For more than five decades, photographer C.C. Lockwood has paddled, waded and camped his way through Louisiana's wildest places. Now the Louisiana Art & Science Museum is giving that work a long run downtown.

Preserving Paradise

Preserving Paradise: The Vision of C.C. Lockwood opened Sept. 25 in LASM's Republic Finance Gallery and stays up through Aug. 29, 2027. His photographs have been recognized by National Geographic, and the exhibit focuses on the place that shaped him most: the Atchafalaya Basin, the largest river swamp in the United States. LASM describes him spending countless hours in tents and pirogues there, recording cypress forests, winding bayous and the wildlife that lives in them.

It's more than a nature show. The exhibit also looks at the pressure on Louisiana's disappearing wetlands, which makes it a good visit for anyone who's ever driven over the Basin bridge and wondered what's down there.

The Dark Side of the Moon, under the dome

The museum's evening draw is something else entirely. Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon plays all 10 tracks of the 1973 album in order while imagery fills the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium's 360-degree dome. The show was made by NSC Creative with Aubrey Powell, Pink Floyd's longtime creative director, and more than a million people have seen it worldwide.

LASM's calendar shows Saturday screenings on Oct. 17 and Oct. 24 at 5:30, 6:45 and 8 p.m., and doors open at 5:15 p.m. on show days. Adult tickets are $31.21. Students, seniors 60 and up, and military members pay $27.80 with ID, and so do juniors ages 6 to 13, who must come with an adult. Kids under 6 aren't allowed. All prices include fees.

Plan your visit

LASM is at 100 S. River Road. It's open Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. It's closed Monday and Tuesday. Come for the swamp in the afternoon and stay for the album after dark.

Photo courtesy of Louisiana Art & Science Museum.