The Best Museums in New Orleans
Far more than a party town, New Orleans boasts some of the finest cultural institutions of any city in the United States. From military history to modern art, the Big Easy has all the top museums.
While tourists might flock to New Orleans for its cuisine, vibrant music and colourful festivals – you get all of that and more on our exclusive four-day trip to New Orleans – there’s so much more to the Crescent City than gumbo and jazz clubs. Home to a number of world-class museums, it is rich in art collections and historic homes that reflect the city’s tumultuous heritage. Browse them all with our round-up of the best.
Museum of Death New Orleans
Museum
Equal parts morbid and fascinating, the Museum of Death does exactly what it says on the tin. Concerned with all areas of mortality, the museum was initially established with the goal of educating people about death in the United States and making people appreciate being alive. True crime fanatics in particular are drawn to its gruesome exhibitions, which include info on everything from serial killers and morgues to macabre art and skulls.
Mardi Gras World
Museum
More than just a carnival, Mardi Gras is a way of life in New Orleans. If you’re interested in its history, customs and everything in between, be sure to stop off at Mardi Gras World. The largest float designing and building facility in the world – more than 80 percent of the festival’s floats are created here – not only will you have the opportunity to don authentic costumes, but you’ll learn all about the traditions, parades and music of the celebration, complete with king cake and piping hot New Orleans coffee, too.
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
Aquarium, Museum
A striking glass and steel building on the banks of the Mississippi River, more than 10,000 animals and 530 species can be seen at this topnotch aquarium. Focusing on the aquatic life of the Americas, exhibits are organised along different regions of the North and the South, including an Amazon River tank with piranha and stingrays, a huge Gulf of Mexico reef with sharks and sea turtles and the star attraction, the Mississippi River, where you’ll find a rare white alligator. There’s even an onsite Escape Room called Escape Extinction: Sharks, which is a whole lot of fun.
The Arsenal
Museum
Built in 1839, the Arsenal – or the Old Louisiana State Armory – stands adjacent to the Cabildo on the site of the old French and Spanish prisons. Built to house artillery and small arms, it served as an armory for most of its existence, home of the Louisiana Legion and the Orleans Artillery. Now part of the Louisiana State Museum, it houses a number of military artefacts from back in the day plus temporary exhibitions that are definitely worth checking out.
New Orleans Jazz Museum
Museum
Celebrating jazz in the very city in which it was born, the New Orleans Jazz Museum in the city’s French Quarter brings music to life through dynamic interactive exhibitions dedicated to some of the city’s most famous musicians like Louis Armstrong and Pete Fountain. Live music takes place in the museum’s $4m performance venue on the third floor, so be sure to bring your dancing shoes along with you, too.
Ogden Museum of Southern Art
Museum
Sitting adjacent to the National WWII Museum and the Contemporary Arts Center, this Smithsonian-affiliated museum celebrates the culture of Southern artists through folk art, painting, photography, sculpture and handcrafted heritage, as well as contemporary works from Southern artists and designers. With works dating back to 1733, there’s a permanent collection of more than 4,000 pieces from 15 states, making it the most comprehensive collection of Southern art in the world.
The Cabildo
Museum
Originally built by the Spanish government between 1795 and 1799 to house offices of the town council, the grand building of The Cabildo is characterised by Spanish arches and a French-style roof. Famously the spot where the history-making transfer papers for the Louisiana Purchase were signed in 1803, take time to peruse its extensive collection of artefacts that date back to the days of the earliest explorers, including portraits and original documents from the Civil War period. You’ll even have a chance to check out Napoleon’s death mask, one of only four in existence.
New Orleans Museum of Art
Museum
The National WWII Museum
Museum, Theater
Southern Food & Beverage Museum
Museum
Louisiana Children's Museum
Museum
The Historic New Orleans Collection
Building, Museum
Backstreet Cultural Museum
Museum
New Orleans African American Museum
Building, Church, Museum
1850 House
Building, Museum
Confederate Memorial Hall
Library, Memorial, Museum
Naomi Chadderton contributed additional reporting to this article.
Why not make a weekend of it? Book a stay with Culture Trip at one of these quirky boutique hotels in the French Quarter or stick to a tighter budget at one of these budget hotels and hostels in Mid-City. There’s plenty to keep you busy, too, from from ticking the best things to do in New Orleans off your bucket list to eating fresh and delicious seafood at these top restaurants or trying local specialties such as a po’ boy at these top spots.