Old Arsenal Museum

Overview

The Old Arsenal Museum is currently opened on Thursdays from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM or by Appointment the rest of the week. Please call to set up individual or group appointments to tour the Old Arsenal Museum.

It may be the most historic spot in the Baton Rouge! Offers exhibits on the Battle of Baton Rouge, military history, and the history of the Capitol grounds. This site was of particular military importance because of its location on the river for early settlements, and later as the main defensive position of the southwestern United States. The Old Arsenal Museum, formerly known as the Powder Magazine. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the site was of particular military importance due to its location on the Mississippi River. Located on the grounds of the new State Capitol, the Old Arsenal was built in 1838 on what was then a federal military post. It was later occupied by the Louisiana militia at the outset of the Civil War and then used by occupying federal troops during the Battle of Baton Rouge. Amazingly, some of their graffiti is still preserved on the building's walls. Later, the structure served the needs of the cadets at the "Ole War Skule," as Louisiana State University was affectionately known when it resided downtown. No admission charged.