Louisiana State Museum

I had the opportunity to visit the Louisiana State Museum, where you can admire some incredible vintage garments donated by local residents. You can also see outfits, crowns, and design sketches that have been used in the famous Mardi Gras parade. As someone from Mexico, I loved discovering the behind-the-scenes of this iconic celebration that has been a part of NOLA’s culture for generations. 💜💚💛

I visited the Presbytere Museum, which was really engaging. The lower floor was a Katrina exhibit. Very important, pretty well told, but could have been more video footage and interactives. The 2nd floor was a whole lot of great historic Mardi Gras displays. Costumes, posters, artwork, etc.

Very well done and moving exhibit on Katrina and hurricanes as a whole in New Orleans. Loved the exhibit on Mardi Gras with all the fun costumes, information on Acadian traditions and background of the history of Krewes.

Loved the History of Masked Parades and Mardi Gras. The costumes were fun to see. The story behind the King cake, the meaning of beads and more. Got a "kick"out of the decorated shoes and boots. I think I could have a fun party and have everybody bring an old pair of shoes to decorate! I love the creativity displayed and colorful art. This was more elaborate than I expected and very fitting for New Orleans!

Great museum with 2 floors with the downstairs focused on how hurricanes in general and hurricane Katrina in particular affected New Orleans. The upstairs is focused on local Mardi Gras culture. Definitely recommend.

Fun experience with well made exhibits. The Katrina exhibit is impactful and worth it, especially if you don’t know much about the event. The museum doesn’t actually cover the history of the state but still a worthwhile experience.

3/5/2023 We went here with a gocity pass this museum was very information from the Katrina storm to mardi gras history there is a lot of information to take in. The exhibits were put together in a great way and they have the actual items not replicas. Even the building the museum is in has its own history to it. I loved all the information i found out

From the moment I stepped into the Louisiana State Museum, I was transported into a vivid tapestry of Louisiana’s rich and complex history. The first floor is dedicated to the Hurricane Katrina exposition, a moving tribute to one of the most significant and tragic events in recent history. The displays are poignant and educational, providing a deep insight into the impact of the hurricane. It’s a somber yet important experience that evokes a strong emotional response. The second floor shifts to a more celebratory tone with the history of Mardi Gras. It’s a dazzling explosion of colors, costumes, and culture. The exhibits here are immersive, showcasing the evolution of Mardi Gras, its deep-rooted traditions, and its significance in Louisiana’s culture. The array of costumes, parade artifacts, and multimedia presentations create a festive yet informative atmosphere. Overall, the museum strikes a perfect balance between solemn remembrance and joyful celebration, reflecting the resilience and spirit of Louisiana. It’s a must-visit for anyone wanting to understand the heart and soul of this unique state. Highly recommended for both its educational value and its emotional impact.

Which museum is housed in a 18th century Spanish colonial style building on the other side of St. Louis cathedral at Jackson square in the heart of the French quarter of New Orleans? First floor is a documentary about 2005 Hurricane Katrina which caused $200 billion dollars damage in todays dollars, the most costly natural disaster in American History until the 2025 LA fires, which caused $275 billion dollars damage. While I spent a lot of time checking out the Katrina exhibits, it was already well documented on the internet. Did like interactive exhibits depicting the personal stories of people struggling to survive the hurricane. The second floor had exhibits of Mardi Gras throughout history, along with dozens of parade floats, and extravagant costumes. Interesting watching historical photos of time in the past of New Orleans. I've been to New Orleans at least 5 times , but have never found timeshare openings in February and March, the time Mardi Gras is held. Even today 20 years later there are signs of the hurricane with block after block of empty lots in the 9th ward. Not a place you want to be after dark. $6 for seniors and $7 for adults under 65. You're going to pay more for parking.

Also known as the Presbytere. This was one of the places to stop on our list. Due to we didn't come and visit any time near Mardi Gras I really wanted to see there exhibit and learn more. I learned so much. I can't believe you can pay people to save a spot to watch the parade for you. Or that all the throws are paid by the person throwing them. I loved seeing the costume Design sketches come to life. It was a magnificent display with so much information. I love the me me me float. All focused on us taking selfies. I liked learning about the balls and seeing the lavish gifts guests got and how that ball has evolved. The Katrina exhibit was enlightening and heart breaking. I highly Reccomend this museum. If you have the NARM membership you can get in free. I forgot to use mine, but it was only $7pp so it wasn't bad.

