The Friends of Louisiana State Exhibit Museum, Inc.

Join the Friends in Support of the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum

 
Welcome to the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum. It is not an exaggeration that the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum is an incredible cultural and educational resource for our community. It is filled with historical artifacts and treasures that help bring Louisiana history to life.
 
Chartered in 1982, the primary mission of the Friends of the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum, Inc. is to provide financial and volunteer support to the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum in three areas: traveling exhibits, educational programs and landscaping.
 
Over the past 25 years the Friends of LSEM have provided all of the funding to allow nationally recognized exhibits—such as The Louisiana Purchase, Russian Dinosaurs, King Tut, American Presidents, Pulitzer Prize Photographs, Smithsonian Gems of Desire, Norman Rockwell, Clementine Hunter, George Rodrique and John James Audubon—to come to the Museum and our community, helping bring over 100,000 visitors a year to the Museum.
 
But, it is not only nationally recognized artists that are represented at the Museum. The Museum plays host each year as the Shreveport Art Club and other local artists show off their talents. What a wonderful opportunity and affirmation for local artists to be able to display their work at the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum.
 
We are so fortunate to have such an incredible cultural and educational resource in our community. Each year over 42,000 children from area schools visit the Museum and the Friends make this possible by supplementing the cost of school buses used to transport children to the Museum and the cost of materials and supplies associated with our educational programs. On just about any given day during the school year you will find 200-300 school-aged children roaming, exploring, asking questions and learning at the Museum.
 
Finally, with the financial and volunteer help of the Landscaping and Grounds Advisory committee of the Friends, the grounds of the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum have been transformed into an oasis.With five gardens—a Medicinal Garden, American Indian Garden, Rotary Club of Shreveport Garden, the Courtyard and the main-entrance Rose Garden—the grounds are a retreat for all who visit. Volunteers maintain the gardens while the Friends purchase plants and other garden needs.
 
The Friends of the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum, Inc. is vital to the growth of the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum as the organization brings nationally recognized cultural events and exhibits to our community, educational experiences to our children and beauty to our neighborhood.
 
If you haven’t visited the Museum lately, we hope you’ll come visit soon. And we hope you will consider becoming a member of the Friends and join in our effort to inspire a new generation of young minds.
 
To join us, please fill out the form: "Be a Friend" of the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum

2010 Board Members, Friends of the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum, Inc. 

2010 Officers:  Gloria Cook, President; Dr. George Bakowski, Vice President; Nina Glorioso, Treasurer; and Bonnie Watkins, Secretary

Mrs. Gloria Cook, President
Dr. George Bakowski, Vice President
Mrs. Lynn Chance
Ms. Harriet Daggett
Mrs. Margaret Green, President of the Regional Museum Governing Board of the LSEM
Mrs. Nina Glorioso, Treasurer
Mrs. Robin Jones
Mr. Geoff Perego
Mr. Mickey Prestridge
Ms. Alma Rozeman
Mrs. Sue Rubenstein
Mr. Andy Shehee
Mrs. Janis Showman, Representative of the Landscape & Grounds Advisory Committee
Mrs. Adelaide Smith
Mrs. Lynn Stewart
Mrs. Evelyn Valore
Representative Wayne Waddell
Mrs. Nila Willhoite
Ms. Mary Walker
Ms. Nancy Walker
Ms. Amy Watkins, Immediate Past President
Mrs. Bonnie Watkins, Secretary
Ms. Nila Wilhoite
 

Landscape & Grounds Advisory Committee

Mrs. Janis Showman, President
Mrs. Janet Mighell Creech, Master Gardener, Immediate Past President
Ms. Denyse Cummins, Master Gardener
 Dr. Severn Doughty
Ms. Randa Durham, Master Gardener
Ms. Catherine Estopinal, Master Gardener
Mrs. Jane Hall, Native Plant Society
Mrs. Charlotte Haring
Mrs. Carole Lacefield, Master Gardener
Mrs. Carolyn Prator, Master Gardener
Mr. Wayne Roberts, Master Gardener, Vice President
Mrs. Mary Cook Walker, Master Gardener
Dr. Joe White, Master Gardener
Ms. Jo Anne Woodard, Master Gardener Liaison
 
Grounds Maintenance -- Commercial Lawn Care -- Renee Young
 

Join the Friends and/or Volunteer at the Museum

We invite you to join the Friends of LSEM by filling out the “Be a Friend of LSEM” form. For further information or to volunteer, contact info@FriendsofLSEM.org or call 318-632-2020. Thank you for your support.
 

See also

Friends in Pictures
 
Funding for the Friends
 
Donate