The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum
The Tchfuncte River has a long history of recreational boating. Image courtesy of the Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies, Southeastern Louisiana University.
Located on the banks of the scenic Tchefuncte River in Madisonville, Louisiana, the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum is a premiere attraction of St. Tammany Parish and–through its close collaboration with Southeastern Louisiana University–a leading non-profit educational institution.
Formed by special charter in 1817, the Town of Madisonville is one of the most historic communities on the Gulf Coast. The unique community tradition of shipbuilding and commerce drew interest from archaeologists in the 1980s. Discovery and exploration of historic shipwrecks in the Tchefuncte River by faculty from Southeastern Louisiana University and volunteers from the local community led to a movement to build an interpretive center. In 1998 a $2.5 million grant from the State of Louisiana funded construction of a new museum that opened in 2002 on the site of the historic Jahncke shipyard.
The museum was founded to “bring Louisiana’s unique maritime history to life” using educational programs, exhibits, classes, and events. Today the museum collects, preserves, researches, and interprets the history, culture, and environment of Lake Pontchartrain, the Lower Mississippi River Basin, and the Gulf Coast of Louisiana. The focus is on the people—past and present—who make Louisiana great.
The primary facilities include the modern museum located in Madisonville and the historic Tchefuncte River Light Station located 1.5 miles south on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain. The two signature events are the Madisonville Wooden Boat Festival each October and the Lighthouse Fundraiser each spring.
The museum is a private non-profit educational institution supported by memberships, donations, fundraisers, and earned income.