The Best Museums in New Orleans: A Little History, A Little Art, and A Whole Lot of Culture
When most folks think about New Orleans, museums probably aren't the first thing that comes to mind.
They're thinking about the French Quarter. Bourbon Street. Beignets. Jazz. Gumbo. Mardi Gras. Maybe a frozen daiquiri or two.
And that's perfectly understandable.
But here's the thing about New Orleans: there's a whole lot more to this city than what you see happening on the street.
Underneath the music, food, festivals, historic buildings, and general good-time atmosphere is a story that's more than 300 years in the making. And some of the best places to discover that story are inside the museums scattered throughout the city.
New Orleans has museums dedicated to art, history, music, Mardi Gras, food, World War II, African American culture, the Mississippi River, Southern life, and plenty of wonderfully odd things you probably won't find anywhere else.
Some are big and impressive. Some are tucked away inside old Creole buildings. Some take an hour to explore, while others can keep you occupied for half a day.
So if you're planning a trip to New Orleans—or you've lived here for years and simply haven't gotten around to playing tourist in your own hometown—here are some of the museums worth putting on your list.
The National WWII Museum
Let's start with the big one.
The National WWII Museum isn't just one of the best museums in New Orleans. It's one of the most impressive museums in the entire country.
Located in the Warehouse District, the museum tells the story of America's experience during World War II through exhibits, artifacts, personal stories, oral histories, photographs, vehicles, aircraft, and immersive experiences. The museum describes itself as the official World War II museum of the United States.
And you don't have to be a history buff to appreciate it.
The museum does an exceptional job of taking a massive global conflict and bringing it down to a human level. Instead of simply throwing dates and statistics at you, it tells the stories of the people who lived through the war.
Fair warning: give yourself plenty of time.
This isn't one of those museums where you stroll through for 45 minutes, snap a few pictures, and head out for lunch. The museum itself recommends allowing significant time to explore, and you can easily spend half a day—or longer—here.
As of 2026, the museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with special experiences and exhibits available throughout the campus.
If you only have time for one major museum during your New Orleans visit, this is certainly one to consider.
New Orleans Museum of Art
Now let's switch gears from war history to fine art.
Over in City Park, you'll find the New Orleans Museum of Art, better known around town as NOMA.
NOMA is New Orleans' oldest fine arts institution and houses a collection of more than 40,000 objects. Its collection covers everything from French and American art to photography, glass, African art, Japanese works, and more.
It's a wonderful place to spend a quiet afternoon after you've been wandering around the city.
And don't stop at the museum building.
Right outside is the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, one of the city's real hidden gems. The garden features large-scale sculptures set among beautiful landscaping, walking paths, trees, and ponds.
Best of all, the sculpture garden is free and open to the public.
That's a pretty good deal in a city where a lot of attractions can add up quickly.
NOMA also offers free general admission to Louisiana residents on Wednesdays, courtesy of The Helis Foundation, while youth ages 19 and under can also visit the museum for free.
So if you're looking for something to do on a Wednesday afternoon, there's your excuse.
The Cabildo
If you want to understand New Orleans, you're going to have to understand its history.
And there's no better place to start than right in Jackson Square.
Standing beside St. Louis Cathedral is the Cabildo, one of the most historically important buildings in New Orleans.
The building dates back to the late 1700s and has played a role in some mighty important moments in Louisiana history. Today, it's operated as part of the Louisiana State Museum system.
The Cabildo is particularly useful for visitors who want to understand how New Orleans developed through French, Spanish, African, Caribbean, and American influences.
And the location couldn't be better.
You can walk out of the museum and be standing right in the middle of Jackson Square, surrounded by artists, musicians, historic architecture, street performers, and the constant energy of the French Quarter.
In other words, history doesn't stop when you walk out the door.
The Presbytère
On the other side of St. Louis Cathedral sits another Louisiana State Museum property, the Presbytère.
This museum is especially interesting if you're fascinated by Mardi Gras and Louisiana's natural disasters.
The museum has featured major exhibits exploring Mardi Gras traditions and the history of hurricanes and other disasters that have shaped Louisiana.
And let's be honest: if you're visiting New Orleans during the off-season and you're wondering where all the Mardi Gras craziness went, the Presbytère can give you a pretty good dose of it.
The Historic New Orleans Collection
If you want to dig deep into New Orleans history, put The Historic New Orleans Collection on your list.
Located in the French Quarter, the collection focuses on the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South.
This is the sort of museum that can help fill in the blanks after you've spent a couple of days wandering around the Quarter.
Why are these houses built this way?
Why does New Orleans have such a complicated relationship with France and Spain?
How did the city become such a melting pot of cultures?
How did the Mississippi River shape everything from commerce to architecture?
The Historic New Orleans Collection can help answer those questions.
And because it's located right in the French Quarter, it's easy to combine with a day of sightseeing.
The New Orleans Jazz Museum
You can't come to New Orleans and ignore the music.
Well, you can, but we'd strongly advise against it.
The New Orleans Jazz Museum is located in the Old U.S. Mint on Esplanade Avenue, right where the French Quarter meets the Marigny.
And this isn't just a museum about jazz in the abstract.
It's about the people, places, instruments, recordings, and cultural traditions that helped make New Orleans one of the most important music cities on earth.
Jazz didn't simply appear out of thin air. It grew from a remarkable mixture of African American musical traditions, blues, ragtime, brass bands, Caribbean influences, and the many cultures that came together in New Orleans.
The museum helps tell that story.
And when you're finished, you're only a short walk from Frenchmen Street, where you can put some of that history into practice and hear live music for yourself.
That's what we call a good museum field trip.
Ogden Museum of Southern Art
Here's one for the art lovers.
Located in the Warehouse Arts District, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art is devoted specifically to art from the American South.
That means you're not just looking at pretty pictures. You're exploring the stories, traditions, identities, landscapes, and experiences that make the South what it is.
The collection spans from historic works to contemporary art, with exhibitions highlighting artists from throughout the Southern United States.
And since it's located close to the National WWII Museum and several other attractions, it's easy to make a whole museum day out of the Warehouse District.
Grab lunch, visit a museum, walk a few blocks, visit another museum, and then find yourself a nice dinner.
Not a bad way to spend a day.
The New Orleans Pharmacy Museum
Now we're getting into the wonderfully weird side of New Orleans.
The New Orleans Pharmacy Museum is housed in an old apothecary building in the French Quarter and tells the story of medicine and pharmacy during the 18th and 19th centuries.
And let us just say this:
Medicine back then was not exactly what you'd call reassuring.
The museum explores old medical practices, medicines, tools, treatments, and the history of pharmacy in Louisiana.
You'll see things that make you grateful for modern medicine.
You'll also probably find yourself thinking, "They did WHAT to sick people?"
That's part of the fun.
It's a relatively small museum, which makes it an easy stop while exploring the French Quarter.
Mardi Gras Museums
If you come to New Orleans and don't learn a little something about Mardi Gras, we're going to have to question your priorities.
Luckily, you don't have to wait until Carnival season to get your Mardi Gras fix.
New Orleans has several museums and cultural attractions dedicated to Carnival traditions, costumes, floats, Mardi Gras Indians, and the incredible creativity that goes into the celebration every year.
These museums offer a chance to understand that Mardi Gras is about much more than throwing beads from a float.
There's history behind the krewes.
There's tradition behind the costumes.
There's artistry behind the floats.
And there's a whole lot of cultural history behind the Mardi Gras Indian tradition.
Once you understand some of that background, watching a parade becomes a whole lot more interesting.
For more details about Marid Gras, see our Mardi Gras Crash Course Videos
JAMNOLA
Not every museum in New Orleans is about looking quietly at objects behind glass.
Take JAMNOLA, for example.
