John James Audubon illustration of several mallard ducks gathered among tall marsh grasses and yellow wildflowers. The vividly detailed birds display green, brown, black, gray, and white plumage, with some feeding or resting and others standing upright.

Mallard Duck, Plate 221, John James Audubon, Birds of America

Portrait of a solemn man standing in a marsh, holding a long flintlock rifle across his body. He wears a dark coat, white cravat, and crossed leather straps. Ducks fly overhead and rise from the reeds against a blue sky.

Jean Baptiste Wiltz, unidentified artist, ca. 1815, oil on canvas, Louisiana State Museum 07326.

Sportsman's Paradise

Thu, November 05, 2026 - Sun, July 02, 2028

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 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 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.

Promotional graphic for the “Sportsman’s Paradise” Founders Ball at the Cabildo, featuring John James Audubon’s illustration of mallard ducks among marsh grasses. Text reads: “Presenting Founders Ball at the Cabildo,” “Sportsman’s Paradise,” and “Thursday, November 5, 2026 • 7 PM.” Ducks Unlimited and The Cabildo logos appear at the bottom.

The Founders Ball is the Louisiana Museum Foundation's annual fundraising gala celebrating a flagship exhibition in the third-floor gallery of The Cabildo. On Thursday, November 5, 2026, the event will honor the opening of Sportsman’s Paradise.

This exhibition is generously sponsored by Ducks Unlimited, a grassroots, volunteer-based conservation organization dedicated to conserving, restoring, and managing wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl, other wildlife, and people. Its vision is wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow, and forever.