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A man and a young girl admire paintings at the Hilliard Art Museum, surrounded by portraits in gold and white frames on a bright red wall. The girl holds a pamphlet while the man gestures toward artworks from Hilliard exhibitions.

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Discover the Hilliard Art Museum’s educational programs—workshops, tours, and resources that spark creativity, inspire learning, and connect communities through art.

Discover. Create. Engage.

The Hilliard Art Museum, with its deep connection to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, is an exceptional resource with educational programming for children, families, and adults, hands-on workshops, tours, and UL faculty and student programming.

Questions? You can contact our Education Team by filling out our inquiry form on the Contact page.

Tour University

The real purpose of arts education is to create complete human beings capable of leading successful and productive lives in a free society.

— Dana Gioia
A woman speaks at a microphone to an audience in an art gallery, while two men sit in red chairs behind her. Large contemporary artworks, showcasing local art Lafayette, hang on the wall in the background.

Programming Highlights

Key programs include Cross Currents, a University cross-disciplinary discussion series inspired by visual art; artist talks; guided exhibition tours; and object studies of permanent collection artworks tailored to the university curriculum. The museum also maintains a comprehensive tour and outreach program for area K-12 schools, connecting with local educators to provide age and learning style appropriate art experiences that complement classroom learning.

We invite all our visitors to connect education with our material holdings to broaden their horizons.

Contact Barbara Helveston, Museum Educator for more information on programming and educational opportunities. barbara.helveston@louisiana.edu.

Events Calendar
A smiling family of three poses indoors at a Lafayette art museum, holding colorful geometric art. The mother wears a pink hat, and their young son grins in front. In the background, people gather at tables, enjoying this Lafayette family friendly event.

Family Offerings

The Hilliard is a space to ignite the passion for art in visitors of all ages. A place where families can come and discover together. The Hillard has several family programs throughout the year. Follow our events calendar to see ongoing and special events for family experiences.

We are introducing two new programs oriented around families and geared towards specific age-appropriate dynamics/ structures/ settings that take into account the ways children and youth learn best: Create & Play Café for ages 4 and up, and Petit Atelier, the third Wednesday of the Month, for ages 9-14. We invite your family for stimulating/energizing/inspiring hands-on activities inspired by our permanent collection and current exhibitions.

Petit Atelier

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Third Wednesday of the Month, September – May
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM  

An innovative monthly educational program at the Hilliard Art Museum designed to ignite creativity and discovery in young artists aged 8-14. This hands-on learning experience uses artworks from the Hilliard’s permanent collection and exhibitions as a launching pad for artistic exploration, with the inaugural year focusing on self-portraiture through the lens of master artists. Students embark on a captivating journey from September through May, examining authentic works of art while learning about renowned artists like Van Gogh, Picasso, Frida Kahlo, and Andy Warhol, as well as Louisiana artists including Charles St.Julian and Tom Secrest. Through a unique “learning through making” approach, participants not only study art history but actively create their own masterpieces inspired by each distinctive style and techniques. Limited to 16 students per session to ensure personalized attention, the program emphasizes creativity, discovery, and critical thinking, using visual arts as a dynamic platform for students to explore and understand the world around them while developing their own artistic voice and appreciation for diverse cultural perspectives.

Create & Play Café

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Second Saturday of the Month
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

A monthly drop-in program that transforms art education into engaging family experiences. Designed for ages 4 and up, each session features hands-on creative activities that connect directly to current exhibitions, making museum concepts accessible and inspiring for young minds through discovery and making. Families can enjoy art-making together while local food vendors provide snacks, creating a welcoming community space where creativity and connection flourish. Children 10 and under participate free, ensuring art education remains accessible to all families in our community.

