Mission Statement
To preserve and enhance Louisiana's unique heritage and natural landscape; provide cultural informational and recreational resources; and promote the use of these resources by our diverse citizens and visitors.

The Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism (CRT) is overseen by its Commissioner, the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Louisiana, and is comprised of the following seven offices:

• Office of the Secretary/Management and Finance
• Office of Cultural Development
• Office of State Library
• Office of State Museums
• Office of State Parks
• Office of Tourism

With a total of 66 sites across the state, CRT provides many unique and diverse services to the citizens of Louisiana and the millions of tourists who visit the state each year.

Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism Commissions and Boards

• State Arts Council
• Archaeological Survey & Antiquities Commission
• Atchafalya Trace Commission
• Folklife Commission
• Louisiana Ancient Mounds, Heritage Areas and Trails Advisory Commission
• Louisiana Purchase Bicentennial Commission
• Louisiana Unmarked Burial Sites Board
• Mississippi River Road Commission
• National Register Review Committee
• Naval War Memorial Commission
• Old State Capitol Advisory Board
• Red River Development Board
• Retirement Development Commission
• State Library Board of Commissioners
• State Museum Board of Directors
• State Parks & Recreation Commission
• Tourism Development Commission
• Tourism Promotion District

Office of the Lieutenant Governor (OLG)
The Lieutenant Governor is the Commissioner of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism. This office is responsible for promoting the State of Louisiana and its attractions. Other special programs of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor include the following:

• America Reads - places 100 tutors throughout the state to abolish illiteracy among children.
• Louisiana Serve Commission - awards educational grants to organizations and schools fostering civic responsibility and those making substantial commitments to service. The Louisiana Serve Commission envisions a future where people of Louisiana are inspired to serve and are actively engaged in improving the quality of life for their fellow citizens. This vision drive the mission, which is to build and sustain high quality programs that meet the needs of Louisiana's citizens and promote an ethic of service.

Office of the Secretary (OS - OMF)
The Office of the Secretary is the administrative division of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism. This office is composed of Administration and the Office of Management and Finance.

Administration
Included in Administration is the Atchafalaya Trace Commission, which is responsible for preservation, conservation, appropriate development, marketing and promotion of the Atchafalaya Basin and designated driving corridor.

Office of Management and Finance
The Office of Management and Finance, headed by the Department's Undersecretary, provides support to CRT in several areas:

• Fiscal - budgeting, accounts payable/receivable, travel, and property control.
• Human Resources - employee benefits and support, payroll, training and safety.
• Information Services - computer and network services, repair and training.

Office of Cultural Development (OCD)
Mission Statement: To preserve, promote and protect Louisiana's irreplaceable heritage of archaeological sites and historic buildings and provide quality arts experiences and education to all Louisiana citizens.

Division of the Arts
The Division of the Arts is responsible for developing and promoting the arts for the:

Louisiana Arts Grant Program The Division of the Arts invests in grants to Louisiana nonprofit organizations and artists. These grants support a wide range of activities that impact every parish in the State. The Louisiana Decentralized Arts Funding Program and the Statewide Arts Grants Program support everything from radio and television programs, visual arts exhibits, and live performances of theater, dance and music to folklife festivals and arts education in schools and camps.

Louisiana Regional Folklife Program The Louisiana Regional Folklife Program sustains a number of activities that help preserve the cultural traditions of Louisiana, including maintaining the Creole State Exhibit in the State Capitol. One of the Folklife Program's initiatives is the Louisiana Regional Folklife Program. This program provides funds to three state universities to help provide research and training to ensure that Louisiana's cultural traditions are developed and portrayed accurately to tourists and state residents.

Division of Historic Preservation
The Division of Historic Preservation is responsible for the preservation of Louisiana sites, structures and districts deemed significant in the broad historical development of the United States, Louisiana and sub-divisions thereof, through direct action and through influencing the actions of others.

The Division of Historic Preservation offers a generous federal tax credit to encourage the restoration of historic buildings for commercial uses. Administered through the Division of Historic Preservation, the Louisiana Main Street Program assists communities of less than 50,000 people in the restoration and revitalization of downtowns. This program focuses on economic restructuring, promotion, design and organization to recapture the community's sense of place, strengthen its economic base, and preserve its architectural heritage and culture. The Division also nominates Louisiana historic properties to the prestigious National Register of Historic Places.

Division of Archaeology
The Division of Archaeology is responsible for the identification, preservation, and enhancement of Louisiana's rich and irreplaceable heritage of archaeological sites and historic buildings.

