Best History Museum in Mid-City

"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."

"A massive museum dedicated solely to the war that changed the world, The National World War II Museum is the largest museum in the state. Their campus consists of six buildings and permanent exhibits, three restaurants, everchanging special and traveling exhibits, their own in-house theater and much more. A weekend can easily be spent exploring all that the National WWII Museum has to offer, and you’d still barely scratch the surface."

"Did you ever wonder what it was like living a day during World War II whether you were on the front line or you were here at home?. The National WWII Museum is devoted to the preservation of WWII memories through exhibitions, the theater, and tours that will blow your mind!. Come learn about how New Orleans played a big role in WWII."

"This foundation looks after a beautiful ensemble of seven historic buildings on Royal Street in the French Quarter, and runs the Beaux-Arts Williams Research Center on Chartres Street for academics. The collection was started by General Lewis Kemper Williams (1887-1971) and his wife Leila Hardy Moore Williams (1901-1966), who in 1938 bought the 18th-century Merieult House and the neighbouring Italianate brick house beside. Over time the couple assembled a wealth of material about New Orleans and Louisiana, which makes up the museum’s exhibition, while the foundation later acquired more buildings like a late-19th-century townhouse and a Creole cottage."

"The whole state of Louisiana is overflowing with culture – and the Historic New Orleans Collection paints a wide-reaching picture of its titular city’s. The “Collection” is a museum, first opened in 1966, that is dedicated to collecting a wide range of exhibits showcasing the culture, history, and artistic tastes of the region. The museum’s collected pieces were first owned by General Lewis Kemper Williams and Leila Hardy Moore Williams, who purchased the Merieult House that the Collection now lives in back in 1938."

"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."

"Right in the heart of the French Quarter, the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum contains a huge collection of apothecary jars with original ingredients, medical instruments, surgical tools, and much more. There is information about different questionable medical practices used over the years for people who don’t get freaked out too easily. You can learn more about voodoo potions, opium, and different ingredients used in medicines in the past."

"In 1804 the State of Louisiana passed a law requiring a licensing exam for would-be pharmacists. The first person to pass this exam was one Louis J. Dufilho Jr. , becoming the first licensed pharmacist in the United States. You can drop by his premises on Chartres Street in the French Quarter, where stacks of strange remedies line the walls in historic apothecary bottles."

"– One of the most unique museums in New Orleans is the Pharmacy Museum. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10-4 pm with a free guided tour at 1 pm (except for Saturday)."

"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."

"This is the second of two buildings that flank the St. Louis Cathedral at Jackson Square. Created to complement the Cabildo in the late 18th century, the city used this building as a courthouse until 1911. The Louisiana State Museum was then given authority over this building."

"It has been described as “one of the most unique and interesting small museums in the country.” The New Orleans Voodoo Museum explores the history and culture of voodoo religion and its connection to New Orleans. Museum and cemetery tours as well as readers and practitioners are available."

"The Lower Ninth Ward Living Museum was created to celebrate this neighborhood. So much was lost here during Hurricane Katrina and very few residents have been able to return to their homes even years later. The museum features oral histories from key community members to help keep the stories alive."

"Lower Ninth Ward, naturallyThis neighborhood of New Orleans, East and across the Industrial Canal from the hipster-inflected Bywater, is most notable in the media for two things. Firstly, it was one of the hardest hit by Katrina flooding, and is still one of the last to fully recover."

"French QuarterArchitecture enthusiasts will quickly and easily fall in love with New Orleans, and for good reason; the city is prized for its distinctive architectural style. And nowhere will you find a better example of this than at Madame John’s Legacy, a primo example of Louisiana’s 18th-century architectural design, and an official National Historic Landmark."

"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."

"Before the Civil War, New Orleans was home to the largest and wealthiest population of free people of color (abbreviated to F.P.C. by the museum) in the South. To understand their journey, heritage, and achievements, schedule an hour-long tour of Treme’s Le Musée de F.P.C.—the only museum of its kind in the United States. The detailed lesson, both profoundly sobering and inspirational, begins with the founding of New Orleans in 1718 and continues to the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court decision, a case that started in New Orleans and that resulted in national segregation."

"Free People of Color (f.p.c.) is the term used to describe Blacks who were born free or freed before the Civil War. The presence of f.p.c. in New Orleans is recorded back to 1722 and New Orleans was home to one of the largest populations of f.p.c. Le Musée de f.p.c. honors those artists, artisans, entrepreneurs, educators, physicians, journalists, business owners and professionals who made New Orleans what it is today. This beautiful house displays artwork and history of f.p.c. in New Orleans and honors the contributions they made to the City."

"Following lunch we decided to head out of town and explore another unit of the Jean Lafitte NHP, Chalmette Battlefield, home of the Battle of New Orleans. Like most battlefields, you won’t find much other than a large open field but it is still an interesting stop. You should watch the short film at the Visitor Center to get an overview of the battle."

