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The Historic New Orleans Collection
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A spacious art gallery with wooden floors and ceiling beams. Several people are observing various artworks, including sculptures and framed pictures. Large windows allow natural light to flood the room, creating a bright and open atmosphere.
© Jeff Goldberg/Esto

Mission & Vision

Mission Statement

The Historic New Orleans Collection (HNOC) is dedicated to the stewardship of the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South.

A family enjoys an art museum, sitting at a table with drawing boards. Two children, wearing bows and glasses, draw while two adults accompany them. Framed paintings are on the green walls in the background.

Vision Statement

The past is vast, memory fragile, and records incomplete. The Historic New Orleans Collection (HNOC) strives to expand our understanding of the past, present, and future through research, stories, objects, documents, and works of art. We share our passion for the meanings of history and culture so people from our diverse communities and beyond recognize their own experiences and relevance to their own lives. Through our respect for the traditions, culture, and history of all people, we welcome everyone in our quest to build an equitable and enlightened future.

A group of four people, three wearing yellow shirts, are gathered around a table in an archives room. They are looking at and discussing a historical document shown by a person in a black shirt. Shelves filled with archival boxes are in the background.
A sunlit porch with green railings and columns on the second floor of a building with tan stucco walls and a metal roof. Shadows cast across the facade, and there are windows and doors along the wall.

Who We Are

Illustration of a charming courtyard with potted plants and trees. The scene features two-story buildings with balconies, shuttered windows, and a stone-paved ground, creating a serene and inviting atmosphere.

Our History

How HNOC grew from the vision, collection, and residence of one French Quarter couple into a New Orleans institution

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A man in a tuxedo stands next to a seated woman in a dress who is laughing and covering her face with her hands. They are in a room with ornate furnishings and a cabinet in the background.

Meet Our Founders

Kemper and Leila Williams turned their interests in Louisiana history and French Quarter preservation into a lasting legacy.

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Three people sit around a small outdoor table, smiling and talking. One person holds a hot dog. A poster display is in the background along with potted plants and umbrellas.

DEI Information

The IDEA Committee works to make HNOC more inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible for all.

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Plan Your Visit

Learn about New Orleans history in the heart of the French Quarter. See an exhibition or program, explore our historic buildings, shop our gift shop, or recharge in our historic courtyard.

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Three people examine historical artifacts and documents displayed in a glass case at a museum. Behind them is a painting of a cityscape, and one person wears a leather jacket with a red scarf.

Support Us

Help us sustain our mission to steward the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South for generations to come—a legacy started nearly 60 years ago by our founders, Kemper and Leila Williams.

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