Burden Museum & Gardens offers variety of fall events

BATON ROUGE — The cooling temperatures of fall create an ideal time to visit Burden Museum & Gardens, located at 4560 Essen Lane, just off I10 in Baton Rouge.
Special events for fall
—Night Maze and Bonfire at the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens is 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 29. The family-oriented event provides fun times for children of all ages. Visitors will wander through a maze of hay bales to reach a farm animal petting zoo, hay mountain climb, kids zip line, hayride, giant slingshot with plenty of concessions to enjoy along with a family evening bonfire with s’mores and music.
Halloween costumes are encouraged. Visitors may purchase hamburgers, popcorn, snow cones and drinks from Burden Horticulture Society volunteers. Admission $10 per person; children 3 and under are admitted free.
—Haints, Haunts & Halloween at the LSU Rural Life Museum is from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Oct. 30. Enjoy the sights, sounds and activities of an old-fashioned country fair. While on the museum grounds, children can enjoy and participate in storytelling, cake walks, pumpkin decorating, games and trick-or-treating.
The event is recommended for children ages 2 to 9. Admission $5 per person. Children 2 and under admitted free. Halloween costumes are optional.
—Byzantine Icon Workshop at the LSU Botanic Gardens will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 31 to Nov. 4. Participants will learn how to write (paint) beautiful Byzantine icons in this weeklong workshop featuring local artist Ginnie Bolin.
The workshop will focus on creating an icon of St. Deborah from 1600 B.C. No previous experience is required. All supplies are included in the $350 registration fee. For more information, contact Ginnie Bolin at 225-343-2225.
—Red Rooster Bash at the LSU Rural Life Museum is 6:30 to 11 p.m. Nov. 10. The country décor will include roosters, and Western outfits are popular.
Guests will enjoy a cocktail hour including the famous “Red Rooster” frozen drink and have the opportunity to bid on silent auction items. A barbecue dinner and live auction will follow.
Proceeds will help fund permanent exhibits in the Visitor’s Center. Tickets are $65 per person and $120 per couple. A sponsorship of $600 is offered to groups of eight registering together. For more information, call development director Molly Sanchez at 225-765-2437.
About Burden Museum & Gardens
Burden Museum & Gardens is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and includes the LSU Rural Life Museum, the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens and Windrush Gardens.
The LSU Rural Life Museum focuses on the ways of life of rural Louisiana during the 18th and 19th centuries. The museum also provides educational and research resources that advance an understanding of the material and cultural heritage of the region.
Adjacent to the Rural Life Museum, the historic Windrush Gardens comprises five acres of semiformal gardens of the Burden family.
Admission to the Rural Life Museum is $9 for adults 12 to 61 and $8 for seniors and children ages 5 to 11. Admission to Windrush Gardens is $3 per person. Both are free for kids under 5.
The LSU Rural Life Museum and Windrush Gardens are open daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except major holidays.
The LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens is an expansive collection of specialty gardens, woodlands, wetlands and arboreta. Trees and Trails offers five miles of serene walking paths through the Burden Woods. The Rose Garden, Children’s Garden and All-America Selections Display Garden showcase the beauty of plants and flowers and provide educational experiences for gardeners of all ages. No admission is required to tour the gardens.