I learned so much here. I was alive for Katrina but I had no idea what it was like being in NOLA for it. There is a section where you can listen to stories from those who experienced it, it was so eye opening.

For the price it's worth it. It is much better than the Cabildo. So if you want to do one do this one! One level is about Katrina. One thing that surprised me was there are some bad language in some of the exhibits. I personally dont care but some might. I talked a to the owner of Black Butterfly too and he said Katrina was worse than was portrayed on the news. Especially poignant was people died in attics just trying to escape the water. They thought they were safe. Pretty sure they thought the government would b quick to help. Lol They were sadly mistaken. The next level is Mardi Gras costumes and about the designer who made them. It was interesting to me. Once upon a time I wanted to b a fashion designer. The costumes are flamboyant and very detailed. Not sure how they could wear the heavy headdresses. It also showed crowns and the scepters they used. Not going to lie there is a section that is just plain weird and doesn't fit in with the themes. Like they had to fill some space up. Regardless it's well worth the price and many touristy things in Nola is not! The lady who sold us tickets was not very friendly. I noticed customer service in Nola is very lacking. We all gotta work right?!

This museum is worth the visit. The tickets were $7 each and we spent about an hour here. There is a hurricane Katrina exhibit on the first floor and a Mardi gras exhibit on the second floor. The hurricane Katrina exhibit was moving, was interactive and had a lot of details. I liked the costumes and information in the Mardi gras exhibit.

The Presbytère is beautiful building in the French Quarter. It was designed in 1791 by the French-born Gilberto Guillemard to match the Cabildo, or Town Hall, on the other side of the stunning St. Louis Cathedral. All three buildings face Jackson Square. It is beautiful example of formal colonial Spanish architecture with many neo-Renaissance elements. It was originally called the Casa Curial, the Ecclesiastical House, because it was built on the former site of the residence of the Capuchin monks, or Presbytère which means rectory in French. Ironically, this building never housed clergy, but once served as the courthouse of the Louisiana Supreme Court. Today, it is part of the Louisiana State Museum and features permanent exhibits on Hurricane Katrina on the first floor and Mardi Gras Traditions on the second floor. Visit and explore the days leading up to and the aftermath of one of the most devastating natural disasters that has ever hit Louisiana in "Living with Hurricanes: Katrina & Beyond." Eyewitness accounts. Oral histories. Artifacts. News Reports. Charity Hospital Banner. A Daily Diary. Watch footage of the devastation. Read about what happened at the hospitals, the Superdome and why the levees failed. Interactive exhibits and animated maps demonstrate the major levee failures and the progression as New Orleans and the surrounding Gulf Coast were devastated and flooded. From engineering missteps to wetlands loss and coastal erosion from hurricane science to disaster management, the videos are educational and heartbreaking. This contrasts with the display on the second floor which celebrates Mardi Gras and the 150th anniversary of Krewe of Rex and the School of Design. Rex was the first daytime parade in modern Carnival. Interesting to see the origins and timeline. The costumes and gowns from the krewe's kings and queens are so elaborate. Loved seeing the complete sets of royal "rare crown jewels" complete with crowns, scepters and tiaras. "Throw me something mister!!" Take a simulated ride on a Mardi Gras float. Climb the stairs and feel like you are going down Canal or St. Charles Street throwing beads, doubloons, and plastic cups as you pass the crowd eagerly awaiting what you toss from the float. A nice museum to compliment The Cabildo and learn more about the history of New Orleans. Admission is just $7. They do accept NARM reciprocity passes.

It was small but sweet super well done deep dive into Katrina and Mardi Gras well worth the admission

They currently have two exhibits. One on Katrina and the other about Mardi Gras. As we walked through the Exhibits on Louisiana hurricanes it was intersecting to hear the locals touring the exhibit talk about their personal stories from the storm. We are from Florida and have a great respect for hurricanes. Katrina was so devastating but the stories of the resilience of the New Orleanians were very touching. We spent so much time in the Katrina exhibit that we had to do a pretty quick tour of the Mardi Gras display. There is a great deal to see. The costumes were unbelievable!

We had other activities reserved so we only had enough time to see the Katrina exhibit on the first floor. It took about 90 Mins. I wish we could have seen the Mardi Gras part too but its own fault. It was really interesting to see so many different aspects about the Katrina disaster from the lives to the reasons and prevention in the future. Minus one star because I tried to use the Yelp check in discount and the workers acted like they didn't know what I'm talking about. They said I have to buy my ticket Online to use it but there's no code to buy online and Yelp check in offers literally say show to employee on it with a timer so I'm not really sure what game theyre trying to play

Nice exhibit on Katrina and also Mardi gras. Enjoyed it very much. The costumes San Nicholas designed were amazing.

