Best Arts and Culture Places in St. John the Baptist Parish

"At this stately museum in City Park, you’ll experience New Orleans’ oldest fine arts institution, which opened in 1911 and showcased just nine works of art. Fast forward more than 100 years, and NOMA (1 Collins Diboll Circle; 504-658-4100) plays host to a permanent collection of nearly 40,000 objects that include photography, glass works, French and American art, Japanese and African works, and much more. Just outside, the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden is home to over 60 sculptures by renowned artists from around the world."

"Set smack dab in City Park among the Spanish moss-draped oaks complete with Greco-Roman columns and a charming sculpture garden, the grounds alone warrant a visit to this NOLA institution that’s oozing with grandeur. It’s the city’s oldest fine arts institution and boasts a permanent collection of nearly 40,000 pieces. Not only that, but it’s one of the most impressive and revered fine art collections in the whole of the south."

"Having opened in 1911, the New Orleans Museum of Art is the city’s oldest fine art institution. Back then, it had just a few art pieces but has since grown to house over 40,000 objects with a notable collection of French and American art. The museum is also home to the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, with over 90 sculptures on display in the 11-acre landscaped garden."

"This five-acre sculpture garden is a park within City Park, and acts as an open-air annex to the wonderful New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA). 90 sculptures—mostly modern and abstract—are set among magnolias and live oaks, framed by bridges and reflecting pools, with world-renowned artists Henry Moore, Antoine Bourdelle, and Ossip Zadkine represented. The lake-set Virlane Tower by Kenneth Snelson is a favorite, as is the familiar Love, Red Blue sign by Robert Indiana, but it’s best to come without a map."

"The Contemporary Arts Center, housed in a large redbrick building that stands out in the relatively muted Central Business District, is one of the city’s most prestigious spaces for the full gamut of contemporary arts, including painting, film, theater, and music. Exhibits, which rotate every four to eight weeks, can include any visual art form, from photography to sculpture and painting. The featured works are well-curated—sometimes around themes, sometimes around individual contemporary artists."

"Visit the spacious art galleries of the Contemporary Arts Center to see some world-class fine art in the up-and-coming warehouse district in downtown New Orleans. There are different artist residences happening and constantly rotating and changing exhibits. The museum is famous for the events that it hosts with different performances and lectures."

"Take in cutting-edge exhibits, featuring both local artists and the work of national and international talent, at this cornerstone of…"

"Get your dose of nature at one of New Orleans’ two large parks.City Park is larger than Central Park in New York and is home to the New Orleans Museum of Art, as well as several gardens.Audubon Parkboasts the Audubon Zoo and is easily accessible by street car. Either way, both are excellent options for a relaxing afternoon."

"Located in the center of City Park is NOMA, New Orleans Museum of Art which the building itself is beautiful holding a permanent fine art collection of over 40,000 pieces. We will be checking this out on our next trip as well!"

"The French Quarter's Dutch Alley Artist's Co-op, located at 912 N. Peters St., is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the fancy art gallery 4.5 stars out of 29 reviews. The site can tell you a thing or two more about Dutch Alley Artist's Co-op."

"Features an impressive collection of original paintings, works on paper, and sculpture by some of history’s most revered artists. Representing over five centuries of fine art, we specialize in original works from the old masters to the modern masters, as well as a select group of renowned contemporary artists."

"Gryder describes itself as a platform for artists to express diverse perspectives and experimental discourses. The venue showcases divergent exhibitions which aim to highlight the intellectual and transcendent role of art as well as its preservation. You’ll be drawn in by works like Jan Gilbert’s panels of spooky figures, Dapper Bruce Lafitte’s dynamic scenes of New Orleans or Babette Beaullieu’s intricate structures made from branches."

"In addition to the history behind the name — which we discussed earlier — this French Quarter coffeehouse has been a favorite of many since they opened, including Emily Klein Morris. She loves the energy and vibe in the shop, and vouches for their “perfect almond milk lattes.” She said the espresso is perfectly smooth with no bitter aftertaste, and that “they’ve mastered the challenging task of frothing the almond milk without oversteaming it."

"The back-alley French Market spot is worth the trip for its hard-to-find vegan okra gumbo alone, but its health-conscious menu is full of vegan and gluten-free riffs on other New Orleans classics that usually come only in meat and seafood versions, like the popular Beyond Burger (also soy-free), and the vegan crabcake and Portobello mushroom po-boys."

"All meals are made to order, and the restaurant delivers, too!. Featured vegan items include gumbo, pancakes, meatless apple sausage, and apple patties."

"Pontchartrain Hotel, 2031 St. Charles Ave., (504) 323-1455; www.silverwhistlecafe.com. A pimiento cheese omelet is served with hash browns and hollandaise."

"It was awful- the crab meat Benedict was greasy and smelled the eggs floated in grease - I loved the coffee cups More reviews"

"Category: American, Delivery, Happy Hours, Outside Dining, Southwest, and Weekend Brunch. Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant aims to provide a laid-back, beach vibe complete with the coldest drinks and hottest menu around since 1992. Whether you want to belly up Read more..."

"701 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 523-8995; www.lucysretiredsurfers.com/neworleans. A Juicy Lucy burger is an 8-ounce patty topped with tomato, lettuce, onion, pickles and Lucy’s sauce on a Dong Phuong roll."

"Founded in 1966, The Historic New Orleans Collection has two campuses: one on Royal Street and the other on Chartres Street. Its Royal Street campus has a permanent gallery on Louisiana history; a hall for rotating exhibitions; and house museum called the Williams Residence—which, according to the THNOC, “is the only French Quarter house open to the public with its original furnishings.”. Its Chartres Street campus holds the Williams Research Center, the Boyd Cruise gallery, and thousands of historic artifacts that encapsulate life New Orleans over the last 300 years."

"It’s also an excellent place to people watch and where a number of New Orleans’ historical landmarks like The St Louis Cathedral, The Cabildo, and The Presbytère are located (with Preservation Hall and The Historic New Orleans Collection nearby). Tons of artists, musicians, and fortune tellers hang out in Jackson Square and in the spirit of disclosure, I spent most of my time here people-watching and eating beignets. However, if you want to be a little more cultured than I was, visit one or several of the above-mentioned landmarks for even more NOLA history."

"The HNOC is on a mission to preserve the French Quarter and New Orleans history. The space houses seven different exhibition halls with constantly evolving collections. Afro-Creole poetry, French Quarter life, second lines and social aid & pleasure clubs are just a few highlights."

"One of the oldest houses in the French Quarter, Madame John’s Legacy is an example of eighteenth-century Louisiana Creole architecture. The house was raised high enough to withstand frequent flooding of the area and has ventilating features to alleviate the subtropical heat. It also managed to survive the great fire of 1794."

"Long thought to be the oldest building on the Mississippi River, Madame John’s Legacy has proven to be not quite the oldest. It was one of the few buildings in the quarter to escape the great fire of 1795 in New Orleans. Architecture fans can appreciate the 18th century design."

"If you’re looking for an off-beat experience on New Orleans history, check out this eccentric museum that is housed in a 19th-century pharmacy. The New Orleans Pharmacy Museum showcases formerly popular medicines, including potions and leeches. A post shared by @melissasemiao on Mar 25, 2018 at 12:16pm PDT"

"Structured as a pharmacy back in the day, New Orleans Pharmacy Museum is now a museum with exhibits featuring early medicines and superstitious cures, among other things."