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.
Our Mission is to provide an education and research center to collect, interpret, and preserve the maritime history and culture of Lake Pontchartrain, the Lower Mississippi River Basin, and the Louisiana Gulf Coast. The museum’s goal is to bring Louisiana’s unique maritime culture and history to life.
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. The museum is a private non-profit educational institution supported by memberships, donations, fundraisers, and earned income.
The town of Madisonville formed by special charter in 1817, is one of the most historic communities in the Gulf Coast region. 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 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. Because the The Maritime Museum does not continue to receive government support, annual fundraisers are held to support the museum’s mission. The two signature events are the Madisonville Wooden Boat Festival each October and the Tchefuncte River Lighthouse Fundraiser. The museum was founded to “bring Louisiana’s unique maritime history to life” using educational programs, exhibits, classes, and events. The focus is on the people—past and present—who make Louisiana great.
