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211 N. Main Street, Farmerville, Louisiana
318-982-8020 [email protected] HOURS: Tue-Fri, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays for special events FREE ADMISSION Click button below for YouTube video - "First People of Union Parish" talk by archaeologist Jeff Girard Visit the museum's archaeology website by clicking the second button below |
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The mission of the Union Museum of History and Art is to promote an understanding of history, culture, and art, and to instill a spirit of community pride.
We're all about connections. Connections with each other...with the past...with beloved traditions... with dreams of the future. Come join the conversation!
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SEE CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS AT LOWER END OF THIS PAGE
We're all about connections. Connections with each other...with the past...with beloved traditions... with dreams of the future. Come join the conversation!
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SEE CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS AT LOWER END OF THIS PAGE
NASA exhibit now open
The Union Museum of History and Art successfully launched its NASA exhibit, "Back to the Moon...on to Mars" exhibit Thursday, with an enthusiastic crowd of fellow travelers in attendance. Sponsors and dignitaries helped cut the ribbon to officially mark the beginning of the long-awaited exhibit. Guest speaker Chris Blair, NASA Public Affairs Specialist, gave a brief history of the NASA Apollo program that put the first man on the moon, and of the current Artemis program that is returning humans to the moon and preparing for ventures further into space.
The exhibit is available for viewing until September 26.
“Visitors can explore many accomplishments of America’s space program, from the Apollo program through today’s Artemis Moon missions,” says Blair of the exhibit. “Featuring high-quality scale models of launch vehicles, engines, spacecraft, and more, visitors can learn about NASA missions and programs. NASA’s Exhibits Program shares the agency’s endeavors to educate the public and inspire America’s next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers.”
Several associated activities are planned:
Sept. 10, 5:30 p.m. -- "Growing Food in Space" talk by Dr. Joshua Vandenbrink, NASA researcher and LA Tech professor of biology
Sept. 15, all day -- "The Future of Space Exploration," presentations by NASA aerospace engineer Chandler Scheuermann, who designs and builds the SLS rockets at Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. He will speak to student groups in the museum, at the Chamber luncheon, and to the public at 5:30 p.m. (School groups are invited to call and schedule a time to visit, 318-982-8020.)
Sept. 17, 5:30 p.m. -- "Welding in Space," talk by Dr. Andrew Peters, NASA researcher and LA Tech professor of engineering
Sept. 19, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. -- Robotics Day, demos by area school robotics teams: Union Parish High School, Downsville Community Charter School, D'Arbonne Woods Charter School, and possibly others.
A WORLD OF THANKS to these sponsors who are helping to make this exhibit happen:
Benoit Motors, Judge Bruce Hampton, Justice Jay and Deanna McCallum, Union General Hospital, Origin Bank, Walmart Foundation, Entergy Charitable Foundation, Byrnes Mechanical Contractors, and Enviro Services.
ATTENTION EDUCATORS
Press HERE for NASA exhibit teacher's resource information
Press HERE for NASA exhibit teacher's resource information
Raffle to benefit Museum --
Get your tickets for chance to win the America 250 Community Quilt
Dozens of local quilters have combined their talent to create a beautiful one-of-a-kind patriotic quilt to be raffled off as a fundraiser for the Union Museum of History and Art. Raffle tickets are $1.00 each and can be purchased in the museum. The quilt will be displayed in the museum now through October 24 when the drawing will take place at the close of the Bayou D'Arbonne Folk Festival. Tickets can be purchased from any museum board member, as well.
"We are so very grateful to Karen Bradford and Tara Best for piecing this gorgeous quilt together, to Tara for quilting it, to Louise Adams at the Fabric Shop in Ruston for donating the backing material, and to all the area quilters (both Union Parish and surrounding area) that donated squares," says Vickie Wheelis, museum director. "We could not have done this project without each one of you."
Get your tickets for chance to win the America 250 Community Quilt
Dozens of local quilters have combined their talent to create a beautiful one-of-a-kind patriotic quilt to be raffled off as a fundraiser for the Union Museum of History and Art. Raffle tickets are $1.00 each and can be purchased in the museum. The quilt will be displayed in the museum now through October 24 when the drawing will take place at the close of the Bayou D'Arbonne Folk Festival. Tickets can be purchased from any museum board member, as well.
