Alena Kairys

ThIf you weren’t looking for this museum, you could easily pass it by walking down Royal Street, and that would be a real shame. The Historic New Orleans Collection is such a high-quality, engaging, fantastic museum!! And, it’s free! The exhibit on the history of New Orleans/the French Quarter was so fascinating to learn about. There was also a special exhibit on democracy and elections in the US, which was very interesting and well-done. The museum guide, Winston, was so kind and knowledgeable!! We had some really nice conversations about the citizenship test and election history in America. Due to various scheduling reasons, I wasn’t able to spend as much time here as I’d have liked, but will definitely plan accordingly if I’m able to visit the city again! Make sure to add this place to your sightseeing list!

“Ya like jazz??”~Barry B. Benson. But seriously, if you like jazz or music in any way, you should definitely visit the NOLA Jazz Museum! The museum’s exhibits largely focus on jazz musicians and culture from New Orleans, which was new to me. It was certainly neat to learn about the iconic jazz sounds of the city! Additionally, there’s a smaller museum located within the Jazz Museum about the building’s history as a US Mint. Totally worth visiting, too, and there’s no separate admission for it. Best of all, the museum hosts free jazz concerts throughout the week, one of which I was able to attend! It was such a great time; it’s not everyday you visit a museum with lively jazz music pouring out onto the street!