Join us as we celebrate Black History Month, an annual celebration of the achievements of African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Having a special designated time to celebrate Black History in America was the idea of historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans.  Since 1976, the U.S. has designated the month of February as Black History Month and we will celebrate at LCM again this year throughout the month and throughout the Museum.

Visit our Make Your Mark Gallery to see our Wall of Fame, which features influential Black Mark Makers in Arts & Culture from Louisiana, including Irma Thomas, who is also prominently featured in our Jammin’ House and Terrance Osborne, the designer of the Shotgun House in our Make Your Mark Gallery. We feature many other talents who have made their marks on our city, our state, and all over the world.

Schedule of Events

Thursdays Throughout February at 1:00 p.m.: Reading of?Mr. Okra Sells Fruits and Vegetables

“I have oranges and bananas. I have broccoli.” That’s the call of Mr. Okra, the beloved New Orleans vegetable and fruit vendor who sold while singing from his truck. We will read?Mr. Okra Sells Fruits and Vegetables?by Lashon Daley from our very own replica of Mr. Okra’s truck in our Follow That Food Gallery.

February 5–25: Adinkra Symbol Exploration in Studio in the Park

Have you heard of the word “Sankofa” or seen the symbol that represents it? Sankofa is a word from the Twi language of Ghana, Africa, connected to a proverb that teaches the importance of learning from the past. Do you know how this symbol and its meaning connect to the culture of New Orleans? 

Visit Studio in the Park as we continue to explore the nature of shapes and symbolism in the world around us and how communicating through art and symbols connects us all. Guests will engage in the process art of stamping on paper and fabric while learning about the Adinkra symbols that originated in Ghana, were preserved by the enslaved West Africans who were brought to this country long ago and continue in the culture today.

These symbols represent concepts from Ghanaian proverbs, such as justice, hope, and unity, and serve as a form of symbolic communication through imagery and culture.

In connection with the local architectural landscape, you’ll discover how these symbols are present all around us in New Orleans’ built environment, and how they offer insights into the past, revealing who shaped our city and the messages they hoped to convey to future generations.

Saturday, February 1, 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.: Krewe of Iris Sunglass Decorating Party

Do you have a crafter who loves all things Mardi Gras? Join us for a Krewe of Iris sunglass decorating party! Kids are welcome to keep their creations or have them thrown in the parade.

Saturday, February 1, 10:00 a.m.: Master Naturalist Nature Walk 

Come explore LCM’s big back yard with a Louisiana Master Naturalist and learn about the amazing animals and plants that call LCM Home.

Wednesday, February 5, 11:00 a.m. & 1:00 p.m.: World Read Aloud Day Bingo Game

World Read Aloud Day is Wednesday, February 5. Join us for story time (11:00 and 1:00) in our Talk & Play Center for interactive readings of our favorite children’s books. We will also have read alouds throughout the Museum all day and we invite you to fill your LCM Read Aloud Bingo Card for a special prize.

Wednesday, February 5, 12, & 19 at 2:30 p.m.: Sedimentation Exploration

Budding ecosystem engineers investigate how land is changed by water, modeling the creation of coastal waterways and wetlands that surround us here in South Louisiana. The Sedimentation Table exhibit in the Dig into Nature Gallery supports positive encounters with natural processes while inspiring solutions to design challenges.

Thursday, February 6 & 13 at 2:00 p.m.: Project Feeder Watch

Young scientists will practice their observation and data collection skills while learning about south Louisiana Wetlands habitats and why citizens' science is important.

Thursday, February 6 & 20 at 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.: Sensory-Friendly Playtime?

At LCM, we are committed to building stronger, more connected communities through active engagement. We welcome all families and children of all backgrounds and circumstances. We offer a playtime for families that provides a low-sensory experience where children with sensory-specific needs can explore the Museum without the noise, crowds, and stimulation of typical open hours. We limit the number of families who can attend, turn down sounds and lights, and provide adaptive equipment such as noise-reducing headphones and weighted vests. When available, specialists will be on hand to help facilitate activities and provide resources. If you would like to participate in this event, please register here.? 

Friday, February 7 & 21, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.: Food Science Friday

Join us in Follow That Food for fun kitchen experiments. These projects will teach you concepts in various learning areas like science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and art. Guests will get to engage with food in an all-new way.

Saturday, February 8, 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.: Creating Mardi Gras Headwear with Spy Boy Walter

Join us this carnival season on Saturday, February 8 for an exciting workshop with Spy Boy Walter of The Beautiful Creole Apache Mardi Gras Indian Tribe. We will participate in a fun activity, building Mardi Gras headdresses that can be worn at the upcoming carnival events this season. Spy Boy Walter will share the importance of headdresses and crowns in his culture as a Mardi Gras Indian and we will create our own using sustainable materials – some of which naturally come from our lovely earth. We want to think about what it looks like to create more meaningful Mardi Gras experiences that can essentially leave less waste on the ground resulting in more earth friendly celebrations.  The headdresses we will create can be worn multiple times and are great souvenirs remembering carnival season 2025. Happy Mardi Gras, and we hope to see you there!

