BATON ROUGE, LA.- The Louisiana Art & Science Museum announces a special slate of exhibitions in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the historic Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad Depot—an iconic 1925 structure that has served as LASM’s home for decades. Once a bustling hub of rail travel and commerce, the depot now embarks on a new journey as the centerpiece of this centennial celebration, inviting the public to reflect on a century of motion, innovation, and transformation.

Marking this historic milestone, LASM presents three dynamic exhibitions that examine transportation through the lenses of art, childhood imagination, and hobbyist craftsmanship. Together, these exhibitions honor the depot’s railway heritage while connecting it to the ways we continue to move through, shape, and interpret the world around us. “As we celebrate the depot’s centennial, we’re not just honoring a building—we’re honoring a spirit of connection, movement, and creativity that continues to shape how we see the world” states Tracey Barhorst, LASM Curator and Director of Art Programs. “These exhibitions invite our visitors to travel through time, not just through rail history, but through the art, memories, and dreams that transportation has inspired for generations.”

Landscapes Along the Railway: The Art of John Cleaveland is currently on view in the Soupçon Gallery. This powerful exhibition features evocative oil paintings by contemporary artist John Cleaveland that explore the quiet intersections of nature, industry, and human movement. Depicting sweeping American landscapes subtly marked by human presence, Cleaveland’s work captures the essence of rail travel and the stories embedded in the terrain. Presented in collaboration with Momentum Gallery and John & Virginia Noland, the exhibition pays homage to the spirit of travel and the transformative role that railways—and buildings like the depot—have played in connecting people and places.

In the Discovery Gallery, Going Places: Transportation Toys of the Past takes a more whimsical approach to transportation history. This interactive and nostalgic exhibition explores how toy vehicles—from miniature wagons and model trains to race cars, airplanes, and rockets—have mirrored human mobility and inspired generations of dreamers. Drawn from the collections of LASM, the LSU Museum of Art, and the Greater Baton Rouge Model Railroaders at The Old Hickory Train Museum, the display also features artwork by Michael Stone, whose pieces highlight the powerful link between childhood play and adult creativity. Visitors are invited to reflect on their own experiences of exploration, imagination, and the ever-evolving dreams of adventure that transportation toys represent.

Meanwhile, in the Colonnade Gallery, Shelf Queens: Model Train Masterpieces showcases the artistry and history of model railroading through a carefully curated selection of prized model trains, affectionately known by collectors as “shelf queens.” These beautifully preserved locomotives—on loan from members of the Greater Baton Rouge Model Railroaders Club—span decades of rail history, from vintage classics to modern replicas. Whether admired for their precision, nostalgia, or storytelling, these models offer a glimpse into the vibrant world of train collecting and the communities it connects across time and generations.

Together, these exhibitions not only celebrate the 100-year legacy of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Depot but also highlight how railways have shaped our landscapes, imaginations, and lives. The Museum’s yearlong tribute will culminate in a final exhibition, Crossroads & Connections: A Century of the Railway in Baton Rouge, opening on Friday, October 10, in the Republic Finance Gallery.