Community Invited to Holiday Open House; Old Governor’s Mansion to Host Mr. and Mrs. Claus | Arts & Culture

The Foundation for Historical Louisiana (FHL) will sponsor a community open house during the holiday festivities planned in downtown Baton Rouge in early December. The public is invited to visit the Old Governor's Mansion at 502 North Boulevard for a free Holiday Open House on Friday, December 3, from 5 to 9 p.m. A donation of canned goods for the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank will be collected at the event.

The landmark mansion will be decorated for the holidays through underwriting by LUBA Workers Compensation. Of special interest to parents and grandparents will be a visit from the Mansion's own Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus. Children may relay their wishes and have a color photo taken with Mr. and Mrs. Claus against the back drop of the East Room fireplace for a cost of $10. The photos will be printed and families may pick them up within minutes.

In addition, small children are invited to take a ride on the "Mansion Snowball Express" for an excursion to Galvez Plaza, which will be a pick up and drop off point for mansion visitors. Children are encouraged to come in their pajamas! A donation is requested to help defray costs of the train

As is tradition, FHL will offer visitors a unique and distinctive selection of heritage and holiday gifts for early gift buying. The lovely formal dining room of the 1930s mansion will be turned into a Museum Shop with a range of items—jewelry, Christmas collectibles, books, and Louisiana specialties, many with fleur-de-lis motifs. Persons may wish to join FHL and receive a 10% discount on all purchases.

Entertainment will be provided by the St. Aloysius School Choir during the open house. For more information, call 387-2464 and visit www.fhl.org. Membership may be purchased on-line. FHL's mission is to preserve the architectural and cultural heritage of Louisiana.