First Free Sundays return to LSU Center for River Studies

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - If you’re looking for something fun to do this weekend, how about a trip to the LSU Center for River Studies (CRS)?

The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) is announcing the return of First Free Sundays to the center starting this Sunday, March 5.

The LSU Center for River Studies is located on the Baton Rouge Water Campus near the banks of... — The LSU Center for River Studies is located on the Baton Rouge Water Campus near the banks of the Mississippi River.(Eddy Perez | LSU)

The CRS stopped participating in First Free Sundays during the COVID-19 pandemic for public safety.

Visitors are invited to explore the award-winning coastal-themed exhibit space and river model. You’ll have the chance to attend a unique educational presentation using world-class projector equipment at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. CPRA staff will be on-hand throughout the day to lead discussions and answer questions.

The LSU Center for River Studies is located on the Baton Rouge Water Campus near the banks of the Mississippi River.

It houses one of the world’s largest movable bed physical models - the Lower Mississippi River Physical Model. The model represents the 179-mile stretch of the Mississippi River running from Donaldsonville to the Gulf of Mexico.

The State of Louisiana is actively collecting research from the river model to inform decisions on how to better protect and preserve its coastal wetlands. The model spans 10,000 square feet and is based on the actual topography and bathymetry of the Mississippi River Delta. It is used to study how river water and sediment can build land, and how that process would affect the river.

The Center’s interactive exhibit space offers opportunities for guests of all ages to learn more about the history of the Mississippi River, Louisiana’s disappearing wetlands, and ongoing coastal restoration projects across the coast.