The Presbytère is located next to the St. Louis Cathedral and faces Jackson Square in the French Quarter. It's a beautiful building on colonial Spanish architecture that used to be the courthouse of the Louisiana Supreme Court. The admission prices are (as of January 2023): - Adults ($7) - Students, senior citizens, active military ($6) - Children 6 and under (free) On the first floor we learned about the events of Hurricane Katrina as it unfolded minute-by-minute and the evacuation efforts. It went over peoples' experiences living and sleeping in the Superdome. The smell was putrid, there were no lights or running water or ventilation systems, and people slept on cement and the bench seats in 100+ degree weather. The carnage was unimaginable and there were items left during the evacuation and found ruined on display. Other parts of the first floor went through hurricane education, how to be prepared for one, the fatal errors and engineering decisions that allowed that level of damage to occur and how the infrastructure was improved due to Katrina. On the second floor was the history of Mardi Gras and the parades. There was also the 150th anniversary of REX, an organization that puts on one of the biggest parades on Mardi Gras. If you buy tickets to other museums also under the LSM, you get 20% off both this museum and the other museum. In our case, we went to the New Orleans Jazz Museum and booked both for a discount. This was a unique museum and I learned a lot about the traditions and history of one of the biggest tragedies in New Orleans history.

Great price at $7, cheaper than most other museums. Great pictures, audio and videos about Hurricane Katrina. Mardi Gras exhibit was ok, perhaps a little old and outdated. Spent an enjoyable 1 1/2 hr in the air conditioning and would recommend for out of town visitors.

I came in here on a lark as I love history and really hadn't taken the time to explore the Louisiana Museums and I had a little time to kill before dinner. I could've easily spent the better part of a day here. There is so much information packed in to the museum that if you were just to stop and read every sign it'd take you a very long time, not to mention the videos, and seeing all of the exhibits. The Katrina exhibit really takes you through those days step by step and some of it is absolutely breath taking, not to mention heart-breaking. You could feel the living and breathing city all around you as you experienced Katrina and its aftermath the way the city did. It was hard to take my aunt through as her family lived through it here and she experienced it all over again. Thankfully, after the heavy, we went upstairs and learned more about Mardi Gras, its costumes, jewels, and traditions. They even have information and costumes from the Cajun style of Mardi Gras, which were really cool to see and read about. Definitely worth it, and if you get a yearly pass, you can see all of the Louisiana state museums and get a discount at the shops at a very reasonable price.

The Louisiana State Museum definitely gave a much more detailed look at the days after Katrina than I ever expected. In the other parts of the museum I loved reading about the history of Mardi Gras, and seeing the opulent costumes and artwork. I had no idea of the background of the event, nor how far back it went. I think this was probably one of my top ten museums during our travels - if not just for the very clear visual it gave into the hurricane and aftermath. It's definitely 100% worth a drop in and is a must-see if you're in the French Quarter!

Only $7.00 for a lot of information, history and culture. Part of the museum covered Hurricane Katrina and part covered Mardi Gras history. It's a self directed tour with signs, some audio and quite a lot of film. This is something that you must do to understand what these people lived through.

I have been eyeing this museum for some time now, but every trip into the Quarter always seems to have to be perfectly timed to get done what I want to get done. I happened to be in the Quarter to hang out with a friend from out of town and they were easily convinced to come here, wander and hangout until the rain passed. Entry is reasonably priced. First floor is the exhibit for Hurricane Katrina, second is the Mardi Gras exhibit. There are stairs and an elevator. Both floors have a restroom. I found this completely interesting and educational. I enjoyed walking through and reading all of the information placards placed throughout. I would recommend this to anyone and everyone.

There is a check-in offer on Yelp! for a $1.00 discount. The cashier knew nothing of the offer nor did she attempt to find out how to apply it, therefore, minus 1 star. Overall, the exhibits were very good and informative and still worth the entry fee without discount.

