University of Louisiana partners with Lafayette to operate science museum, plans more programs

Josh Archote, Lafayette Daily Advertiser
·1 min read

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette will operate the Lafayette Science Museum in partnership with Lafayette Consolidated Government, the university announced Thursday.

The museum, located downtown on Jefferson Street, will be renamed the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Science Museum as part of the agreement.

The university plans to expand exhibitions, programs and resources, including a cafe, gift shop and public event rental option.

The museum has been run and funded by a board of directors and LCG, but the university has maintained a presence there through the geology museum, operated by UL's School of Geosciences since 2013.

UL President Joseph Savoie called the new operational agreement “a natural evolution of the relationship we’ve had with LCG and the museum for nearly a decade.”

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“Partnering with LCG to operate the facility increases the university’s visibility in the downtown area and deepens our connection with the community,” Savoie said. “It advances our outreach mission by enabling the public to learn of – and learn from – the significant research being done here.”

Azmy Ackleh, dean of UL's College of Sciences, which will oversee the science museum’s operations.

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Jennifer Hargrave said the LCG-university partnership enables an expansion to include exhibits and information from the College of Sciences’ other disciplines. Hargrave is the UL Lafayette Science Museum’s director and a senior instructor in the School of Geosciences.

“In addition to providing the dynamic exhibits our visitors are accustomed to seeing in the museum, we plan to offer programs and resources to deliver science for everyone," she said.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Lafayette Science Museum to be renamed, expanded after deal with UL