Tuesday, February 11 at 12:00 p.m.: In Dialogue: Sharing a Love of Reading With Your Child

The LCM In Dialogue Series offers monthly online, interactive sessions with health professionals and experts who will discuss topics that impact children and families, including parent-child attachment, gun violence, screen time, eating habits, and so much more.  The sessions are also recorded and can be found at lcm.org, where we have curated library of resources for our community.

This month, Chief Learning Officer Dr. Shannon Blady and In Dialogue Director Holly Dalferes will discuss choosing and sharing books with children of all ages, including tips to take your read aloud skills to the next level! Research shows that reading to children from infancy can improve their vocabulary, increase their capacity for problem solving, and allow them to experience more advanced concepts and structures of language than they are ready to navigate while reading on their own. We’ll also give some recommendations for titles to add to your booklist. Register now and we’ll send you a Zoom link to join us on February 11.

Friday, Feb 14: Valentine’s Day at LCM

We LOVE LCM, and we know you do, too! On Valentine’s Day, we will share our love of the Museum with a colorful bar graph, highlighting which parts of LCM you love best. Is it the book nook in Make Your Mark, the Bean Machine in Follow That Food? Maybe it’s the sensory lagoon in Play With Me or somewhere amongst the butterflies in our Edible Garden. There is so much to love at LCM. Join us as we show our love by adding to our We LOVE LCM Bar Graph.

Saturday, February 15, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.: Ti Piti: A Louisiana Musical-Cultural Hour with Les Cenelles

Louisiana has so many stories to tell through music, sound, song, and the environment. Ti Piti will harness the power of storytelling, history, and culture through teaching young audiences Louisiana Creole songs, Gulf South Indigenous vocabulary and rhythms and various instruments that children will have access to play. The goals of Ti Piti are to provide a sense of community for parents of young children, to create something where both parents and children can learn and enjoy, to amplify the wonderful, localized work of LCM, to expose children to the unique environmental and cultural realities of this place and how this place connects with other places.?

Saturday, February 15 at 10:30 a.m.: Buzzing with Questions

Charles Henry Turner was an insect scientist and educator who was best known for his important studies on the behavior of bees and ants. Learn what the buzz is all about by joining us for a special reading of Buzzing with Questions: The Inquisitive Mind of Charles Henry Turner by Janice N. Harrington in our Edible Garden and practice being a bayou biologist by learning about and observing insects in our Big Backyard.

Saturday, February 15, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Chemistry Experiments with Xavier University’s Chemistry Club

Saturday, February 22 at 1:30 p.m.: “Ancestral Artistry” and the history of Adinkra in New Orleans Architecture

Join us for a very special presentation featuring Darryl A. Reeves, Master Blacksmith, and Jonn E. Hankins, Founder of New Orleans Master Crafts Guild who will deepen our understanding of the history and use of Adinkra symbols in Creole architectural craft, share more about craftspeople themselves, and the ongoing traditions of their work.

Their presentation will showcase a short segment from the documentary Ancestral Artistry: The Influence of Africans & Creoles of Color on Louisiana Architecture, produced by the Louisiana Architecture Foundation, a dialogue on the subject, as well a display of examples and artifacts. They share a mission to pass the knowledge and tradition of these distinctive arts to the next generations, and to keep alive the stories of this important culture of craftspeople. Come learn from these special Culture Bearers and celebrate our unique city.

Saturday, February 22, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.: FREE Creating Healthy Communities at LCM Wellness Workshop 

Registration is required for this FREE interactive workshop that invites kids to explore creative green infrastructure and landscape design solutions for the museum’s entrance. This interactive workshop invites kids to explore creative green infrastructure and landscape design solutions. Through a fun and collaborative collage activity, participants will learn about sustainable design principles and share their unique ideas for improving the space.

Saturday, February 22 and Sunday, February 23: Mardi Gras Masquerade Party

It’s Carnival Season! Join us at our Mardi Gras Maker Station outside of Studio in the Park to design your own fancy Mardi Gras mask. Guests will be invited to showcase these masterpieces at at our Mardi Gras Masquerade (Wiggle Party) on Saturday Feb 22 at 2:30 p.m. and again on Sunday, Feb 23 at 2:00 p.m.

Thursday, February 27, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. via Zoom: Sensory Friendly Caregiver Peer Support Group

Parents and caregivers of children with sensory needs are invited to join our peer support that will take place the fourth Thursday of each month via Zoom.  Please contact [email protected] with questions and for Zoom link.

Date: February 1-27, 2025

Location:
Louisiana Children's Museum,
15 Henry Thomas Drive,
New Orleans, LA 70124.

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