"We are so very grateful to Karen Bradford and Tara Best for piecing this gorgeous quilt together, to Tara for quilting it, to Louise Adams at the Fabric Shop in Ruston for donating the backing material, and to all the area quilters (both Union Parish and surrounding area) that donated squares," says Vickie Wheelis, museum director. "We could not have done this project without each one of you."
Archaeology talk set in museum Aug. 27
Dr. Diana Greenlee, station archaeologist at Poverty Point World Heritage Site, will be the featured speaker on August 27, at 5:30 p.m., in the Union Museum of History and Art, 211 N. Main Street, Farmerville. She will discuss archaeological investigations in regional locations other than Poverty Point. Her talk is part of the museum’s ongoing series of discussions about research into this region’s prehistoric eras.
“For the past two years, the Poverty Point Station Archaeology Program has been directed to expand research efforts to locales outside of Poverty Point World Heritage Site,” says Dr. Greenlee. “In this presentation, I will talk about the results of some of those efforts.”
Dr. Diana Greenlee, station archaeologist at Poverty Point World Heritage Site, will be the featured speaker on August 27, at 5:30 p.m., in the Union Museum of History and Art, 211 N. Main Street, Farmerville. She will discuss archaeological investigations in regional locations other than Poverty Point. Her talk is part of the museum’s ongoing series of discussions about research into this region’s prehistoric eras.
“For the past two years, the Poverty Point Station Archaeology Program has been directed to expand research efforts to locales outside of Poverty Point World Heritage Site,” says Dr. Greenlee. “In this presentation, I will talk about the results of some of those efforts.”
Walmart Foundation makes grant for NASA exhibit
Union Museum of History and Art is pleased to announce it has received a $1000 grant from the Walmart Foundation in support of the museum’s NASA exhibit later this year. Farmerville Walmart store manager Taffanie Brooks (left) and assistant manager Sue Phillips (right) are shown with museum director Vickie Wheelis at the Farmerville store entrance. The exhibit, “Back to the Moon; on to Mars,” will travel from the NASA-Huntsville facility and displayed in the museum August 13 through September 26. Several events, including a Robotics Day, will be held in conjunction with the exhibit.
Union Museum of History and Art is pleased to announce it has received a $1000 grant from the Walmart Foundation in support of the museum’s NASA exhibit later this year. Farmerville Walmart store manager Taffanie Brooks (left) and assistant manager Sue Phillips (right) are shown with museum director Vickie Wheelis at the Farmerville store entrance. The exhibit, “Back to the Moon; on to Mars,” will travel from the NASA-Huntsville facility and displayed in the museum August 13 through September 26. Several events, including a Robotics Day, will be held in conjunction with the exhibit.
ATTENTION: Artists and crafters
The Bayou D'Arbonne Folk Festival will rock the town on Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the plaza of the Union Museum of History and Art, 211 N Main Street, Farmerville. If you create and sell your handmade crafts or artworks, we'd love to talk to you about being a vendor at the festival. Or if you make traditional crafts and are not interested in selling your items, consider demonstrating your skills at the festival. For information, call the museum at 318-982-8020, or click here.
This will be the sixth year of the family-friendly folk festival, which has grown in size and popularity each year. It features live bluegrass music, dance, arts, traditional crafts, food, re-enactors, Dutch Oven cookers, and even a pie-eating contest. What a fun way to bring history to life!
Thanks to our sponsors: Case Farms Chicken, Union General Hospital, Judge Bruce Hampton, Benoit Motors, and Reeves Memorial Medical Center.
[For more information on the advantages of sponsoring this event, call 318-982-8020]
The Bayou D'Arbonne Folk Festival will rock the town on Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the plaza of the Union Museum of History and Art, 211 N Main Street, Farmerville. If you create and sell your handmade crafts or artworks, we'd love to talk to you about being a vendor at the festival. Or if you make traditional crafts and are not interested in selling your items, consider demonstrating your skills at the festival. For information, call the museum at 318-982-8020, or click here.
This will be the sixth year of the family-friendly folk festival, which has grown in size and popularity each year. It features live bluegrass music, dance, arts, traditional crafts, food, re-enactors, Dutch Oven cookers, and even a pie-eating contest. What a fun way to bring history to life!
Thanks to our sponsors: Case Farms Chicken, Union General Hospital, Judge Bruce Hampton, Benoit Motors, and Reeves Memorial Medical Center.
[For more information on the advantages of sponsoring this event, call 318-982-8020]
Together, we achieve more! --
Museum seeks support from friends
Union Museum of History and Art - Discovery Place depends on the public for support in order to continue serving the people of this community. Put simply, we need a little help from our friends.
