City of Lake Charles, Louisiana

     After extensive restoration, the 1911 Historic City Hall opened its doors as the City of Lake Charles' public art gallery and cultural facility in 2004.  Since that time, Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center has showcased numerous traveling exhibitions from around the world, as well as regional and local artists.  The Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center is City owned and operated, under the direction of the Cultural Affairs Department.  The beautiful historic building features three floors of gallery space, a clock tower, and, added in 2006, a landscaped brick courtyard.  The HCH A&C Center has displayed solo exhibitions by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Ansel Adams, Norman Rockwell, and Tasha Tudor, as well as many traveling group exhibitions.  In 2007, the HCH A&C Center housed Titanic:  The Artifact Exhibition, featuring over 100 carefully preserved artifacts from the historic vessel.  The HCH A&C Center has had visitors from across the country, many of which are surprised and delighted to find such high-caliber exhibitions in the Lake area.