Visitors to the Lake Charles 1st Avenue Walking Trail will be able to take an educational trip through the Solar System thanks to a collaborative effort between the City of Lake Charles and the Region 5 Stem Center, all under the direction of the Calcasieu Parish School Board.

Voyage Mark II takes visitors on a detailed and beautiful journey through the scientifically accurate model of the Solar System at one ten-billionth of its actual size. The journey starts at the trail’s beginning, at the intersection of 1st Avenue and 5th Street, and continues on to 10th Street to comprise an average 10-minute walk. Along the self-guided walking tour, visitors will be met with 13 different stations that each offer special insight into the Solar System.

The minds behind the collaborative effort to bring the exhibit to Lake Charles said the exhibit is intended to offer an education experience to visitors, but with an over-arching goal of demonstrating that the Solar System is comprised of tiny worlds in a vast space.

The original creators of the Voyage exhibit said the experience is meant to capture the imagination of all ages, and “will forever change your perspective of home”.

The exhibit is made possible through a successful grant application filed on behalf of the Region 5 STEM center and Calcasieu Parish School Board. The City of Lake Charles assisted with providing the location to host the exhibit as well as installation and other support services.

Mayor Nic Hunter said providing the 1st Avenue Walking Trail as a host site for the exhibit was “a no-brainer” decision.

“Not only is the trail utilized by a number of community members, but it is also located within walking distance of three educational facilities. We see great potential for the 1st Avenue Walking Trail and this project will help serve as a catalyst for future community events and programming,” Hunter stated.

Calcasieu Parish School Board Superintendent Dr. Shannon LaFargue said the school board was excited to partner with the City of Lake Charles to bring the exhibit to the area.

“The proximity of the exhibit to the Lake Charles Boston Academy and Region 5 STEM center will provide students with expanded STEM perspectives and opportunities for STEM education,” LaFargue stated.

The Voyage Mark II exhibit is based off of the Mark I scale model Solar System permanently installed at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. between the U.S. Capital and Washington Monument.

Other Voyage Mark II exhibits have been installed in Kansas City, Missouri; Corpus Christi and Houston, Texas; and Boulder, Colorado. Exhibits are also being planned for Memphis, Tennessee and Spokane, Washington.