Free Museums in Gentilly

"Considered by most experts and visitors alike as one of the top museums on the planet, the National World War II Museum tells the story of that terrible war from the perspective of America and her Allies in the fight against both the German and Japanese war machines during the war that lasted from 1939 to 1945 (the U.S. entered on Dec. 7, 1941). This massive museum is located in New Orleans for an important reason, as the Higgins boats were invented and manufactured here, by Andrew Jackson Higgins. Those shallow-draft, amphibious boats originally designed to use in Louisiana swamps became a key element in American landings both in the Pacific and European theaters of the war."

"National World War II Museum in New Orleans|© James Nesterwitz / Alamy. Thousands of visitors walk through the doors of the National WWII Museum on a daily basis, which Congress considers the official World War II museum of the US. Located in Downtown New Orleans, the sprawling complex contextualises the American experience of the conflict through eye witness accounts, multimedia experiences and extensive exhibits including The Home Front, the Pacific and European Theatres and the D-Day Invasion."

"From the beaches of Normandy to the sands of Iwo Jima, The National World War II Museum (945 Magazine Street; 504-528-1944) provides personal accounts, artifacts, documents, photographs, and never-before-seen film footage to tell the stories of the amphibious landings that made victory in World War II possible. Museum collections and relevant traveling exhibitions further explore and illustrate the war that changed the world."

"The city’s oldest art museum boasts over 40,000 artworks and objects from across the globe and the ages. But if you’re in town for Mardi Gras, make a point to see their current exhibition on 19th-century Swedish artist Bror Anders Wikstrom, who immigrated to NoLa in 1883 and helped shape the carnival experience into what it is today with his elaborate float designs. Afterwards, take a stroll through the museum’s enchanting five-acre sculpture park."

"In the 1912 the sugar broker and art collector Isaac Delgado left New Orleans a sizeable grant to establish what would become the New Orleans Museum of Art. The main building went up soon after, to a design partly by Benjamin Morgan Harrod, New Orleans’s former chief engineer, while new wings and expansions followed in the early-1970s and 90s. The collection is huge, with more than 40,000 pieces from the Italian Renaissance to today."

"The New Orleans Museum of Art is known to be the oldest fine arts museum in the city of New Orleans which is perfect for anyone looking for a cheap but immersive experience."

"Here's your chance to experience and understand the history and culture of the city of New Orleans!. The center is dedicated to the preservation and research of New Orleans and general Southern Gulf culture and history and is located in the French Quarter. Archives include the Sugar Bowl, life after Hurricane Katrina, the William Russel Jazz Collection, and the William C. Cook War of 1812 in the South Collection."

"It’s got plenty of space making it ideal for families, with a backyard perfect for running around in. The classic cottage is as stunning on the inside as it is on the outside, with the guest suite providing cosy accommodation for up to four visitors."

"Back when apothecary was not an antiquated term alluding to potions and snake oil, the pharmacist was near synonymous with potion-maker, and it was anything but the hallowed profession it is today. All that changed in 1804 when the Louisiana governor Claiborne passed a law requiring licensure of Louisiana pharmacists. Sworn-in after a three-hour oral exam held in another famous New Orleans attraction – the Cabildo building – pharmacists were required to practice a fair and honest craft in the Unites States from thereon out."

"This historic building on Chartres Street in the French Quarter hasn’t changed much since the 19th-century. Once home to America’s first licensed pharmacist, Louis Dufilho Jr., today the space lives on as the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, which celebrates this history through a treasure trove of antiques and ephemera. The collection includes hundreds of artifacts, from hand-blown apothecary bottles, potions once used by Voodoo practitioners, surgical instruments, prosthetic devices, and old wheelchairs."

"Some key points to check out in this small zone are: the artists along the street at Jackson Square, St Lous Cathedral (you can’t miss it), New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo, and shopping for antiques on Royal Street. Of course, Bourbon street is here too and always popping even in the daytime."

