A Living Museum
The age and the blending of many cultures, including the French, Spanish, Germans, Irish, Italians, Africans, Haitians, Jews, and in 1803 the Americans, make the City of New Orleans is a living museum. A short walk through the French Quarter or one of the other historic neighborhoods will prove that. New Orleans has a great sense of place. The past is never really past, kept alive by generations of New Orleanians and preserved for the following generations. It has been said that in New Orleans, if you listen, even the streets speak to you of what they have seen. There is a sense of tradition here that is unmatched in any other American city. The very thought of tearing down a building, no matter how old or run down, to replace it with something new and modern brings sorrow to every New Orleanian. It's almost as though the citizens and the city are connected with a strong bind that transcends time and may bend and stretch, but never break. Most of us could never imagine ourselves living anywhere else.
Traditional Museums For History Buffs
Of course New Orleans has traditional museums housed in buildings with exhibits and artifacts. If you like history, New Orleans is the home of the National World War II Museum. This museum is part of the Smithsonian and is continually expanding. If you're interested in Louisiana and New Orleans history, there are several great museums around Jackson Square. The Cabildo is the building in which the Louisiana Purchase was signed. For a complete list of New Orleans History Museums, Click here.
Historic Buildings
If you're really not ready to spend an afternoon in a museum, try touring one of the historic buildings in New Orleans. A great place to start is the 1850's House. It's completely furnished as it would have been in the 1850s and shows you what life was like for the Creoles living in New Orleans at that time. Another good place that the whole family might enjoy is the Hermann-Grimma House. It's a small individual home that hasn't changed much since it was built in the 1800s and has it's orignial outdoor kitchen. For a complete list of historic buildings click here.
Historic Neighborhoods
Since New Orleans dates back to the early 1700s, there are several historic neighborhoods, called faubourgs. The French Quarter is, of course, the most well known. But, Treme, the Irish Channel, the Garden District and more are equally as historic and interesting to visit. Here's a complete list of New Orleans historic neighborhoods.
Art Museums
If fine art is what you want to see in a museum, try the New Orleans Museum of Art in City Park. It's a great art museum in a beautiful setting. Nearby is a beautiful outdoor sculpture garden that is enchanting. If your taste is more contempory try the Contempory Arts Center. For a complete list of New Orleans Art Museums, click here.
Only in New Orleans
There are some museums that would only be in New Orleans, like the VooDoo Museum, the Museum of the American Cocktail, The Southern Food and Beverage Museum, to name a few. If you are not inclinded to go to stuffy museums, this is the list of unique museumsis for you.
Bottom line is that whatever you are interested in, you will find it somewhere in New Orleans, maybe even in a museum. Enjoy a visit with us soon.