T.R.E.E. House Children’s Museum is a unique educational and cultural resource that represents the community’s interest and investment in engaging and educating our children. The museum provides playful learning experiences and environments where children (1-12 years), families, schools and community groups discover and explore their world through hands-on exhibits and interactive programs.

The mission statement summarizes the Museum’s commitment to the education of young children: planting the seeds of learning. In 1998, a group of determined parents formed a children’s museum task force devoted to bringing a children’s museum to Central Louisiana resulting in the incorporation of The Rapides Exploratory Education House as 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Start up funding was obtained from the Rapides Foundation, Huie-Dellmon Foundation, Coughlin-Saunders Foundation, Bertie-Deming Smith Trust, as well as many private donors and local businesses.

The museum doors were opened to the public in May of 2000 with 7,000 visitors in the first year. Families, school groups, daycares, and the general public filed into the museum as word about the museum quickly spread throughout the community. The museum is host to daily fieldtrips for school groups, daycares, Head Start Centers, and home schooled groups.

T.R.E.E. House is located in downtown Alexandria and is part of the developing Arts District. In 2001, T.R.E.E. House began making plans to expand the museum from  1,528 square feet to offer 7,800 square feet of hands-on learning and interactive fun. The expansion space was made available to us in July of 2003 and was completed in July 2004. An additional multi-purpose educational room was completed in 2012, offering more programming and birthday party space. 

Our future plans include another expansion of exhibit space into our attached warehouse.  As our community grows, we must grow too.

With the expansion comes the promise of new learning experiences for our children and economic growth for our community, but the ongoing future of T.R.E.E. House will be determined by the community’s interest and it’s willingness to invest in our children.