Year: M-F 9-12, 1-4:30; Sa, Su 1-4:30
Restigouche (Listuguj), Quebec:
• Fort Listuguj, 1760
     A reconstructed fort in the Restigouche area that emphasizes Mi'kmaq and Acadian history.  Lodging is also available; for example, a double occupancy soldiers cabin is $35 and a double occupancy teepee (that's right, teepee) is $23.
     Open 10-7; mid-June through the end of October (are they still open?)
St. Croix Island , NB :
• St. Croix Island International Historic Site
    This is the location of the first settlement in 1604 (though it was abandoned the following year). Situated on the river between Canada and the U.S., it can be seen by both shorelines. You can't actually go to the island, but there is is information located on the shore on each side. [also]
St. John, NB :
• Fort Latour
     Charles Latour built Fort Sainte Marie (later Fort Latour) here in 1631. All that's left is a raised mound.
Truro, NS:
• Colchester Historical Museum
     Interested in the preservation and interpretation of the historical and natural history of Colchester County.  This area included the Acadian area of Cobequid.
     Open 10-12 & 2-5 (T-F); 2-5 (S) 
West Pubnico, NS:
• The Acadian Museum & Father d'Entremont Arcives
     This museum, by the La Socitete Historique Acadienne de Pubnico-Ouest, contains artifacts of Acadian culture and is located in the old Cape Sable area.
     Open 9-5 (except Sunday: 12:30-4:30); mid-June through mid-September
• Le Village historique acadien de la Nouvelle-Écosse
     A village of replicated and original Acadian buildings is being put together in southern Nova Scotia.  It is scheduled to open in the summer of 1999.
     Open 10-5; early June through mid-October
Windsor, NS:
• Fort Edward
     This fort was built by the English around 1750 in the Pisiquid area of Acadia.  You can still visit the blockhouse.
• West Hants Historical Society Museum
     The preserves artifacts and historical information related to Hants County, Nova Scotia ... which includes some Acadian material.
      Open 9-5 (M-S) June - September, and also 11-5 (Sun) in June - August
Wolfville, NS:
• Grand Pre National Historic Site
     The site contains 14 acres of formal gardens, statues, a 19th-century blacksmith's shop and a reconstruction of the Grand Pre church of the Acadians.
      Open 9-6; mid-May through mid-October
• Grand Pre Historic Settlement
     Tentative plans were made to put together an Acadian village next to the historic site.  As far as I know, it was never undertaken.  Any news on this project would be appreciated.  The link takes you to a page on the idea.
• Highway Map of Nova Scotia [PDF]
Northeast US
 Van Buren, Maine:
 • Acadian Village
France

Archigny:
• Acadian Farm Museum
     A community of about 57 houses built by the Acadians in the 1770's in Archigny, France (the "Ligne  Acadienne") 

La Chaussee:
• La Maison de l'Acadie
     A small museum is located in the town that was the origin of some original Acadians.


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