20 Best Sights in New Orleans, Louisiana

One of the most respected local galleries has compiled a must-see collection of contemporary artworks by Simon Gunning, Lin Emery, and Jacqueline Bishop, as well as national names such as glass artist Dale Chihuly and the film director and photographer John Waters.

Take in cutting-edge exhibits, featuring both local artists and the work of national and international talent, at this cornerstone of the vibrant Warehouse District. Two theaters present jazz, film, dance, plays, lectures, and experimental and conventional concerts, including a New Orleans music series. Check the website for details. Mr. Wolf Espresso and Books is open for coffee and browsing on the first floor.

The rare books and photography here include works from local artists like Josephine Sacabo and Richard Sexton; luminaries such as E. J. Bellocq, Ansel Adams, and Henri Cartier-Bresson; and contemporary giants, including Annie Leibovitz, Walker Evans, Helmut Newton, and Herman Leonard. Hours vary, so call ahead before visiting.

Gallery owner Angela King renovated an 1850s jewelry store into a modern gallery that exhibits oil paintings, prints, and metal and cast-glass sculptures from about 25 contemporary artists.

This sleek gallery specializes in contemporary sculpture and paintings from both local and internationally renowned artists, including Pablo Atchugarry, Eva Hild, Teresa Cole, Key-Sook Geum, Adrian Deckbar, and Sibylle Peretti.

This two-story Uptown house features contemporary paintings and sculptures by U.S. artists, with a special nod to those from the south, including Jere Allen, David Goodman, Nell C. Tilton, and Jean Geraci.

Contemporary paintings and sculptures by more than 50 southern artists are displayed in this modern space. Opening receptions are held the first Saturday of every month.

Established in 1891, this ponderous stone building is the oldest museum in Louisiana and features heavy trusses, gleaming cypress paneling, and elaborate Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. It houses a collection of artifacts from the Civil War, including uniforms, flags, soldiers' personal effects, and a rudimentary hand grenade.

A small compound of artists' and furniture-makers' studios includes the headquarters of this famously cantankerous local folk artist, whose easily recognizable work can be found hanging across New Orleans and covers the walls at Elizabeth's restaurant. "Be Nice or Leave," "Be Gay and Stay," "Shalom, Y'all," and "Shut Up and Fish" are just a few of his popular themes. Dr. Bob's shop is chock-full of original furniture, colorful signs, and unidentifiable objects of artistic fancy. Prices start as low as $30 for a small "Be Nice," and most pieces are in the $400–$600 range. The sign outside advertises the open hours as "9 am–'til"—best to call ahead.

Pioneers of modern and contemporary art are represented, with a large selection of prints and paintings by Marc Chagall, Picasso, and others.

Cutting-edge art with a message is the focus of this gallery's monthly exhibits. Contemporary paintings, photography, mixed-media artworks, sculpture, glass, and metalwork by local and international artists are displayed.

Artist George Schmidt is passionate about history—and New Orleans's rich past in particular. His gallery displays and sells paintings and narrative art, from small-scale monotypes to mural-size depictions of historic moments. He also sells signed and numbered prints of his work.

David Harouni, a favorite local artist, offers his take on neo-Expressionism in his paintings of faces, figures, and streetscapes, created in this gallery-studio space.

Contemporary art dealers have adopted this strip in the Warehouse District as their own. The street is lined with galleries and specialty shops, with the greatest concentration stretching from South Peters Street to St. Charles Avenue. On the first Saturday evening of each month, gallery owners throw open their doors to show off new exhibits to the accompaniment of wine, music, and general merriment. During White Linen Night in August and Art for Art's Sake in October, the galleries welcome visitors with artist receptions and live entertainment.

Gulf Coast artists from Louisiana to Florida display art and high-end crafts here, alongside work by the late New Orleans abstract artist Paul Ninas.

One of New Orleans's most beloved artists, James Michalopoulos exhibits his expressionistic visions of New Orleans architecture in this small gallery. Michalopoulos's palette-knife technique of applying thick waves of paint invariably evokes van Gogh—but his vision of New Orleans, where no line is truly straight and every building appears to have a soul, is uniquely his own. His work has become a prized adornment of many a New Orleanian's walls. Michalopoulos was commissioned to create the official poster of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 1998, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2009, and 2013, bringing a new perspective to some of New Orleans's greatest musicians like Mahalia Jackson, Louis Armstrong, Dr. John, Fats Domino, and Aaron Neville.

See free demonstrations of printmaking, glassmaking and design, and metal alchemy in this restored, 1800s-era brick warehouse (with a whopping 25,000-square-foot interior). The studio offers group and individual classes. Call in advance to make reservations for hands-on instruction. A shop and gallery display and sell the finished products.

This women-owned gallery features established, mid-career, and emerging local and international artists who work in a variety of media. The gallery also shows works by 20th-century artist Enrique Alferez, whose sculptures are on display throughout New Orleans.

Cajun artist George Rodrigue began his career as a painter with moody yet stirring portraits of rural Cajun life, but he gained popular renown in 1984 when he started painting blue dogs, inspired by the spirit of his deceased pet, Tiffany. Since then, the blue dog can be found in thousands of manifestations in various settings in the cult artist's paintings. Rodrigue died in late 2013, and his principal gallery, a space rather eerily lined almost entirely with paintings of the blue dog, is now managed by his family as a gallery and event space.

Artist Brandan "BMike" Odums's larger-than-life graffiti murals and installations fill this 35,000-square-foot warehouse in an industrial nook of the Bywater, easy to spot thanks to its bright front exterior and giant mural of a young African American girl shrugging her arms up towards the sky. Work here excites and awakens viewers, with its themes on social justice, African American history, racial violence, and other contemporary issues in New Orleans and beyond. Check Brandan's website for more projects around town.