 In 2000, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities partnered with the Smithsonian Institution through its Museum on Main Street (MOMS) program to bring traveling exhibits to rural audiences and small museums that do not have access due to space and cost limitations. Museum on Main Street brings rural Americans one-of-a-kind access to prestigious Smithsonian exhibitions and first-rate educational programs. Most importantly, Museum on Main Street gives rural museums a chance to demonstrate their enormous talents and their meaningful contributions to small town life. Click here to learn more about Museum on Main Street.
Through a Request for Proposals and competitive application process, every three years, the LEH selects 6 rural communities to host a Museum on Main Street exhibit. Besides covering all exhibition costs and providing a total of $36,000 in grants for ancillary exhibits and public programs to the 6 host sites, the LEH provides continuous technical assistance to the sponsoring organizations on exhibition and program development, fundraising and grantwriting, publicity and promotion, collaboration and budget planning, all of which will benefit these organizations long after the Smithsonian exhibit has left town.
| Touring 2008-2009: New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music |
Abita Opry, Inc
Abita Springs
April 14-May 24, 2008
Lincoln Parish Library
Ruston
June 2-July 12, 2008
Jeanerette Bicentennial Park & Museum
Jeanerette
July 21-August 30, 2008 |
La Musee de la Ville de Kaplan
Kaplan
September 4-October 15, 2008
Delta Music Museum
Ferriday
October 23-December 5, 2008
Louisiana State Oil & Gas Museum
Oil City
Dec. 11, 2008 – Jan. 15, 2009 |
 What is American Music? What are the roots of Jazz, Rock and Roll, Hip Hop and Country Swing? Many of us listen to music day-in and day-out without giving a second thought to the wealth of history and culture that shapes today’s popular music. Our music is built upon the melding of different cultural groups and is a direct reflection of America’s diversity.
“New Harmonies” is an interactive exhibit that examines the ongoing cultural process that has made America the birthplace of more music than any place on earth. The exhibition provides a fascinating, inspiring and toe-tapping listen to the American story of multi-cultural exchange.
State Scholar: Ben Sandmel
Sandmel comes to the role of state humanities scholar for "New Harmonies" with impressive credentials. He is a foklorist, the drummer/producer for The Hackberry Ramblers and author of Zydeco! (University Press of Mississippi, 1999). Currently working on a book about the late New Orleans R&B legend Ernie K-Doe, as a freelance writer, he also writes music reviews for Louisiana Cultural Vistas. |
| Past Tours 2006-07: Key Ingredients: America by Food |
Julien Poydras Museum and Arts Council
New Roads
Old Courthouse Museum
Natchitoches
Larose Civic Center
Larose |
Jena Cultural Center
Jena
St. Mary Parish Library
Baldwin
Acadian Prairie Cultural Center
Eunice |
 Key Ingredients explores the connections between Americans and the foods they produce, prepare, preserve and present at the table—a provocative and thoughtful look at he historical, regional and social traditions that merge in everyday meals and celebrations. Our recipes, menus, ceremonies and etiquette are directly shaped by our country’s rich immigrant experience, the history and innovations of food preparation technology, and the ever-changing availability of key ingredients. Click here to learn more about Key Ingredients. |
| Past Tours 2004-05: Yesterday’s Tomorrows: Past Visions of the American Future |
 Yesterday’s Tomorrows explored the history of the future—our expectations and beliefs about things to come. From ray guns to robots, to nuclear powered cars, to the Atom-Bomb house, to predictions and inventions that went awry, Yesterday’s Tomorrows helps us understand the values and hopes Americans hold and have held about the years to come.
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Minden Chamber of Com./Webster Parish Library
Minden
Old Town Hall Museum
Pineville
Brimstone Historical Society and Museum
Sulphur |
The Princess Theatre
Winnsboro
Iberville Museum
Plaquemine
Jeanerette Bicentennial Park and Museum
Jeanerette |
| Past Tours 2001-02: Produce for Victory: Posters on American Home Front, 1941-45 |
 Produce for Victory contained the best of the Smithsonian’s wartime images, collected by its curator of graphic arts during World War II. It traced the evolution of the poster as an art form that was key to mobilizing and maintaining stateside support, in human and natural resources, for the global battle overseas. Inexpensive, accessible, and ever-present, the poster was an ideal agent for making war aims the personal mission of every American.
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Herbert S. Ford Memorial Museum
Homer
Hermione Museum
Tallulah
Varnado Store Museum
Franklinton |
Louisiana Political Museum & Hall of Fame
Winnfield
Zigler Museum
Jennings
West Baton Rouge Museum
Port Allen |
For more information, contact:
Rachel Norman, norman@leh.org • 504.620.2479 |
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