"A post shared by Whitney Plantation (@whitneyplantation) on Mar 29, 2018 at 1:39pm PDT Unless you have a car with you, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll be able to visit a plantation the same day as doing a swamp tour because they’re located far apart. However, if you do choose to do a plantation tour, choose Whitney Plantation, the only plantation museum in Louisiana with a focus on slavery. Unfortunately, I did not do my research and visited a different plantation house and was incredibly disappointed that they didn’t address slavery whatsoever."

"The Whitney Plantation House is meant to be the best one which doesn’t just focus on the mansion and owners but instead focuses on slavery and is turned into a slavery museum, with the money benefitting descendants of slaves (from what I’m told). I am really bummed I didn’t go here – I thought they might be unethical, then Sam talked to some locals who said this place was legit and totally a do-not-miss. Something to do on the next trip."

"Other plantations in the area to consider are the Laura Plantation, the Houmas House Plantation, the Nottoway Plantation, and the Whitney Plantation, among others. The Whitney Plantation is newly renovated and has an exhibit that focuses on the children of slavery that is said to be deeply moving and emotional."

"Take the famous St. Charles Streetcar to Central City to visit the McKenna Museum of African American Art. The museum’s mission is to make African Diasporan fine art available and accessible to visitors of all ages. They work to preserve the culture of the African American community in Louisiana."

"The McKenna Museum is a fine art institution with a direct focus on African Diasporan pieces. In addition to their collection, McKenna offers a range of diverse programming such as guest speakers, workshops and book readings to further their mission and work."

"– Located inside of City Park, The Louisiana Children’s Museum is the perfect way to spend some time with the family. With indoor and outdoor activities, your little one can easily play all day long – and even learn how to make groceries. There is even Acorn, a family-friendly Dickie Brennan’s restaurant."

"In the heart of City Park in New Orleans, sits the wonderful Louisiana Children’s Museum. The museum offers over 56,000 square feet of space for your little ones to run wild right alongside their imagination. There is so much for kids of all ages to discover and explore."

"Behind the museum’s main building is a gated outdoor space in 11 acres of mature parkland enriched with more than 90 works of sculpture. The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden opened in 2003 and at the time of writing in 2019 had just doubled in size with an expansion that included 26 new works, mostly by 21st-century artists. On serpentine paths among pines, magnolias, camellias and live oaks draped with Spanish moss there are pieces by Henry Moore, Deborah Butterfield, Barbara Hepworth, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Robert Indiana, Gaston Lachaise and René Magritte, as well as contemporary sculptors like Katharina Fritsch, Hank Willis Thomas and Jeppe Hein."

"Mid-CityWhile the adjacent New Orleans Museum of Art charges an entrance fee on most days (see below), the glorious sculpture garden on its grounds is open seven days a week and totally gratis to all comers. Meander the footpaths and marvel at over 60 impressive -- and sometimes disturbing -- works of sculpture by a bevy of international artists. When you get tired, you can always avail yourself of mini-golf, beignets at Morning Call, or any other variety of fun activities to be had in City Park."

"The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden is technically a part of the New Orleans Museum of Art, but it’s one of those places to visit that deserves its very own part of this listing since many come by just to visit the garden on its own. Right near the main NOMA building, an 11-acre expanse of garden stretches out, decorated with over 90 different sculptures. The gardens first opened in 2003 and have grown in size ever since it made its home in the rear of the Louisiana museum."

"A visit to The Presbytère is recommended and worthwhile for at least three reasons. (1) Built in the 1790s as a matching structure to the Cabildo, which flanks the St. Louis Cathedral on the other side, it is one of the nation's best examples of formal Spanish Colonial style, with a full panoply of Renaissance architectural forms. Destroyed by a hurricane in 1915, the cupola was restored to match the one atop its twin, the Cabildo, and in 1970 the structure was designated a National Historic Landmark."

"We’ve already mentioned visiting the Cabildo as one of the best things to do in New Orleans – but what about its twin, The Presbytère?. It faces Jackson Square and dates back to 1791, and like its “sibling”, it boasts amazing architecture that makes it a true masterpiece. Built in a colonial Spanish style, The Presbytère was once used as its name suggests – as domestic quarters for the Capuchin monks of the Cabildo."

