6 Best Sights in New Orleans, Louisiana

Backstreet Cultural Museum

Tremé
Local photographer and self-made historian Sylvester Francis is an enthusiastic guide through this rich collection of Mardi Gras Indian costumes and other musical artifacts tied to the street traditions of New Orleans. The museum hosts traveling and featured exhibits in addition to its permanent collection. Sylvester is also an excellent source for current musical goings-on in Tremé and throughout town.
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1116 Henriette Delille St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70116, USA
504-657–6700
www.backstreetmuseum.org
Sights Details
Rate Includes: $10, Tues.–Fri. 10–4, Sat. 10–3, Closed Sun.

J&M Music Shop

Tremé
Although the patrons of the laundromat that now occupies this space probably don't pay the historical provenance much heed, this is one of the most significant musical landmarks in New Orleans. A plaque on this 1835 building marks it as the former site of the recording studio that launched the rock 'n' roll careers of such greats as Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, and Ray Charles. Owned by Cosimo Matassa, the studio operated from 1945 to 1955.
840 N. Rampart St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70116, USA

Louis Armstrong Park

Tremé

With its huge, lighted gateway and its paths meandering through 32 acres of grassy knolls, lagoons, and historic landmarks, Louis Armstrong Park is a fitting tribute to the famed jazz musician's legacy. Elizabeth Catlett's famous statue of Louis Armstrong is joined by other artistic landmarks, such as the bust of Sidney Bechet, and the park now houses the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park.

Inside the park and to the left is Congo Square, marked by an inlaid-stone space, where slaves in the 18th and early 19th centuries gathered on Sunday, the only time they were permitted to play their music openly. The weekly meetings held here have been immortalized in the travelogues of visitors, leaving invaluable insight into the earliest stages of free musical practices by Africans and African Americans. Neighborhood musicians still congregate here at times for percussion jams, and it is difficult not to think of the musical spirit of ancestors hovering over them. Marie Laveau, the greatly feared and respected voodoo queen of antebellum New Orleans, had her home a block away on St. Ann Street and is reported to have held rituals here regularly.

Behind Congo Square is a large gray building, the Morris F.X. Jeff Municipal Auditorium; to the right, behind the auditorium, is the beautifully renovated Mahalia Jackson Center for the Performing Arts, which is home to the New Orleans Opera and the New Orleans Ballet and hosts an excellent year-round calendar of events—everything from readings to rock concerts. The St. Philip Street side of the park houses the Jazz National Historical Park, anchored by Perseverance Hall, the oldest Masonic temple in the state. However, be aware that the park is often nearly deserted, and bordered by some rough stretches of neighborhood; it's patrolled by a security detail, but be very careful when wandering and don't visit after dark.

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City Park
N. Rampart St. between St. Philip and St. Peter Sts., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70117, USA
Sights Details
Rate Includes: Auditorium and performing arts center for events; check local newspapers for listings

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New Orleans African American Museum

Tremé
Set in a historic villa surrounded by a lovely small park and gardens, this terrific museum offers a year-round calendar of events and exhibits that highlight African and African-diaspora art and artists. The building itself is a prime example of the West Indies–style French colonial architecture that used to fill much of the French Quarter. The house was built in 1829 by Simon Meilleur, a prosperous brick maker; the main house was constructed with Meilleur's bricks, and the brick patio behind it bears imprints identifying the original manufacturer. While the larger museum is currently undergoing a massive renovation, there are several exhibits set up across the street, at 1417 Governor Nicholls Street. The museum holds events and programming in the villa's gardens as well.
1417-1418 Governor Nicholls St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70116, USA
504-566–1136
www.noaam.org
Sights Details
Rate Includes: $20, Closed Mon.–Wed., Wed.–Sat. 11–4 and by appointment

St. Augustine Catholic Church

Tremé
Ursuline nuns donated the land for this church in 1841 and upon its completion in 1842, St. Augustine's became an integrated place of worship; slaves were relegated to the side pews, but free blacks claimed just as much right to enter pews as whites did. The architect, J.N.B. de Pouilly, attended the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and was known for his idiosyncratic style, which borrowed freely from a variety of traditions and resisted classification. Some of the ornamentation in his original drawings was eliminated when money ran out, but effusive pink-and-gold paint inside brightens the austere structure. The church grounds now also house the Tomb of the Unknown Slave, a monument dedicated in 2004 to the slaves buried in unmarked graves in the church grounds and surrounding areas. Following Hurricane Katrina, the Archdiocese of New Orleans planned to close seven churches in the city, including St. Augustine. Public outcry, the church's historical significance, and parishioners' dedication saved the parish, and its 10 am Sunday gospel-jazz services continue although fundraising efforts are still needed to mend the serious wear on the building. Tours are available by appointment.
1210 Governor Nicholls St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70116, USA
504-525–5934
www.staugchurch.org

St. Louis Cemetery No. 2

Tremé

Established in 1823, St. Louis No. 2 includes the tombs of a number of notable local musicians, including Danny Barker and Ernie K-Doe. Also entombed here are Dominique You, a notorious pirate, and Andre Cailloux, African American hero of the American Civil War. Located on Claiborne Avenue, four blocks beyond St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, it is in a more dangerous area of town so it's best to visit the cemetery with a tour group like Save Our Cemeteries.