Historic New Orleans Collection

A free history museum and research center devoted to the people, places, and traditions of New Orleans and the Gulf South.

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Hours & Location

Museum: 520 Royal Street, New Orleans, LA
Tuesday–Saturday, 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Sunday, 10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

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Holiday Hours

Admission

Admission is free, but tickets are required. Stop by the front desk or reserve tickets online. Ticket covers admission to all exhibitions and certain daily programs.

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Museum: (504) 523-4662
Williams Research Center: (504) 598-7171
Mailing address: 533 Royal Street, New Orleans, LA, 70130

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Current Exhibitions

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Colonial Wars & Conflicts

American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition

March 20, 2026 to January 17, 2027

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Music & Musicians

New Orleans Musicians in Art: Selections from the Permanent Collection

November 4, 2025 to May 16, 2027

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Illustration of a brown pelican perched on a branch with green leaves in the background. The bird has a long beak and distinctive brown, white, and yellow plumage. The botanical details add a naturalistic setting.

Land Loss & Climate Change

A Vanishing Bounty: Louisiana’s Coastal Environment and Culture

Ongoing

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French Quarter street scene showing at 710 Toulouse Street, and corner of shuttered building at 714 Toulouse, with a man walking along the street in the darkness, his shadow falling upon the wall. Shows cat beside colonnette supporting balcony, a street light, double doorway of the gateway, laundry hanging on second floor of 710 Toulouse, and ironwork balcony of 714 Toulouse. Shows partial view of balcony and building at corner of Toulouse and Royal Streets.

French Quarter Life

French Quarter Life: People and Places in the Vieux Carré

Ongoing

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Antique map of a city grid with detailed plots, streets, and buildings. It includes a compass rose and features ships sailing on the river at the bottom. The layout is intricate, showcasing a geometrically organized urban plan.

French Quarter Life

French Quarter Galleries

Ongoing

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Tours & Daily Programs

Get more out of your museum visit with a guided tour, Shortcut Talk, or daily program.

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A guide gestures towards a historical photograph on the wall while speaking to a man and a woman in a gallery setting. The wall has an exhibit description titled A Most Dreadful Visitation: Frederick Douglass and The 1887 Riot.

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Museum Admission is Always Free 

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Latest News

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A colorful painting depicting clientelle of the Golden Lantern, a renowned gay bar in New Orleans.

Celebrate Pride with HNOC

Explore content that showcases LGBT+ New Orleanians who have contributed to the city’s history and culture.

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NOLA.com Features HNOC’s Paul Prudhomme Building Among 19 Award-Winning Historic Renovation Projects

HNOC’s renovation of 416 Chartres Street received a Louisiana Landmarks Society 2026 Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation.

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HNOC senior curator Eric Seiferth discusses the Dryades Street boycotts of 1960 in a segment by WVUE Fox 8 New Orleans.

WVUE: HNOC Curator Discusses the Dryades Street Boycott of 1960

Eric Seiferth joined WVUE Fox 8 New Orleans to discuss a key moment of the Civil Rights Movement in New Orleans, as told in HNOC’s “The Trail They Blazed” exhibition.

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HNOC curator Lydia Blackmore discusses the history of shotgun houses in a segment on WVUE Fox 8 New Orleans.

WVUE: HNOC Curator Explores the History of Shotgun Houses

WVUE Fox 8 New Orleans spoke with Lydia Blackmore to discuss the history, features, and legacy of one of New Orleans’s most iconic building styles.

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Amanda McFillen, HNOC director of audience engagement, is interviewed by NOLA Now.

NOLA Now: HNOC Offers Curator Camp for Museum-Loving Teens

Happening June 8–12, 2026, the summer program brings history, art, and museums to life for local teens.

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Upcoming Events

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Monday

June 8, 2026

9:30 a.m.–3 p.m.

Curator Camp, Students & Families

Students & Families

Curator Camp 2026

HNOC’s annual weeklong summer program for history-minded teens returns in 2026.

Curator Camp, Students & Families

Young people explore an exhibition at the Historic New Orleans Collection.

Thursday

July 2, 2026

5–8 p.m.

After-Hours, Community Collaboration, America 250

French Quarter Museum Association Presents

French Quarter Museum Night

Join us for a free, after-hours neighborhood museum crawl and celebration, presented by French Quarter Museum Association.

After-Hours, Community Collaboration, America 250

A painting of the French Quarter during sunset. The view overlooks Jackson Square and steamboats on the Mississippi River.

Saturday

July 11, 2026

1–3 p.m.

Chess Club, Students & Families

2026 Chess Club Meeting

Join HNOC’s free, all-ages Chess Club to learn more about the game and help plan future gatherings and events.

Chess Club, Students & Families

A young girl in glasses, wearing a striped shirt, thoughtfully playing chess with purple and yellow pieces. She is sitting at a blue table among other concentrated players in a room with several chess games in progress.

Saturday

July 25, 2026

11 a.m.–2 p.m.

For Educators, America 250

Educator Day: “American Revolution”

Educators are invited to visit HNOC’s interactive exhibition exploring key events of the American Revolution.

For Educators, America 250

A visitor explores "American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition" at the Historic New Orleans Collection.

Friday

August 7, 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

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Research & Collections

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410 Chartres Street

Visit the Williams Research Center

Explore centuries of Gulf South culture with unparalleled access to rare documents, art, and historic treasures. Stop in or browse our online catalog.

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Online Catalog

A historic brick building with tall, arched windows and ornate stone details. The facade features a central sign with engraved text. Large doors and lantern-style lights flank the entrance. The structure is framed by neighboring buildings.

Collection Highlights

Explore historic artifacts from HNOC’s vault.

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Collection highlights

Flood State

Artist Jennifer Shaw evokes the specter of climate disaster in this photographic series.

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Flood State 048, 2017, photogravure on Japanese kozo paper by Jennifer Shaw.

A round button with a blue background features a pink triangle and the text I'm straight. But not narrow. printed in black letters.

Recent Acquisitions

Christmas Card to Tessie, Leona, Ruby, and Gail

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A vintage sheet music cover titled The Mysterious Axmans Jazz (Dont Scare Me Papa). It shows a chaotic scene with musicians playing and a startled woman at a piano. Two inset portraits are at the bottom.

Staff Picks

First Draft

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Stories from the Historic New Orleans Collection

First Draft

How My Parents Built on the Foundation of the Civil Rights Movement

When ICE raids came to cities across America, young people took notice. One winning author of HNOC’s 2026 Student Writing Contest described her community’s experience with the modern-day civil rights movement.

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