We ask that you give a gift to your community by making a tax-deductible donation to the Museum. Gifts of any amounts are welcome! Donors may designate gifts in memory of a loved one.
Below are the levels of giving to be an official Friend of the Museum:
$100 Bronze
$250 Silver
$500 Gold
$1000 Platinum
$1500 Champion
$3000 Patron
$5000 Benefactor
You may send a check to the museum at 211 N. Main St., Farmerville, LA 71241. OR, to make your donation via credit card, click on the red “DONATE” button at upper right of this page. CLICK HERE FOR A DONATION FORM with more information.
THANK YOU!
Museum seeks support from friends
Union Museum of History and Art - Discovery Place depends on the public for support in order to continue serving the people of this community. Put simply, we need a little help from our friends.
We ask that you give a gift to your community by making a tax-deductible donation to the Museum. Gifts of any amounts are welcome! Donors may designate gifts in memory of a loved one.
Below are the levels of giving to be an official Friend of the Museum:
$100 Bronze
$250 Silver
$500 Gold
$1000 Platinum
$1500 Champion
$3000 Patron
$5000 Benefactor
You may send a check to the museum at 211 N. Main St., Farmerville, LA 71241. OR, to make your donation via credit card, click on the red “DONATE” button at upper right of this page. CLICK HERE FOR A DONATION FORM with more information.
THANK YOU!
We appreciate the generosity of Union General Hospital, Judge Bruce Hampton, Benoit Motors, and Justice Jay and Deanna McCallum --- our Museum Sustainer Sponsors --- who are supporting the entire work of the museum in 2026:
CULTURAL CENTER UPCOMING EVENTS
August 13-September 26 -- "Back to the Moon...on to Mars" exhibit from NASA-Huntsville.
August 27, 5:30 p.m. -- Archaeology talk: "Beyond Poverty Point: Recent Archaeological Investigations in NE Louisiana," Dr. Diana Greenlee, archaeologist, Poverty Point world heritage site.
September 10, 5:30 p.m. -- "Growing Food in Space" presentation by Dr. Joshua Vandenbrink, Louisiana Tech University professor of biology and NASA grant researcher.
September 15, all day -- "The Future of Space Exploration," presentation by Chandler Scheuermann, NASA aeronautical engineer at Michoud Assemble Facility in New Orleans.
September 17, 5:30 p.m. -- "Welding in Space," presentation by Dr. Andrew Peters, Louisiana Tech University professor of engineering and NASA grant researcher.
September 19, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. -- Robotics Day. Area schools' robotics teams will demonstrate their skills.
September 24, 5:30 p.m. -- Archaeology talk: James Starnes will discuss projectile points.
October 6-17 – Display of entries in the Velvet Bennett Roberts Ag Photo Competition presented by the LSU Ag Extension Service
October 24, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. -- Sixth annual Bayou D'Arbonne Folk Festival. Live music, dance, food, traditional skills demonstrations, re-enactors, folk art, craft sales
October 24, 3 p.m. -- Drawing for the America 250 Community Quilt
October 31 – Blacklight Halloween Party, to kick off the blacklight art exhibit
October 31-Nov. 24 – Blacklight art exhibit of works by area artists
Board of Directors
Union Museum of History and Art
Mary Barrios
Mildred Ferguson
Dawn Frasier
Pam Gale Hallman
Ramsey Hallman
Lesa W. Lawrence, Ph.D.
Richard Royal
Jamie Taylor
Brittany Unkel
Museum Director
Vickie L. Wheelis, Ed.D.
Union Museum of History and Art
Mary Barrios
Mildred Ferguson
Dawn Frasier
Pam Gale Hallman
Ramsey Hallman
Lesa W. Lawrence, Ph.D.
Richard Royal
Jamie Taylor
Brittany Unkel
Museum Director
Vickie L. Wheelis, Ed.D.
The Museum is forever indebted to the Union Parish Chamber of Commerce, which began the museum idea as a special study project in 2011. The Chamber's Board of Directors enabled the concept to become a reality, and launched the Union Museum of History and Art as an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization in 2014. For its first five years, the Museum was housed in the Chamber of Commerce building. In March 2020, it moved into the building at 211 N. Main St. , Farmerville, thanks to the generosity of the building owners Paul and Kelly Coburn. With the help of community financial supporters and Capital Outlay funds from the State of Louisiana, the museum board of directors purchased the building in August 2025.