Historic New Orleans Collection

A free history museum and research center devoted to the people, places, and traditions of New Orleans and the Gulf South.

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Hours & Location

Museum: 520 Royal Street, New Orleans, LA
Tuesday–Saturday, 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Sunday, 10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

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Holiday Hours

Admission

Admission is free, but tickets are required. Stop by the front desk or reserve tickets online. Ticket covers admission to all exhibitions and certain daily programs.

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Museum: (504) 523-4662
Williams Research Center: (504) 598-7171
Mailing address: 533 Royal Street, New Orleans, LA, 70130

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Current Exhibitions

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A photo shows a museum visitor using a Histopad to view Washington crossing the Delaware in augmented reality.

Colonial Wars & Conflicts

American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition

March 20, 2026 to January 17, 2027

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Music & Musicians

New Orleans Musicians in Art: Selections from the Permanent Collection

November 4, 2025 to May 16, 2027

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Black and white photo of people in line for voting registration outside a building. Two men are seated near a Voting Applications sign, and several individuals are standing in line, some wearing hats and summer clothing.

The Civil Rights Movement

The Trail They Blazed

June 6, 2025 to June 7, 2026

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A group of people sits at a diner counter. A woman drinks from a soda bottle, while another eats a burger. A man is smoking a cigarette. The counter is filled with plates and glasses, and the background shows shelves with various items.

The Civil Rights Movement

The Trail They Blazed (Traveling)

January 6 to April 19, 2026

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Illustration of a brown pelican perched on a branch with green leaves in the background. The bird has a long beak and distinctive brown, white, and yellow plumage. The botanical details add a naturalistic setting.

Land Loss & Climate Change

A Vanishing Bounty: Louisiana’s Coastal Environment and Culture

Ongoing

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French Quarter street scene showing at 710 Toulouse Street, and corner of shuttered building at 714 Toulouse, with a man walking along the street in the darkness, his shadow falling upon the wall. Shows cat beside colonnette supporting balcony, a street light, double doorway of the gateway, laundry hanging on second floor of 710 Toulouse, and ironwork balcony of 714 Toulouse. Shows partial view of balcony and building at corner of Toulouse and Royal Streets.

French Quarter Life

French Quarter Life: People and Places in the Vieux Carré

Ongoing

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Antique map of a city grid with detailed plots, streets, and buildings. It includes a compass rose and features ships sailing on the river at the bottom. The layout is intricate, showcasing a geometrically organized urban plan.

French Quarter Life

French Quarter Galleries

Ongoing

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Tours & Daily Programs

Get more out of your museum visit with a guided tour, Shortcut Talk, or daily program.

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A guide gestures towards a historical photograph on the wall while speaking to a man and a woman in a gallery setting. The wall has an exhibit description titled A Most Dreadful Visitation: Frederick Douglass and The 1887 Riot.

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Museum Admission is Always Free 

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Latest News

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Amanda McFillen, HNOC director of audience engagement, is interviewed by NOLA Now.

NOLA Now: HNOC Offers Curator Camp for Museum-Loving Teens

Happening June 8–12, 2026, the summer program brings history, art, and museums to life for local teens.

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Students visit HNOC's exhibition "The Trail They Blazed."

HNOC Announces Winners of 2026 Student Writing Contest

This year’s contest challenged students to address important civil rights issues facing America today and in the future, inspired by the HNOC exhibition “The Trail They Blazed.”

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Visitors use HistoPads to explore "American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition" at HNOC.

NOLA.com: See a 360-Degree View of the American Revolution at this New French Quarter Exhibit

Contributing writer Dave Walker asked HNOC’s chief curator about what visitors can look foward to in the new interactive exhibition.

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Still rendering from "American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition" showing General Washington planning the crossing of the Delaware River

HNOC Commemorates America’s 250th Anniversary with Special Programs in 2026

From concerts to panel discussions, the Collection joins organizations across the country in marking the anniversary.

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Still rendering from "American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition" showing the Boston Tea Party.

Country Roads Magazine: Time Travel on Royal Street

Read an exclusive preview of HNOC’s new exhibition, “American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition,” on view until January 17, 2027.

