Upcoming Exhibitions

Golden Legacy: Original Art from 80 Years of Golden Books
February 27–May 25, 2025

The LSU Museum of Art is thrilled to announce Golden Legacy: Original Art from 80 Years of Golden Books, a vibrant and nostalgic exhibition opening on February 27, 2025. This delightful exhibition features sixty original illustrations that have captivated generations, taking visitors on a journey through the rich history and creative artistry of Little Golden Books.

Launched in 1942—the first full year of America’s involvement in the Second World War—Little Golden Books made high quality illustrated books available at affordable prices for the first time to millions of young children and their parents. Among the artists who contributed to the ambitious series were greats of the European émigré community (including Garth Williams, Feodor Rojankovsky, and Tibor Gergely) who had gathered in New York as the European situation worsened; alumni of the Walt Disney Studios (including Gustaf Tenggren, Martin Provensen, J. P. Miller, and Mary Blair); and such American originals as Leonard Weisgard, Eloise Wilkin, Elizabeth Orton Jones, Richard Scarry, and Hilary Knight. This exhibition also spotlights contemporary artists like Dan Yaccarino, continuing the legacy of inspiring children to love books and art.

Organized by the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature in Abilene, Texas, Golden Legacy features original artwork from timeless classics, offering a closer look at the stories behind the images. Families, art enthusiasts, and nostalgic fans of all ages are invited to relive the magic of picture-book classics such as The Poky Little Puppy, Tootle, Home for a Bunny, The Color Kittens, I Can Fly, and more.

This exhibition is also supported by a generous grant from the Pennington Family Foundation.

OTHER UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS

In Focus: Artwork by LSU Faculty
April 24–August 3, 2025
In honor of the LSU Museum of Art’s twentieth anniversary in the Shaw Center for the Arts, the Museum showcases the multifaceted talent of tenure and tenure-track professors from LSU’s School of Art in the College of Art and Design. Featuring eighteen artists, works range in media, including examples of photography, printmaking, digital art, and collage.

A Bayou State of Mind
September 4, 2025–January 4, 2026
A collection of works exploring how artists have drawn inspiration from the Louisiana Landscape over the past 100 years. In addition to ceramics, prints, and photography by many of the South’s preeminent artists, the exhibition showcases George Rodrigue’s Bayou series, a collection of forty early paintings in his distinctive Cajun style, including the first depiction of the Blue Dog, Tiffany. 

For more information on exhibitions, please email LSUMOA chief curator Michelle Schulte at mschulte@lsu.edu