"The Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve is another great park to visit if your family loves nature and animals. The Barataria Preserve located in Marrero Louisiana is about 30 minutes outside of New Orleans, if your family is in town for a while, I recommend visiting this park. For more information on The Jean LaFitte National Historical Park and Preserve visit https://www.nps.gov/jela/barataria-preserve.htm"

"This swampy nature preserve is only a half-hour drive from downtown New Orleans, but its cypress trees, turtles, wildflowers, alligators, and 200-plus species of birds make it feel light years away. Explore the boardwalks on your own, or have kids earn a badge with the park’s Junior Ranger program. View this post on Instagram"

"The Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve consists of six physically separate sites in southeastern Louisiana. Two of these sites are in the New Orleans area and are well worth a visit. The Barataria Preserve offers a chance to see some of Louisiana's natural treasures."

"While much of Cavan’s intrigue lies in its stately interior, the 19th century mansion also boasts a wraparound porch and umbrella-dotted patio that added some special touches during the pandemic. According to Robért LeBlanc, founder and creative director of hospitality group LeBlanc + Smith, “We added more shade and breezy fans to each table for cool comfort even on warm days and nights – providing our guests with the same level of high-quality hospitality and improved safety during the pandemic.” Menu specials change frequently, but the smash-style burger is a consistent crowd-pleaser, as are the truffle Caesar salad and poke tacos with salmon, avocado and seaweed salad. Whimsical desserts run the gamut from a s’mores pie with toasted marshmallow fluff to the sophisticated matcha colada featuring ginger compressed pineapple."

"The two-story 1800s Victorian mansion that is home to Cavan on Magazine Street is a go-to spot for enjoying coastal and Southern fare on the front patio. As fancy as the interiors and the menu are, the vibe here is uniquely laid-back. Specialty cocktails are not to be missed, with highlights including the Tea Dye For (made with vodka, lemon, herbal liqueur, chamomile and butterfly pea tea syrup) and the Memory’s Mistress (made with gin, rosemary, lime, sherry and soda)."

"When it became very apparent how important it was to have a covered outdoor dining space to stay afloat during the pandemic, Nathanial Zimet, executive chef of Boucherie, built his own. It features a permanent covering surrounded by trellises growing new evergreen wisteria vines, picnic tables and benches, as well as smaller four-top tables and purple chairs to match the flowers when they start to bloom. The modern Southern restaurant offers a fab cocktail program along with the likes of blackened shrimp and grit cake and whole hog pulled pork."

"When it became very apparent how important it was to have a covered outdoor dining space to stay afloat during the pandemic, Nathanial Zimet, executive chef of Boucherie, built his own. It features a permanent covering surrounded by trellises growing new evergreen wisteria vines, picnic tables and benches, as well as smaller four-top tables and purple chairs to match the flowers when they start to bloom. The modern Southern restaurant offers a fab cocktail program along with the likes of blackened shrimp and grit cake and whole hog pulled pork."

"Chef Nathaniel Zimet has a mini Cajun compound on the corner of N. Carrollton and Jeanette, where he specializes in bringing the concept of the boucherie (or, in this case, in-house butchering, curing and cooking) to the table, with a meaty menu where boudin balls and charcuterie shine, but creative dishes from smoked scallops to hamachi sashimi with kimchi should not be overlooked."

"3100 19th St., Metairie, (504) 834-8583; www.andreasrestaurant.com. Speckled trout Royale is topped with crabmeat and lemon cream sauce. Reservations recommended."

"Paul Prudhomme, who opened K-Paul’s in the French Quarter with his wife, Kay, in 1979, fathered the Cajun food revolution, introduced the world to blackening as a cooking technique, and even ushered in a new era for Commander’s Palace, where he made a name for himself before K-Paul’s as the restaurant’s first non-European chef. Since Prudhomme died in 2015, the kitchen is run by his longtime collaborator and fellow Opelousas, Louisiana native, Paul Miller. The two met in the 1970s and Miller moved to New Orleans to work with Prudhomme at Commander’s."

"Sadly, both Kay and Paul Prudhomme are no longer with us, but their revolutionary K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen still lives on. Kay was the businesswoman, Paul was the Cajun chef who knew just how to make diners smile. His blackened catfish took the world by storm in 1979 (it even caused a catfish shortage) and his blackening spices are still just as delicious today, now made with fresh Louisiana drum."

"K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen is the pioneer New Orleans food place for Cajun cuisine. This New Orleans food place at Charters Street was started by late Louisiana Chef Paul Prudhomme. The famous chef invented the “blackening” seasoning process and started this upscale restaurant which served high-quality dishes, including Cajun and local cuisine."

"As the leaders in drive-thru for over 30 years Checkers & Rally’s locations are currently open and ready to serve our guests. We can provide our guests with the additional safety of an enclosed kitchen and limited personal contact – whether you choose to drive up, order ahead online, or have our ..."

"This Rally's always seems to be providing high quality service. This quality of service while being in one of the most busy Rally's visited in ..."

"Hotel Monteleone, 214 Royal St., (504) 681-4444; www.criollonola.com. A shrimp, blue crab and avocado stack features chilled shrimp over guacamole, crabmeat and tomato coulis. Reservations recommended."