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Upcoming Events

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Thursday

April 16, 2026

2–4:30 p.m.

Film

“Tierra Sagrada” Film Screening and Q&A

HNOC and Postmambo Studies copresent “Tierra Sagrada,” a thrilling documentary offering a rare look at Afro-Cuban music and cultural traditions.

Film

Saturday

April 18, 2026

1–4 p.m.

Panel Discussion, Reception

Cosimo at 100: The Sound That Shaped New Orleans

Join HNOC and host Nick Spitzer for a discussion and birthday celebration honoring legendary New Orleans music producer Cosimo Matassa.

Panel Discussion, Reception

Friday

May 8, 2026

5–7 p.m.

French Quarter Fridays, Concert, America 250

Courtyard Sessions

Catie Rodgers and Her Swing Orchestra Featuring Lena Prima

HNOC kicks off its Courtyard Sessions concert series with a tribute to the Great American Songbook.

French Quarter Fridays, Concert, America 250

Saturday

May 16, 2026

1–3 p.m.

Chess Club, Students & Families

2026 Chess Club Meeting

Join HNOC’s free, all-ages Chess Club to learn more about the game and help plan future gatherings and events.

Chess Club, Students & Families

A view of families taking part in HNOC's Chess Fest, hosted at the TEP Center in the 9th Ward of New Orleans.

Thursday

May 21, 2026

6–7:15 p.m.

Lecture, America 250

Independence Lost: Lives on the Edge of the American Revolution

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Kathleen DuVal explores the impact of the American Revolution on Louisiana and the Gulf South region.

Lecture, America 250

"La Marcha de Gálvez," an oil painting by Augusto Ferrer-Dalmau showing Spanish coalition troops marching through swamps on their way to Fort Bute.

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Research & Collections

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410 Chartres Street

Visit the Williams Research Center

Explore centuries of Gulf South culture with unparalleled access to rare documents, art, and historic treasures. Stop in or browse our online catalog.

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Online Catalog

A historic brick building with tall, arched windows and ornate stone details. The facade features a central sign with engraved text. Large doors and lantern-style lights flank the entrance. The structure is framed by neighboring buildings.

Collection Highlights

Explore historic artifacts from HNOC’s vault.

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Collection highlights

Polo Silk Photographs

His party pics captured the New Orleans music scene when Cash Money Records and New Orleans rap were on the precipice of worldwide fame.

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Juvenile and Polo Silk, between 1992 and 1999.

A vibrant, crowded scene depicting a diverse group of people gathered in a lively setting. The backdrop features arches and draped curtains. The individuals are dressed in various colorful, eclectic styles, with expressions suggesting a festive atmosphere.

Artist Archives

Burning Orchid Nightclub

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A cropped view shows a sailing ship entering the Mississippi River in an engraving from Harper’s Weekly.

Staff Picks

The South Pass Jetties of the Mississippi

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A cropped view of a photo montage of the Braughn family in New Orleans. Individual photos of family posed in various positions are arranged in a way that makes it appear they're in the same photograph.

Recent Acquisitions

Braughn Family Photomontage

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Manuscripts

Elmwood Plantation Menu

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Decorative Arts & Material Culture

Fortier Embroidery Sampler

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An antique wooden box with hinged doors, displaying intricate scenes of grand architecture. The box is open, revealing a light green interior. The exterior paintings feature detailed buildings and trees, with a vintage, ornate style.

Show-and-Tell

Leila’s Collectible Boxes

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Portrait of a woman with dark hair, wearing a black dress with a white collar. She is seated, holding a small object in her left hand, against a plain background. Her expression is calm and composed.

Signature Collections

Cane River Collection

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A vintage portrait of a young girl with long, curly hair, looking down. She wears a cross necklace and a dark dress, with a serene expression. The image has an oval border and a soft, faded appearance, giving it an old-fashioned feel.

Recent Acquisitions

Tennessee Williams Family Letters

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First Draft

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Stories from the Historic New Orleans Collection

First Draft

The French Quarter That Made Cosimo Matassa

Before his recording studio changed the course of American popular music, Cosimo Matassa grew up in a teeming French Quarter community that no longer exists.

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