Shaw Center for the Arts

The Shaw Center for the Arts is a large cultural venue that fills an entire city block downtown and contains multiple galleries, performance spaces, and a rooftop area with views of the Mississippi River. The layout brings together exhibition areas and theaters, allowing visitors to move between visual art and live performances.

The center opened in 2005 and reshaped how Baton Rouge experienced art by creating a dedicated location for both visual and performing arts in downtown. This establishment marked a turning point in the city's approach to supporting artistic programming.

The center serves as a gathering place where locals and visitors experience theater, live music, and visual art in a single location. This combination of different art forms creates a space where different audiences meet and discover new creative works.

The center sits downtown where visitors can walk through different areas and take advantage of dining and shopping on-site. Plan enough time to explore galleries and catch at least one performance, as the variety of spaces makes for a full day of activities.

Inside the complex sits the LSU Museum of Art, which preserves traditional artworks while also displaying contemporary installations in rotating exhibitions. This arrangement lets visitors see both classical and modern artistic expressions without leaving the building.

Location: Baton Rouge

Inception: 2005

Address: 100 Lafayette St, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, USA

Opening Hours: Monday 09:00-16:00; Tuesday-Thursday 09:00-22:00; Friday 09:00-23:00; Saturday 10:00-23:00; Sunday 11:00-17:00

Phone: +12253897171

Website: https://shawcenter.org

GPS coordinates: 30.44780,-91.18900

Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:42