The Division of Archaeology has state and federal roles relating to recording, protecting, and distributing information about the state's archaeological sites (i.e., Ancient Mounds, Poverty Point and Los Adaes). Under the Regional Archaeology Program, OCD, in partnership with the National Park Service and four regional universities, works with private landowners and state land managing agencies to record archaeological sites, provide technical assistance about site protection and share information about Louisiana's sites.

Office of State Library (OSL)
Mission Statement: The State Library is the central location of materials, which meets the needs of government, assists in the establishment and improvement of local public library services across the State, establishes libraries and in-state institutions and directly serves the information needs of blind and visually-impaired citizens.

The State Library of Louisiana holds over one million items on site at its location in downtown Baton Rouge, and many more can be borrowed through local public libraries. Additionally, the State Library operates a special service for blind and physically handicapped patrons.

The State Library spearheaded the rapid expansion of Internet access and electronic databases throughout Louisiana. As a result of a $7.4 million grant from the Gates Library Foundation and a similar level of State funds, the State Library has created and sustained a sophisticated information network that provides public access computers in every public library in Louisiana. No one is more than 20 minutes from the free use of an Internet workstation at a local public library.

Office of State Museums (OSM)
Mission Statement: To collect, preserve and present, as an educational resource, objects of art, documents, artifacts and the like that reflect the history, art and culture of Louisiana for the citizens and visitors to the State of Louisiana.

The Louisiana State Museum is a complex of national landmarks housing thousands of artifacts and works of art reflecting Louisiana's legacy of historic events and cultural diversity. The Museum operates ten properties in the famous French Quarter: the Cabildo, Presbytere, 1850 House, Old U.S. Mint, Madame John's Legacy, Creole House, Jackson House, Arsenal, Pontalba and the collection storage facility (warehouse). It also maintains the Wedell-Williams Memorial Aviation Museum in Patterson, the Old Courthouse in Natchitoches and the ED White Historic Site in Thibodaux.

Office of State Parks (OSP)
Mission Statement: The Office of State Parks serves the citizens of Louisiana and their visitors by preserving and interpreting natural areas of unique or exceptional scenic value; planning, developing, and operating sites that provide outdoor recreational opportunities in natural surroundings; preserving and interpreting historical and scientific sites of statewide importance; and administering inter-governmental programs related to outdoor recreation and trails.

Louisiana's State Parks, Historic Sites, and Preservation Areas offer a uniquely rewarding experience of Louisiana's natural beauty and historical riches. Each State Park was carefully chosen for its outstanding scenery and excellent recreation potential. Most State Parks feature a waterfront location, campsites and picnic areas. Several have cabins and/or group camps which, like other buildings in the parks, were designed to reflect each park's cultural environment and ambiance.

Each State Historic Site was selected for its historical, cultural or archaeological significance. Museums, artifacts, outdoor displays and interpretive programs are some of the ways each area tells its remarkable story. Buildings and structures are suited to the character of the location.

The Office of State Parks oversees the following State Parks, State Historic Sites and State Preservation Area:

Office of Tourism (OT)
Mission Statement: To promote and assist expansion of tourism and the tourism industry in Louisiana; increase employment opportunities for all citizens throughout the State through the orderly but accelerated development of facilities for tourism, travel and hospitality; invite visitors from this nation and foreign countries to visit Louisiana; and conduct an ongoing promotional campaign of information, advertising and publicity to create and sustain a positive image and understanding of Louisiana.

The Office of Tourism is comprised of a network of programs including:

Administration
Administration coordinates the activities within the other programs in the Office of Tourism to achieve the greatest impact on the tourism industry in Louisiana. Included in this Program is the Scenic Byways Program which is responsible for recognition and designation of Louisiana's many scenic roadways.

Marketing
The Marketing Program includes Domestic and International Marketing, Convention and Multicultural Marketing, Heritage Tourism Development, and Communications and is responsible for advertising and publicizing the State of Louisiana.

Consumer Information Services
Consumer Information Services is responsible for coordinating tourism research and responding to requests for information on Louisiana.

Louisiana's Welcome Centers
Louisiana's Welcome Centers provide a safe, friendly environment in which to welcome visitors and provide them information about area attractions and encourage them to spend more time in the state. The Office of Tourism oversees the operations of the following Welcome Centers:

• I-20 East Greenwood
• I-10 East Vinton
• I-20 West Mound
• U.S. 84 Vidalia
• I-10 West Slidell
• New Orleans Welcome Center
• State Capitol Welcome Center
• I-59 Pearl River
• U.S. 61 St. Francisville
• I-55 Kentwood