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The Historic New Orleans Collection
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A painting of the French Quarter during sunset. The view overlooks Jackson Square and steamboats on the Mississippi River.
Events

French Quarter Museum Night

July 2, 2026, 5–8 p.m.
Join us for a free, after-hours neighborhood museum crawl and celebration, presented by French Quarter Museum Association.
HNOC curator Lydia Blackmore discusses the history of shotgun houses in a segment on WVUE Fox 8 New Orleans.
HNOC in the News

WVUE: HNOC Curator Explores the History of Shotgun Houses

May 22, 2026
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.
T-boy boils in a pot as two crawfish chefs salt and pepper him.
Collection highlights

Tim Edler’s Little Cajun Books

A South Louisiana small press success story, Tales from the Atchafalaya reimagined Cajun country as a zany children’s fantasy world.

The cover of Mme. Bégué's Recipes of Old New Orleans Creole Cookery featuring a red and yellow illustration of the titular chef holding a frying pan under a striped awning.
First Draft

How Madame Bégué Invented Brunch, a Meal Born in New Orleans

What began as a decadent “second breakfast” for hungry French Quarter butchers became a global dining sensation. 

Sun Wah Lung Company, with Big Gee and Lee Sing, in front of 1117 Tulane Avenue in 1937.
First Draft

East Meets West

Over the course of a century, two iterations of Chinatown in New Orleans shaped the city’s landscape and culture.

An illustration of a pageant design entitled "Twelfth Night Revelers." Dancing champagn bottles, cakes, teacups and more are depicted.
Events

Cheers to 60 Years!

October 29, 2026

Join us in celebrating HNOC‘s 60th birthday with an unforgettable evening in the French Quarter.
Cosimo Matassa poses for a group photo with Dr. John, Pete Fountain (with clarinet), Art Neville, and Charles Neville.
First Draft

The French Quarter That Made Cosimo Matassa

Before his recording studio changed the course of American popular music, Cosimo Matassa grew up in a teeming French Quarter community that no longer exists.  

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

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

April 16, 2026
Happening June 8–12, 2026, the summer program brings history, art, and museums to life for local teens.
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