Randy M.
Yelp
Call it what you will: The Civil War, The War Between The States, The War of Northern Aggression. No matter what the label, it was a bloody, death filled mile marker of our country's history, and the story of this internal conflict should be preserved. This, however, is not the case at the Confederate Museum.
Opened in 1891, this institution prides itself on being the oldest hall of exhibition in the state of Louisiana. As you walk through the doors into the main hall, one cannot help but feel a tinge of awe at the architecture, and craftsmanship.
As you pay your eight dollar admission, you are informed of the museum rules: Do not touch anything, and no photography of any sort (the reason given to me on the latter is that everything has been photographed, documented, and included in book & DVD format, which are for sale in the gift shop).
As you stroll through the hall, viewing the exhibits, one cannot help but notice the glaring lack of information. Sure, there's placards that will inform you that, for example, that a flag belonged to a volunteer infantry out of Louisiana, or that the silverware was owned by the wife of a general, but so what? What's not stated is their place in history, or importance. You'll find that there is very little information here. A person would have to be a college graduate who majored in American History/Civil War to really appreciate the housed collection.
The gift shop contains the usual trinkets one finds in these types of stores, such as spoons, magnets, stickers, books and DvDs. You get the idea. What is surprisingly tasteless, and will no doubt cast this repository in a different light, is the DvD display of the Disney film, 'Song of The South,' which is available for purchase here. Since this film has nothing to do with the actual Civil War and depicts an antiquated, and racist view of the South, its inclusion here was offensive.
I exited the building, not feeling cheated, but definitely expecting the ghost of PT Barnum to be outside, saying "Told Ya".
I advise anyone considering visiting, to instead visit and any of the many antique shops within New Orleans. It's cheaper, and you'll get a better sense of history.