Area guide · Baton Rouge
Things to do in Baton Rouge, LA
Start downtown: the Louisiana State Capitol (free, open daily), Louisiana’s Old State Capitol (free) and the Louisiana Art & Science Museum are a few blocks apart near the river. Out from downtown are the LSU Rural Life Museum, Mike the Tiger’s habitat at LSU, BREC’s Bluebonnet Swamp and Magnolia Mound. Saturday mornings bring the Red Stick Farmers Market. We checked every listing on its own site on October 29, 2026.
Reviewed by Nicole Gaudet, REALTOR®
Updated October 29, 2026
Downtown
Downtown museums and landmarks
Baton Rouge is Louisiana’s capital city, and its main museums sit within walking distance of each other along the Mississippi River downtown, including the Capitol Park Museum, part of the Louisiana State Museum system. Hours and prices change, so confirm on the venue's own site before you go.
| Place | Address | What it is | Hours and admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana State Capitol | 900 North Third St., Baton Rouge, LA 70802 | The state capitol building, built in the 1930s under Governor Huey P. Long. At 34 stories and 450 feet, it is the tallest state capitol in the country. Welcome center and guided tours. | Daily 8:00 am–4:30 pm; closed five holidays. Free. The observation deck is closed for renovations. |
| Louisiana’s Old State Capitol | 100 North Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70801 | Museum of Louisiana history in one of the city’s historic landmarks, a National Historic Landmark building | Tue–Wed 10–4, Fri 12–4, Sat 9–3, Sun 12–4; closed Monday and Thursday. Free. |
| Capitol Park Museum | 660 N. Fourth St., Baton Rouge, LA 70802 | Louisiana State Museum: history, industry, music and culture | Tue–Sat 9:00 am–4:00 pm. $13 adults, $11 Louisiana residents, free 6 and under. |
| Louisiana Art & Science Museum | 100 S. River Rd., Baton Rouge, LA 70801 | Art and science museum with the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium | Wed–Fri 10–3, Sat 10–5, Sun 1–5; closed Mon–Tue. $16 adults, $13 ages 3–12 and 65+. |
| Shaw Center for the Arts | 100 Lafayette St., Baton Rouge, LA 70801 | Home of the Manship Theatre, the LSU Museum of Art and its permanent collection, and Glassell Gallery | Building open daily; each tenant keeps its own hours. |
| USS KIDD Veterans Museum | 305 South River Rd., Baton Rouge, LA 70802 | Veterans museum for the World War II destroyer USS KIDD | Museum open 9:30 am–3:30 pm. The ship itself is away for repairs; WBRZ reports it is expected back in 2027. |
Sources: Louisiana Office of Tourism, State Capitol Welcome Center; Visit Baton Rouge, Louisiana State Capitol; Louisiana's Old State Capitol, visit; Louisiana State Museum, Capitol Park Museum; LASM, visit; Shaw Center for the Arts, visit; USS KIDD Veterans Museum; WBRZ, USS KIDD 2027 homecoming (July 28, 2026).
Beyond downtown
Museums, parks and LSU
Hours and prices change, so confirm on the venue's own site before you go.
| Place | Address | What it is | Hours and admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSU Rural Life Museum | 4560 Essen Ln., Baton Rouge | Outdoor museum with 32 historic buildings and Windrush Gardens | Opens daily 8:00 am; buildings close 4:30 pm. $12 adults, $10 ages 4–11. |
| Mike the Tiger’s Habitat | North Stadium Dr., LSU campus | Home of LSU’s live tiger mascot | Usually outside daily 8 am–7 pm; inside Thursday mornings. Free. |
| BREC’s Magnolia Mound | 2161 Nicholson Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70802 | Historic house museum on French Creole culture and plantation life | Mon–Sat 10–4, Sun 1–4. Guided tour $12 adults; grounds $5. |
| BREC’s Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center | 10503 N. Oak Hills Pkwy., Baton Rouge, LA 70810 | 103 acres with more than a mile of forest and swamp trails | Tue–Sat 9–5, Sun noon–5; closed Monday. $3 ages 18–64. |
| Knock Knock Children’s Museum | 1900 Dalrymple Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70808 | Hands-on children’s museum | Closed Monday; open other days, hours vary. $18; free under 1. |
| BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo | 3000 Zoo Circle, Baker, LA 70714 (enter through Greenwood Community Park, 13350 Hwy. 19) | Zoo run by BREC, just north of Baton Rouge | Gates 9:30 am–4 pm daily, except four holidays. $10 adults, $7 ages 2–12. |
| Red Stick Farmers Market | Main Street Market, 5th & Main Sts., downtown | Year-round farmers market run by BREADA | Saturdays 8 am–noon, rain or shine. Also Thursdays 8–noon at 6400 Perkins Rd. |
Sources: LSU Rural Life Museum, hours and prices; LSU, Mike the Tiger hours; BREC, Magnolia Mound; BREC, Bluebonnet Swamp; Knock Knock Children's Museum; BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo, visit; BREADA, Red Stick Farmers Market.
Yearly events
Events that come back every year
Dates as posted by the organizers on October 29, 2026.
| Event | When | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge Blues Festival | April 17–18, 2027. Free. | North Boulevard Town Square, 222 North Blvd. |
| Live After Five | Free Friday live music concerts in spring and fall; the last fall 2026 show is October 30 | Rhorer Plaza, downtown |
| LSU football | Fall Saturdays; remaining 2026 home games November 7 (Alabama) and November 14 (Texas) | Tiger Stadium, LSU |
| Spanish Town Mardi Gras Parade | Each Carnival season; the 2026 parade was February 14. 2027 date not yet posted. | Downtown Baton Rouge |
Sources: Visit Baton Rouge, 2027 Blues Festival; WAFB, Live After Five fall 2026 lineup; LSU Sports, 2026 football schedule; Visit Baton Rouge, Spanish Town Mardi Gras.
Living in Baton Rouge
Homes in Baton Rouge, by the numbers
The housing market in the city, from public data.
See what it costs to sell, the disclosure Louisiana requires and what buyers ask about taxes and flooding on our Baton Rouge page.
Sources: ROAM MLS closed sales, July through September 2026 (based on information from the ROAM MLS for the period 07/01/2026 through 09/30/2026).
Questions
Baton Rouge: questions
Is the Louisiana State Capitol free to visit?
Yes. The State Capitol Welcome Center lists free admission, open daily 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. The observation deck is closed for renovations.
Louisiana Office of Tourism
Which Baton Rouge attractions are free?
The State Capitol, Louisiana's Old State Capitol (closed Mondays and Thursdays) and Mike the Tiger's habitat at LSU are all free.
Each venue's own site
When can I see Mike the Tiger?
He is usually outside daily from 8 am to 7 pm, and stays inside on Thursday mornings until yard work is done.
LSU
When is the farmers market in downtown Baton Rouge?
The Red Stick Farmers Market runs Saturdays 8 am to noon at Main Street Market, 5th and Main Streets, rain or shine.
BREADA
When is the 2027 Baton Rouge Blues Festival?
April 17 to 18, 2027, at North Boulevard Town Square. It is free.
Visit Baton Rouge
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