"The Cabildo’s twin, facing Jackson Square on the north side of the cathedral, is from 1791 and held as one of the masterpieces of colonial Spanish architecture. Previously the domestic quarters, or presbytère, for the cathedral’s Capuchin monks had stood on this spot, which explains the name. This ornate building has come through a few different uses, and was a courthouse from 1834 to 1911."

"The quintessential museum of Louisiana, the permanent collection includes nearly 40,000 world-class works of regional, national and international art, such as Picasso, Braque, Dufy and Miró, and drawings by Degas, who worked just blocks from the museum when he visited maternal relatives in the early 1870s. Lectures, book clubs, film presentations, art classes and musical performances are all presented with aplomb – and you can even take yoga classes in the sublimely beautiful Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, where works of the 20th century's master sculptors reside in a sub-tropical sanctuary. 1 Collins C Diboll Circle, noma.org."

"New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, (504) 482-1264; www.cafenoma.com. An Americana grain bowl includes chicken breast over wild rice, sweet potatoes, cranberries and baby spinach with warm bacon vinaigrette."

"Set in a quaint corner bungalow on Dauphine Street, Horn's Eatery and Catering is a friendly neighborhood café with lovely sidewalk seating, and they serve hearty Southern fare in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Packed with regulars and newcomers alike, the restaurant is a bustling breakfast spot with a menu of classic and traditional food such as fluffy three-egg omelets with different fillings, egg scrambles, grits and étouffée, carrot waffles, and waffle couchons. Signature dishes include the Jewish Coonass with two potato latkes, two eggs, and freshly grilled spinach topped with crawfish étouffée and a homemade biscuit, and the Havana Omelet with seasoned black beans, salsa, and cheddar cheese."

"Situated in a corner of the Ace Hotel – which is so beyond hip that each room comes stocked with a record player and full vinyl collection, as well as an epic minibar that will cause cocktail enthusiasts to high five themselves with excitement – its lunch and dinner menu from chefs Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman favors Italian standards with an emphasis on housemade pastas. In the morning, there are the usual suspects that kids  love: a short stack of buttermilk ricotta pancakes dusted with confectioners sugar, housemade yogurt sporting granola and honey, and a towering fried chicken biscuit. Best bites for tykes: Cacio e pepe, gemelli with “maw maw’s gravy,” and meatballs sitting on a field of melted parmesan."

"Josephine Estelle is located inside the Ace Hotel, which has quickly become one of the coolest hangouts in town. And, let’s just say that the kids who hang out here are just as hip as the adults. The hotel’s chic, art deco restaurant is always full of both locals and visitors alike, just starting the night off before moving the festivities to the lobby bar or a nearby music venue."

"Josephine Estelle is an osteria from James Beard Award-nominated chefs, Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman, and showcases their signature culinary style of combining the craft-centric philosophy of Italian cooking with flavors of the American South. Our seasonal menu--available daily for breakfast,...See More"

"Nina Compton brings her generous spirit and natural warmth to every plate of inventive island meets New Orleans and Mediterranean cuisine at Bywater American Bistro, the second restaurant she and her husband Larry Miller opened after settling in Nola to open Compere Lapin in the CBD. This neighborhood spot - which like all New Orleans restaurants pivoted every which way in the past difficult year, feels personal to Compton, and it is. She lives upstairs and is invested in making Bywater her home. She has a loyal following, with good reason."

"Bywater American Bistro from Nina Compton of Compère Lapin fame, is an industrial space that bills itself as an American neighborhood restaurant. Sous chef Levi Raines is at the helm here, but Compton’s Caribbean influences are strong. The result is an eclectic menu with dishes like jerk chicken rice and crispy hogs head boudin."

"The quality of the food, for me, is the fancy part of dining out. It’s in the ingredients and the preparation. Bywater American Bistro sources quality ingredients, the food is prepared very well in a technical sense, and the flavors are incredible."

"Opened in 2016, this Central City spot housed in a corrugated metal building is known for its custom smokers and pushing creative boundaries, undoubtedly one of the top barbecue spots in town. It also boasts a huge covered patio decked out with televisions and string lights, making it one of the city’s best spots for rainy game days. Don’t miss the burnt ends, spoon bread, or Brussels sprouts."