A smiling adult in a University of Louisiana shirt and three children pose indoors at the Hilliard Art Museum, surrounded by others. The group is beaming, highlighting the joy found in Louisiana museums and local art Lafayette offers.
A woman and a young girl stand in an art gallery admiring local art Lafayette displayed on a white wall. The gallery features wooden floors, and there are large portraits on a red accent wall to the right.
A young girl smiles and holds up a colorful piece of artwork. Behind her, children and adults participate in an art activity at the brightly lit Hilliard Art Museum, a hub for local art in Lafayette.
A modern glass building lit with blue lights stands beside a classic white columned building at dusk, showcasing a striking contrast in architectural styles—an inviting scene typical of Louisiana museums and Lafayette family friendly attractions.
Our Collection

Regionally Rooted. Globally Engaged.

Your exploration of the Hilliard collection can begin with our online collection!

The Hilliard Art Museum’s permanent collection is home to approximately 3,000 objects. The collection is richly diverse and ranges from ancient Egyptian artifacts to vernacular self-taught and internationally recognized contemporary artists.

Over 1,200 digital catalogue entries (and growing!) are available in our online collections database. Dig deeper into the collection artists and artworks.

Explore
A man in a beige sweater gestures while speaking to three people in the Hilliard Art Museum. They stand on a wooden floor, surrounded by framed artwork hanging on white walls at this vibrant Lafayette art museum.
Learn with us

Group Tours and Field Trips

We offer guided educational tours for K-12, University, Community groups (adult), or camps and extracurricular classes. ur resources include lessons and activities for all ages that provide hands-on learning during your visit to the Hilliard Art Museum.

Tours

Upcoming Events

View All Events
Colorful, fuzzy, yarn-like strands in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple hang from a ceiling and twist across the gallery at the Hilliard exhibitions, creating a vibrant, immersive art installation.
Friday, September 12 | 4:00 PM

Fall at the Hilliard: Opening Preview

A woman with gray hair, blue eyebrows, and red lipstick looks upward. She wears a blue scarf and gold earrings, surrounded by vibrant blue-green fibers—echoing the creative spirit found in local art Lafayette offers.
Friday, September 12 | 4:00 PM

Artist Talk: Hrafnhildur Arnardóttir

A young girl in a yellow dress smiles and holds up a colorful piece of art at the Hilliard Art Museum, with other children and adults enjoying the lively atmosphere in the background.
Saturday, September 13 | 10:00 AM

Create & Play Café

A group of children and adults gather around a table filled with colorful craft supplies, making crafts together in a bright, modern indoor space at the Hilliard Art Museum. One adult in a pink shirt helps guide the activities during Hilliard exhibitions.
Saturday, September 13 | 10:00 AM

Educator First Look

A smiling adult in a University of Louisiana t-shirt and three happy children pose indoors at a lively Hilliard Art Museum event, with other guests blurred in the background.
Wednesday, September 17 | 3:45 PM

Petit Atelier

A person with medium-length hair sits on a yoga mat indoors, stretching forward and holding their feet, with artworks from local art Lafayette and Hilliard Art Museum exhibitions visible on the wall behind them.
Saturday, October 4 | 11:00 AM

Yoga in the Galleries

A person wearing a cap, green jacket, and patterned pants stands in the well-lit Hilliard Art Museum, looking at framed artworks on the wall and holding a phone. The gallery showcases a variety of local art Lafayette is known for.
Thursday, October 9 | 5:30 PM

Franco FAE Opening Reception

Four musicians perform outdoors on a stage surrounded by trees at a Lafayette family-friendly event. One plays violin, one sings and plays guitar, another plays clarinet, and one plays upright bass. Music stands and audio equipment are visible.
Friday, October 10 | 12:00 AM

Festivals Acadiens et Créoles at the Hilliard

Four people sit on stools in front of a CROSS CURRENTS sign, engaged in a lively panel discussion at the Hilliard Art Museum. Two men hold microphones, a woman claps, and another man wears a cowboy hat. A rug and glasses of water are visible.
Friday, October 10 | 9:30 AM

Festivals Acadiens et Créoles: CLS Symposium

A young girl in a yellow dress smiles and holds up a colorful piece of art at the Hilliard Art Museum, with other children and adults enjoying the lively atmosphere in the background.
Saturday, October 11 | 10:00 AM

Create & Play Café