(05/19/26) BATON ROUGE, La. — A welcome center at Burden Museum & Gardens that has been years in the making is now complete.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony held May 18, LSU and LSU AgCenter officials, members of the Burden Foundation, donors and supporters celebrated the long-awaited facility, which will officially open to the public this summer. It will serve as an information hub to greet visitors to a 440-acre complex that encompasses the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden, the LSU Rural Life Museum and Windrush Gardens.

Located in Baton Rouge near Interstate 10 and Essen Lane, the property was donated to LSU by the Burden family in 1966. More than 200,000 people visit the grounds annually to explore gardens, nature trails and museum exhibits and to attend events.

Burden plays host to numerous educational programs focused on history and horticulture as well as beloved seasonal festivities such as the Corn Maze in the fall and the Louisiana Lights holiday display. It also is a popular venue for weddings, receptions, meetings and other occasions. The welcome center will be available for events, expanding Burden’s rental offerings.

Leaders liken the welcome center to a “front door” for Burden — something they have long desired for the sprawling property. It has been in the works since 2009, when Burden adopted its master plan. Groundbreaking for the sleek, modern building took place in March 2025.

Visitors will have direct access to the facility via a newly constructed road. The main entrance to Burden off Essen Lane has been reconfigured to make it easy for drivers to know where to go.

As Charles Lamar III, a board member of the Burden Foundation, put it at the ribbon-cutting ceremony: “The hidden gem of Baton Rouge will be hidden no longer.”

Officials who spoke at the ceremony praised Burden as a valuable asset to LSU and Louisiana.

“It is a destination that celebrates Louisiana’s rich agricultural heritage and showcases the unique flora and fauna that define our state,” said Matt Lee, senior vice chancellor of the LSU AgCenter and dean of the LSU College of Agriculture. “But Burden Museum & Gardens is more than a destination. It’s an outdoor classroom. It supports student learning, advances research and strengthens community engagement. It plays a vital role in LSU AgCenter extension efforts, from coastal restoration and environmental stewardship to supporting Louisiana’s nursery, landscape, farming and forestry industries.”

Jim Dalton, LSU executive vice president and chancellor, said the opening of the welcome center marks an important milestone for Burden, which provides much-needed shared spaces for people to connect with one another, the outdoors and Louisiana traditions.

“Burden Museum & Gardens is one of the clearest examples of LSU’s statewide mission in action,” he said. “It serves as a public-facing extension of the university, bringing education, research, preservation and outreach beyond the classroom and into everyday life. Families, school groups, academic researchers and other visitors from across Louisiana and beyond come here to both learn, explore and experience the rich heritage of this great state.”

In addition to providing a central location where people can ask for directions, get information on attractions and participate in events, the welcome center itself will play a role in Burden’s educational mission. It functions as a demonstration of stormwater management strategies.

The facility is outfitted with a scupper, which captures water from the roof and directs it into a detention basin that flows into a rain garden and, eventually, nearby Ward Creek. The extensive landscaping surrounding the building prominently features native plants — such as dwarf palmetto, juncus, cypress and magnolia — that help absorb and filter stormwater. Its parking lot is made from semi-permeable materials that reduce runoff.

The space also will soon feature exhibits highlighting the property’s history and the Burden family along with smaller rotating exhibits about research happening on site and within LSU and the AgCenter.

To learn more about renting the facility, email BotanicGardens@agcenter.lsu.edu or call 225-763-3990.

LSU and LSU AgCenter officials, members of the Burden Foundation, donors and others cut a ribbon during a May 18 ceremony marking the completion of the Burden Museum & Gardens welcome center. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter

The Burden Museum & Gardens welcome center, which will officially open to the public this summer, will provide visitor information and be available for event rentals. It is surrounded by landscaping that prominently features native plants that help absorb and filter stormwater. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter

Matt Lee, senior vice chancellor of the LSU AgCenter and dean of the LSU College of Agriculture, speaks May 18 during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Burden Museum & Gardens welcome center. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter

Jim Dalton, LSU executive vice president and chancellor, speaks May 18 during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Burden Museum & Gardens welcome center. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter

Burden Museum & Gardens supporters listen to speakers during a May 18 ribbon-cutting ceremony for the facility’s new welcome center. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter

Guests explore the reception area of the Burden Museum & Gardens welcome center following a ribbon-cutting ceremony held May 18. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter