A group of people sit and stand in a cozy room filled with antique furniture and books. A man stands in the center, speaking animatedly. The room is warmly lit, with paintings and various decor items displayed on the walls and shelves.

New Orleans Antiques Forum

The South’s premier event for lovers of decorative arts and material culture, held annually every summer

About Upcoming Past Forums

About Antiques Forum

Since 2008, HNOC’s New Orleans Antiques Forum has brought together antiques aficionados, scholars of material culture, and fans of finery in a weekend-long celebration of history and aesthetics. Talks and panel discussions are complemented by a reception, optional tours and dinners, and opportunities to browse antiques in the French Quarter with fellow attendees.

An elegant dining room table set with ornate gold candlesticks, crystal glassware, and fine china plates on a dark wood surface. The centerpiece is a lavish floral arrangement with pink, orange, and white flowers in a decorative vase.

Upcoming Events

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A woman and a man are browsing an antique shop filled with wooden furniture and decorative chandeliers. The woman is inspecting a cabinet while the man observes. Various lamps and mirrors are displayed throughout the store.

Past Forums

August 7 to August 9, 2026

Signature Program

2026 New Orleans Antiques Forum

Material Belief: Objects of Faith, Spirit, and Tradition

Explore the history and cultural context of antiques shaped by belief, devotion, and spiritual practice throughout the American Gulf South.

Signature Program

Tapestry depicting St. Louis Cemetery #1

August 8 to August 10, 2025

Signature Program

2025 New Orleans Antiques Forum

Delight & Distraction: Material Culture of Southern Amusement

Step right up and explore the history of southern amusement through its eclectic material culture.

Signature Program

Black, rosewood box with a gilded and mother of pearl inlaid top, containing pieces for the game "Boston".

August 8 to August 11, 2024

Signature Program

2024 New Orleans Antiques Forum

New Lives for Old Things: Refashioning Southern Material Culture

The 2024 New Orleans Antiques Forum will discuss the long lives of objects in historic practices and current concepts.

Signature Program

A circular painting depicting a domestic scene with people gathered around a table inside a room. The border features various decorative teacups and saucers on a green background.

August 3 to August 6, 2023

Signature Program

2023 New Orleans Antiques Forum

Music to My Eyes: Material Culture of Southern Sound

Attendees of the 2023 New Orleans Antiques Forum will be immersed in the objects and art that embody the development of “southern sound.”

Signature Program

A vintage military drum with a worn, red wooden frame and rope tensioning. The drum features a painted design of an eagle clutching an American shield amidst stars and clouds. The paint is faded, giving it an antique appearance.

August 1 to August 4, 2019

Signature Program

2019 New Orleans Antiques Forum

Fancy Footwork

The 2019 New Orleans Antiques Forum will “take steps” to explore topics including the depiction of animals in the decorative arts, the stylized feet of furniture and silver, the conservation of Dorothy’s ruby slippers, and more.

Signature Program

A pair of vintage floral-patterned shoes with pointed toes and small heels. The fabric is a soft pink with cream and yellow designs. The shoes have a strap with a button on the side and a slightly worn appearance.

2013

Opulence & Intrigue: Exoticism in the 19th Century

2012

Circa 1812

2011

French at Heart: Continental Influence in the Gulf South

2010

Furnishing Louisiana: Early Creole and Acadian Styles

2009

In Search of Southern Style

2008

The Inaugural New Orleans Antiques Forum

A speaker presents at a podium, displaying a slide of an ornate, decorated box. The slide includes text and a historical photo. The presentation is held at The Historic New Orleans Collection, as indicated on the podium. Portraits adorn the walls.

Material Culture from our Holdings

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.

Leila’s Collectible Boxes

A look inside the Williams Residence offers insight into some of the interior decorating styles of the late 1940s and early ’50s, as well as Leila Williams’s personal collecting interests.

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