Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum

The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum is a 501(C)3 educational non-profit organization. Its mission is “Bringing Louisiana’s unique maritime history to life”. The museum is the caretaker of the Tchefuncte River Light Station, as well as the associated Lightkeepers Cottage which has been relocated to the museum grounds. Museum exhibits include dioramas of the lighthouses of Louisiana, the Fresnel lens rescued from the Chandeleur Lighthouse, the lantern room rescued from the Pass Manchac Light prior to its destruction by Hurricane Isaac, as well as exhibits reflecting the early indigenous populations of the basin, films depicting life on the area’s waterways, and a replica of the Pioneer I (the forerunner of the CSS Hunley, the first submarine to sink a warship).

The museum’s major fundraiser is the Wooden Boat Festival, which takes place in October each year, and celebrates the art of wooden and classic boats. The two-day event feature over 100 boats from across the US and Canada, but especially the Gulf Coast region.