Self Guided Tour

Overview

Whitney Plantation educates the public about the history and legacies of slavery in the United States. Visitors to the museum will learn about the history of slavery through a combination of exhibits, an hour and 15-minute tour, and conversations with our staff. 

Tickets for the Self-Guided Tour may be purchased either online or at the Front Desk when visitors arrive at the museum; no reservations required. If visitors purchase a Timed-Entry ticket, they can arrive before or after their scheduled time and still begin their tour, as long as they arrive prior to 3:00pm.

Service animals are more than welcome on the property of the museum. Visitors who wish to bring their service animals on the museum grounds must have the appropriate harness on the animal as well as documentation to show Front Desk staff when you arrive.

The Self-Guided Tour takes one hour and fifteen minutes to take, but expect to be on the grounds of the museum closer to an hour and a half as you explore the different structures and memorials.

 

The Exhibits: 

Exhibits in the visitor center are free to the public and are open from 9:30am to 4:15pm, Wednesday through Monday.  

 Permanent Exhibits: 

• The History of the Transatlantic Slave Trade 

This exhibit is a brief overview about the history of the Transatlantic Slave Trade (TAST). It includes information about how the trade began, which European countries were involved, and where Africans were captured and forcibly migrated along routes of trade that extended both to the west and east of the African continent. 

• Slavery in LouisianaWe recommend visiting this exhibit prior to the audio tour. 

Focused on the history of slavery in Louisiana from 1719-1865, visitors learn about all aspects of slavery in this state. Including the history of the Code Noir, topics of gender, and resistance & rebellion.

Rotating Exhibit: 

• Grass, Scrap, Burn: Life & Labor at Whitney Plantation After Slavery

How did the  system of slavery transform after 1865 into a wage working system on the property that became Whitney Plantation? Through first-person accounts and plantation records, this exhibit details the experiences of those who continued to live and work on this sugarcane and rice farm through 1975. 

 

Timed-Entry Self-Guided Audio Tour: 

Advanced purchase is always recommended. See pricing and purchase tickets by clicking here. 

 Length: 1 hour and 15-minutes, at your own pace and ability.

Accessibility: Visitors who take the Self-Guided Tour will listen to the tour through one of the museum’s devices that will be provided to them when arriving to begin the tour. Our audio devices are not guaranteed to visitors. The museum only has a certain number of these devices, so if they have all been taken when visitors arrive to take their tour, visitors should expect to download our free app. The Whitney Plantation Tour App is free of charge and can be downloaded before visitors arrive or when they check in for their tour. The tour is fully transcribed and is available in the following languages: English, French, Spanish, German, and Mandarin. 

 From its founding in 1752 by Ambroise Haydel, to the death of Marie Azélie Haydel in 1860, this site was known as Habitation Haydel. During this period, members of the Haydel family enslaved generations of Africans and African descendant people. Visitors will learn about the lives and experiences of enslaved people while being guided through memorial grounds and historic structures.  

On the tour route are plenty of shaded rest areas, large site maps, and pathway signage to assist visitors along the way. The pathways are made of gravel and are suitable for those that rely on walking aids for assistance. Wheelchairs and other walking aids are not offered at the museum.