Founders Ball 2026 Sportsman's Paradise 
Presented by the Louisiana Museum Foundation 

The Founders Ball is the Louisiana Museum Foundation's annual fundraising gala celebrating a flagship exhibition in the third-floor gallery of the Cabildo. In 2026, the event honors the opening of Sportsman’s Paradise: Celebrating Conservation, on view from November 5, 2026, through October 3, 2027. The exhibition explores Louisiana’s sporting legacy and outdoor heritage through the lens of craftsmanship, duck hunting culture, and the evolution of habitat stewardship in one of North America’s most important migratory corridors.

Situated within the Mississippi Flyway, Louisiana has long been both a destination for waterfowl and a proving ground for conservation practices. Drawing from the Louisiana State Museum’s permanent collection and significant private loans, Sportsman’s Paradise: Celebrating Conservation traces the progression from early sporting traditions to modern, science-based conservation efforts that sustain wetlands, wildlife, and the communities that depend on them. The exhibition also examines the cultural heritage of hunting and fishing traditions that have shaped the culinary identity of the Mississippi River Delta and surrounding landscapes. Featured artifacts include original works by John James Audubon and George Viavant, Governor Mike Foster’s hunting coveralls, early twentieth-century photographs, Louisiana-made decoys, and more.

The Louisiana Museum Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports, administers funding for, and raises awareness of the state-owned and operated Louisiana State Museum system. Proceeds from the Founders Ball help fund the creation and presentation of major exhibitions and support educational programming throughout the exhibition’s year-long run, including K-12 field trips, student resources, public lectures, and lifelong learning opportunities for audiences of all ages.