Vue Orleans

"Zoom out. What’s this place all about? Previously a rotating nightclub known as Top of the Mart, the upper levels of what is the new Four Seasons Hotel have been transformed into a major new city attraction–Vue Orleans Observatory, “a 360-degree observation deck and interactive experience high above the Mississippi River”. Having been built on a swamp, New Orleans is mostly low-rise, and so this observation deck, though not that high in relative terms, still delivers memorable views of the surrounding city. A museum's permanent collection is its defining feature: How was this one? On the entrance-level floor, there are huge screens with high-definition maps, that can be explored simply by pointing at them, and the city’s geography, history, and culture are all explained via various illustrated menus. Every few minutes, there’s a ‘breakout session’, and digital dancers and musicians take over every screen for a very exciting minute or so of high-octane brass band action. On your way to the elevator, there’s a further video (of five minutes or so), tracing the story of New Orleans. Narrated by local singing legend Irma Thomas and rendered in beautiful rotoscope animation, you’re surrounded on three sides by ever-shifting scenery while climbing 33 floors to the first observation deck. A series of interactive screens are available for more information on the location that you can see from each point. There are a couple larger, interactive presentations looking at city history and black culture, as well as an engaging interactive simulation that has you navigating a container ship around the bends of the Mississippi River. There’s one more level to explore, with a quick hop up to the 34th floor. Here you can stroll outside around the perimeter of the tower, and take in yet more unusual views of the city–the vista looking straight up Poydras Street is particularly dramatic. What did you make of the crowd? It was a great mix of visiting families and couples as well as curious locals keen to see the city from a perspective that they’d never seen before. There are very few chances to get this high up in New Orleans in public buildings, and so it’s exciting, even if you live here. On the practical tip, how were the facilities? Everything seemed user-friendly and though there are guides on hand to explain the exhibits or direct you, most displays are very intuitive. The whole experience also seemed very accessible, and there are no staircases or long walks. Is the café worth a stop? There’s a small rooftop bar with basic snacks and drinks, including a full bar with cocktails. While it’s not a destination eating spot in a city that has plenty of them, the novelty of sipping a glass of bubbles while looking out over the Crescent City is a fun addition. Any advice for the time- or attention-challenged? You could just head straight to the observation deck if the actual view is all that you care about, but you’d be missing out on a huge array of fascinating and professionally-presented cultural context. Even stopping at every display and working your way through each story wouldn’t take much more than an hour or two." - Paul Oswell