Tailored tours for middle and high school ages, homeschool pods, scout groups, clubs, and youth groups.
Education tours are about an hour and fifteen minutes in length and are conducted by a trained Educator of the Education Department.
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.
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:
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We are open to visitors Wednesday through Monday. The Visitor Center opens at 9:30am with grounds opening at 9:45am. The grounds close at 4:15pm and the museum closes at 4:30pm.
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Tour tickets can be purchased either on our website or at the museum when you arrive. Ticket sales stop at 3:00pm at the museum to ensure visitors have a full tour experience.
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Tickets for the Self-Guided Tour can be purchased online through our website or at the Front Desk when you arrive at the museum.
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Some visitors like to plan their time at the museum and others want some space to decide when to come. The All-Day Entry ticket option allows visitors to have that space to decide when to arrive at the museum to begin their tour. There is no difference in the tour itself.
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If visitors arrive at the museum before their scheduled timed-entry, they are more than welcome to begin their tour when they arrive.
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The Self-Guided Tour has a total of 14 stations. Stations on the tour include: Antioch Baptist Church, lower floor of the plantation house (Big House), exterior of plantation store, detached kitchen, exterior of Overseer’s House, original barns, blacksmith shop, jail cells, original quarters, Wall of Honor Memorial, Gwendolyn Midlo Hall Memorial, 1811 Memorial, Field of Angels Memorial.
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The pathways of the grounds are wheelchair (electric and manual) accessible. Certain historic structures on the property have a few steps that allow visitors to enter into, but the interior can be seen from outside. Wheelchairs are not offered at the museum.
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Service animals are certainly welcome at the museum. Please ensure that the animal has the appropriate harness and other items needed to identify them as a service animal.
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Snack foods are the only food offerings at the museum. Soft drinks, lemonade, water and other drinks are also offered. Visitors can bring their own lunches and use the outdoor picnic areas on the grounds. There are other lunch options within 10-15 minutes of the museum on Highway 18 and Gramercy.
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Upon checking in or purchasing tickets, visitors will receive an audio device that will act as their guide along the tour. We do offer plug-in headsets for the device, but they are optional. The audio can be heard from the speaker on the top of the device.
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Traveling to the museum can be done in multiple ways. There are tour companies that bring visitors to our museum every day we are open; see our “Transportation and Tickets” page on the Plan Your Visit tab. Personal vehicles are also welcome, as well as rental cars. This is especially good for Guided Tours. Please do not take Uber, Lyft, taxis, or other rideshare services here; they do not operate around the museum and we cannot guarantee you will have a way from the museum.
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Admission must be purchased to tour the grounds of the museum. The Self-Guided Tour is the base admission for the museum. If visitors choose to not use the audio device given, that is up to their discretion. There are signs on the grounds that give one to two sentence descriptions about each station.
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Prices for the Self-Guided Tour are as follows: $25 for Adults (19+), $11 for Children 6-18, Free for Children under 6, $23 for Seniors (62+), $23 for Military and Students, $15 for Parish Residents.
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Refunds and reschedules for the Self-Guided Tour are given up to the end of day of your reservation. Refunds and reschedules are not offered for past bookings.
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The audio for the Self-Guided Tour is roughly one hour and 15 minutes long. However, many visitors spend longer than that time on the grounds at different stations, so expect your time on the grounds to be closer to an hour and a half.
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Visitors who purchase tickets through tour companies will receive the Self-Guided Tour when they arrive at the museum.
