The Louisiana History Galleries
Described by major guidebooks as “the best introduction to the city that a visitor can get,” the History Galleries, on the second floor of the 1792 Merieult House at 533 Royal Street, have undergone a major expansion in size and content.
Sale of Estates, Pictures and Slaves, by W. H. Brooke and J. M. Starling, 1842 (1974.25.23.4)
Eleven galleries comprise the new attraction. The first nine galleries, covering the colonial era through antebellum period, have been augmented with a wide selection of materials from the permanent collections, as well as broadcasts of music from the respective periods. Galleries ten and eleven bring the tour well into the 20th century–exploring jazz, art, literature, politics, world wars I and II, and many other topics. While the galleries are currently viewed by a docent-led tour, they will eventually be accessible on a self-guided basis.
The docent-led tours are offered Tuesday–Saturday at 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. for $5 per person. Boxed sets of note cards featuring reproductions of images featured in the Louisiana History Galleries are available for purchase in The Shop.
First New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival poster by Bruce Brice, 1969 (1979.383.2), gift of Clay Watson
Monogram Pictures Corporation Presents Gov. Jimmie Davis in LA (1980.132)