JAMNOLA describes itself as an immersive celebration of New Orleans art, music, food, and culture. Its exhibits are designed to be interactive, colorful, and downright fun. New Orleans & Company describes the attraction as featuring dozens of interactive exhibits created with the help of more than 100 local artists.
This is a particularly good choice for families, younger visitors, or anybody who thinks a traditional museum sounds about as exciting as watching paint dry.
And let's face it: New Orleans has always done things a little differently.
Why should our museums be any different?
New Orleans African American Museum
New Orleans' history cannot be told properly without telling the story of its African American communities.
The New Orleans African American Museum focuses on African American art, culture, history, and heritage, with particular attention to the Tremé neighborhood and the broader New Orleans community.
Tremé itself is historically significant, and learning about the neighborhood helps visitors better understand the roots of New Orleans music, culture, civil rights, Mardi Gras traditions, and community life.
This is one of those places where a visit can give you a deeper appreciation for things you may have already seen around the city without fully understanding their origins.
Louisiana Children's Museum
Traveling with kids?
Don't worry. New Orleans has something for them, too.
The Louisiana Children's Museum is located in City Park and offers hands-on experiences designed to get children exploring, learning, and playing.
Let's be honest: dragging a six-year-old through a history museum for three hours probably isn't anybody's idea of a vacation.
The Children's Museum gives younger visitors a chance to learn without realizing they're learning.
And while they're busy exploring, Mom and Dad might even get five minutes to sit down.
That's what we call a win.
Don't Forget the Historic Houses
One of the best things about New Orleans is that sometimes the building is the museum.
Throughout the city you'll find historic homes that have been preserved and opened to visitors.
Places such as the Gallier House, Hermann-Grima House, 1850 House, Beauregard-Keyes House, Pitot House, and Longue Vue House and Gardens offer a chance to see how people lived in different periods of New Orleans history.
And this is where things get especially interesting.
You're not simply looking at an old chair behind a velvet rope.
You're standing inside the actual rooms where people lived, worked, entertained, cooked, argued, celebrated, and went about their daily lives.
The Historic New Orleans Collection's Museum Month listings include many of these historic properties alongside the city's larger museums.
For anyone interested in architecture, these homes are worth your time.
So, Which New Orleans Museum Should You Visit?
Well, that depends on what you're interested in.
History buff? Start with the National WWII Museum, Cabildo, Presbytère, and Historic New Orleans Collection.
Art lover? Head to NOMA and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art.
Music fan? Don't miss the New Orleans Jazz Museum.
Food obsessed? Check out the Southern Food & Beverage Museum.
Mardi Gras enthusiast? Explore one of the city's Carnival-focused museums and cultural attractions.
Traveling with kids? JAMNOLA and the Louisiana Children's Museum are good places to start.
Interested in the strange and unusual? The Pharmacy Museum ought to scratch that itch.
And if you've got several days in town, don't pick just one.
New Orleans has dozens of museums covering art, history, culture, food, music, architecture, and more.
A Few Tips for Visiting New Orleans Museums
First, check the hours before you go. New Orleans museums don't all operate on the same schedule, and some close on Mondays or have seasonal hours.
Second, give yourself more time than you think you'll need. Especially at the National WWII Museum.
Third, look for admission deals. New Orleans has an annual Museum Month program, and some museums offer free days or discounted admission throughout the year.
Fourth, don't try to cram six museums into one day.
You're in New Orleans.
Slow down.
Have lunch.
Get a drink.
Walk around.
Look up at the buildings.
Listen to some music.
Then go see another museum.
That's a much better way to experience this city.
Want to experience New Orleans history with an expert local guide?
Before—or after—you hit the museums, join Authentic City New Orleans for a walking tour through some of the city's most fascinating neighborhoods. We'll take you beyond the postcards and show you the stories, characters, scandals, architecture, food, music, and downright strange history that helped make New Orleans what it is today.
Come walk with us, ask questions, learn a little history, and have a few laughs along the way.
After all, you can read about New Orleans in a museum.
Or you can come walk through the history yourself.
