BATON ROUGE, LA.- The Louisiana Art & Science Museum has released an online portal for at home art and science experiences at virtual-lasm.org. The portal, which is organized by grade level and includes a section for all ages, includes videos, hands-on activities, and blogs produced by the Museum and Irene W. Pennington Planetarium.

“LASM developed virtual-lasm.org in response to the Museum’s temporary closure as a result of COVID-19, but this initiative to share our mission online will persist beyond the current crisis,” said Serena Pandos, LASM’s President & Executive Director. “Since we had to close our doors in March, we have encouraged discovery, inspired creativity, and fostered the pursuit of knowledge in tens of thousands of people digitally; we hope to continue reaching people near and far through our virtual museum platform.”

This library of art and science content is designed to not only prevent learning regress in children due to state-mandated school closures but also educate and entertain multigenerational audiences who are currently isolated. Included are virtual versions of favorites such as Stargazing in the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium and The Traveling Trunk Show, along with newly-produced content such as Choose Your Own Venture interactive astronomy videos and We Need Our Space: LIVE.

We Need Our Space: LIVE, hosted by the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium, is a new livestream planetarium show that takes viewers on a journey through the cosmos from their homes. Occurring at noon and 7 PM every Thursday on LASM’s Facebook and YouTube pages and accessible via virtual-lasm.org, recordings of the livestreams will be available the week after they occur.

“Our primary goal is to continue serving our community through our quality programming,” continued Pandos. “We believe that art and science shape each other, our lives, and the world. Our role as an art and science museum is essential in sharing this belief and helping the hearts and minds of our community heal in light of the challenges posed by COVID-19.”