Port Wonder, an exhibit and discovery space for people of all ages, has cut the ribbon at its front doors in anticipation of two museums that will soon open inside.
State and local officials for a ribbon-cutting ceremony today — the first day of spring — at the distinctive lakeside site. Port Wonder’s iconic structure, with its swooping roofline, is a new landmark for travelers along Interstate 10.
Port Wonder is located along the Lake Charles lakefront on North Lakeshore Drive near I-10.
The multimillion-dollar public-private partnership will be the upcoming home of:
- The Children’s Museum of Southwest Louisiana, a hands-on experience for young people with exhibits that celebrate science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) topics and our world. It spans 15,000 square feet, or about two-thirds of the space inside Port Wonder.
- The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Nature and Science Center, offering an up-close look at the remarkable wildlife, fisheries, and ecosystem of Southwest Louisiana. It covers 5,700 square feet.
Both museums are completing final preparations. Once open, the two museums will have separate, ticketed admission.
The Children's Museum will feature four new gallery experiences for visitors to explore and will offer year-round educational programs and hands-on activities for all ages.
LDWF’s Nature and Science Center will have hands-on learning opportunities, freshwater and saltwater aquariums and touch tanks.
The LDWF Nature and Science Center at Port Wonder is funded in part through the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group (TIG), with dollars provided to help compensate the public for lost recreational use opportunities due to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and associated response activities. The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation (LAWFF) is a supporting partner in providing this experience to the community.
“Today we celebrate the first day of a new Lake Charles — a day where 80,000-plus visitors traveling the I-10 Corridor through Lake Charles are now welcomed by a vibrant, developed lakefront,” said Mayor Nic Hunter. “As we prepare to welcome visitors to Port Wonder, we are also eagerly watching construction move at a rapid pace next door at Crying Eagle Lakefront.”
Mayor Hunter added: “Our lakefront is one of our greatest assets. Today has been a long time coming. Citizens of Lake Charles and visitors are in for a real treat. Through Port Wonder and Crying Eagle Lakefront, we are making our lakefront a premier and unique destination for visitors along the Gulf Coast.”
“This is the realization of a dream,” said Children’s Museum Executive Director Allyson Montgomery. “We appreciate everyone who is a stakeholder in this, and we are excited that we will be opening our doors soon.”
“We are proud to partner with the City of Lake Charles, the Children’s Museum of SWLA and LAWFF to bring this one-of-a-kind experience to Louisiana, especially to the children; the future hunters and fishers in our state,” said LDWF Acting Secretary Tyler Bosworth. “Our mission at the department is to protect, preserve, and promote our valuable wildlife and fisheries resources, and the Nature and Science Center will provide the perfect opportunity to showcase the wonders of the Sportsman’s Paradise and what our department does on a daily basis.”
Port Wonder was designed by Cambridge Seven Associates of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Lemoine Co. was the building contractor and Randy Goodloe was the local architect. The iconic design is intended to enhance the new center’s visibility and accessibility and to promote opportunities for the public to play and learn about Louisiana’s rich natural heritage.
The City of Lake Charles has re-imagined a prime area of its waterfront into a family destination with the new complex. The site lies between the Cypress Alligator Pond habitat and a parking garage on city property.
Port Wonder is arranged around a view corridor from the street to the lake. The Children’s Museum and the Nature and Science Center occupy separate wings on either side of this shared congregation space.
The undulating roofline suggests the winding waterways that culminate at Lake Charles. The two curved “crests” house the Children’s Museum and the Nature and Science Center, respectively, and meet at the shared lobby, which will also serve as a program space.
The new facility creates a STEAM-based, hands-on interactive center coupled with an immersive, experience for all visitors that is unique to Southwest Louisiana.
Children’s Museum exhibits and galleries focused on technology, health and nature are balanced with the Nature & Science Center’s marsh and barrier island fish tanks, a touch tank, and several Gulf-specific exhibits.
The site features outdoor play areas, a covered fishing pier and walking trails that connect to the existing alligator habitat.
The Children’s Museum will host a “Sip, See, and Wonder” sneak-preview cocktail fundraiser from 5:30-8 p.m. Saturday, March 22, at the museum. Tickets are $75, available at swlakids.org.
For interviews, photos, B-roll, or other information:
Brett Downer, O’Carroll Group • brett@ocarroll.com / 337-515-0942
Taylor Brazan, La. Department of Wildlife and Fisheries • tbrazan@wlf.la.gov / 225-765-3970