Skip to primary navigation Skip to content Skip to footer

Self Guided Tour

Open Wednesday through Monday

Quick Details

Duration: For a full experience, we recommend that visitors plan to spend a minimum of 2-hours at Whitney Plantation.

Hours:

  • Visitor Center:  9:30am- 4:30pm
  • Tours:  Ground open at 9:45am, with the last entry for a tour at 3:00pm. Ticket sales end at 3:oopm.

Availability: Open Wednesday through Monday.

  • Exhibits within the visitor center are free to the public.
  • Tickets must be purchased for a tour of the museum grounds.

Tours:

We offer both self-guided tours and guided tours.  We offer a 10% discount for groups of 14-20 people. Please see the sections below for more information, pricing, and to book tickets.

If you are a group of 21 or more and would like to inquire about a tour, please click on this link to learn more. For information and availability for education tours for 4th- 12th grade school groups, please click here.

 

Additional Information:

Because the tour is outside, we recommend that our visitors prepare for weather appropriately by bringing umbrellas, sunscreen, and bug spray, as necessary. We also recommend comfortable walking shoes suitable for gravel pathways.

We operate tours rain or shine.

Adult
$25
Child (6-18)
$11
Child (Under 6)
Free
Seniors (62+)
$23
Military/Student Discount
$23
Parish Residents
$15

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.

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. 

Getting Here

Whitney Plantation is preserved in the Whitney Plantation Historic District near Wallace, Louisiana, in St. John the Baptist Parish. It is located at 5099 Louisiana Highway 18 on the west bank of the Mississippi River.

From New Orleans, Downtown: Take I-10 West towards Baton Rouge for 39.3 miles. Take the LA-641 S exit, EXIT 194 towards Gramercy.  Turn left onto LA-641 S. Take the LA-18 ramp toward Edgard/Vacherie.  Turn right onto LA-18/Great River Rd.

From Baton Rouge: Take I-10 East towards New Orleans. Merge onto US-61 S via EXIT 187 towards Gramercy. Turn right onto LA-641 S. Take the LA-18 ramp toward Edgard/Vacherie. Turn right onto LA-18/Great River Rd.

Frequently Asked Questions: