The Bayou Teche Museum will not be holding its signature “Night at the Museum” fundraising gala event this year, instead moving its auction online due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

This is the second year that the auction portion of the fundraiser will move online. In 2020, the auction was made into a virtual event when construction on the museum’s expansion limited the space available to display the auction items.

“The Bayou Teche Museum has made the difficult decision to forgo our annual fundraising gala traditionally held in January,” according to a press release from the museum. “With the imperative patronage of our steadfast sponsors and loyal resident supporters, this year we will focus our efforts on a safer online auction and raffle. Our goal is to raise the funds necessary to not only cover our annual operating expenses and exhibit enhancements but also to continue the expansion into the adjacent Donald ‘Doc’ Voorhies wing.”

The 2021 auction will feature one-of-a-kind items and experiences available only through the generosity of the museum’s patrons. Some of this year’s items include an original painting by world renowned artist Hunt Slonem, trips off the beaten path and behind the scenes, staycations and other adventures, plus jewelry, sculpture, dinners, décor, art, fashion, theater tickets, gift cards and baskets, and more.

The museum will also be raffling off a Caterpillar 6500-watt portable generator, with tickets available both online and at the museum.

The auction will be featured online at https://teche.cbo.io. Bidding starts on Feb. 1 and will last for two weeks, ending on Feb. 14 — Valentine’s Day.

The museum will be adding additional items to its list of auction items. Additions will be posted on the museum’s Facebook page and on its website at www.bayoutechemuseum.org.