History
The Museum was founded and originally located downtown at 1019 Lakeshore Dr. in a building that served as a stable house as early as 1890. In 1970 the Museum's current building at 204 W. Sallier St. was constructed to house and expand the collection on the property originally owned by Lake Charles's namesake, Charles Anselem Sallier. The Gibson-Barham Gallery and the Annex Gallery were added to the Museum in 1984. The Museum's grounds is home to the Sallier Oak, which is estimated at being 375 years old.
Specialties
The Imperial Calcasieu Museum's mission is to exhibit and support the visual arts, maintain a strong art in education program by offering educational opportunities, and to preserve the unique culture and history of the region. Programming areas are: - The Historic Museum: Housing artifacts, information, and memorabilia depicting life in the Old Imperial Calcasieu Region (now the five parish area) from the Native Americans through the early settlers. - The Gibson-Barham Gallery: Maintaining a full and diverse exhibit schedule of contemporary and traditional visual artists, new emerging artists, as well as Calcasieu Parish Art Students annual juried exhibit. - The Gallery Annex: Newly expanded meeting and exhibit space.