The Presbytère, along with the Calbildo, are two historical government buildings-turned-museums that flank St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square. For only $5 admission (as well as a 20% discount if you decide to tour the Calbildo too), a visit to their permanent exhibitions is highly recommended. The first floor covers the impact Hurricane Katrina left upon the city, which is still felt in some areas today. I thought it was really well-curated, with tons of news footage, interviews and memorabilia and well-presented in a manner that paid a respectful tribute and emphasized the resilience of the people of New Orleans. The second floor introduces visitors to the behind-the-scenes of Mardi Gras and provides historical context to the rituals and krewes associated with the fête and its cultural impact on New Orleans.

Great museum. We got to learn more about the history of nola and Mardi gras through a walk through of the museum. It was beautiful and everything was nicely displayed! At the time of our visit it was also the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and that alone was a humbling experience.

Great exhibits about Katrina and Mardi Gras. Also a good getaway for the bitter July sunshine in New Orleans.

AMAZING museum. The Hurricane Katrina exhibit in particular was so well done, so engaging, and really provided excellent insight into the tragedy faced in NOLA during the hurricane. The room on flood mitigation includes some really great hands on activities to better understand the different strategies and how they work. And the Mardi Gras exhibit was great too. Well worth the minuscule price of admission!!

I was pleasantly surprised by this museum. We were walking around looking for things to do and came across this museum. It's only $7 and worth it. They had to exhibit themes. One on Hurricane Katrina and the other was Mardi Gras. I loved walking through the Mardi Gras exhibit. So many costumes and crowns. And old pictures. The Katrina exhibit was heartbreaking and informative. This is definitely a good place to visit if you like history.

What a fabulous museum! We were able to buy combo tickets with the Cabildo. There was an exhibit on hurricane Katrina downstairs. Upstairs was a wonderful exhibit on Mardi Gras. My favorite part was learning about all the different krewes.

If you are visiting NOLA, you have to take to time to visit Louisiana State Museum which has 2 sections: The first one: Hurricane Katrina Museum where you can find out more about the worst hurricane to hit the state and what went wrong before, during and afterwards. Great details why the wall has fails AND water started flooding the city. Since NOLA is located below the sea level, it's still a challenge for the engineers to keep the water from the city even with the big pumps. NOLA port was built for shipment and it's one of the oldest in the USA. The 2nd one: Talks more about the history of Mardi Gras, parades, customs...,,,

This museum was very well designed, although it made it a little hard to find the stairs/elevators. The first floor is currently devoted to Hurricane Katrina, how New Orleans survived and rebuilt, and the effects of climate change the region may face in the future. It's honestly kind of bleak, hopefully Louisiana is just as committed to protecting their state from climate change as they are to rebuilding. Upstairs is devoted to Mardi Gras - how it's celebrated, some of the beautiful costumes through the ages, and a little staging area where you can pretend that you too are on a float. You can also go on the upstairs porch area for overhead shots of Jackson Square, which is a little different. The only thing I wish was they had reduced combo tickets with the Cabildo.

We enjoyed the Katrina portion of the museum on the first floor. We learned a ton about the levee failures and it was a somber, well laid out exhibit. The second floor which was dedicated to Mardi Gras Rex wasn't as easy to follow and could do with a revamp. Either way seeing some of the jewelry and ballgown/ costumes was very interesting and some were very beautiful. Would recommend this museum but could do with a little spurcing up. Overall well worth the price.

Right in the middle of Jackson Square, you'll find the Louisiana State Museum. There are two separate sides (one on each side of the chapel). We chose The Presbytère side. If you're facing the chapel, it's on the right side. I would suggest doing both; purchase your tickets together and get a discount. We had a flight to catch, so we only saw the one side. This side is all about the effects of Hurricane Katrina on the city as well as the history of Mardi Gras. It takes about 45 minutes to get through the whole thing, more if you so choose. There's plenty to see! Downstairs, is the Katrina exhibit. Images of the storm and it's aftermath, actual old video footage continuously playing, items found after the storm, signs residents had made calling out for help, diaries of those left stranded, even hands on exhibits demonstrating to force of the storm, etc.... this exhibit is a real eye opener. We've all seen the footage of the storm but the way the exhibit is set up, with the focus on the actual residents of New Orleans, how they were affect and then, how they came together.... not gonna lie, I may have gotten weepy. In stark contrast to the downstairs, up stairs is all about Mardi Gras! The history (like, the way WAY back history) it Mardi Gras is depicted through actual costumes worn by past leaders, the ancient invitations sent, jewelry worn and gifts that were given out. It's appropriate for kids and the curators have even made a scavenger hunt for them. When tickets are purchased, the paper is given to the kid to find specific tidbits throughout the Mardi Gras exhibit. Look closely because some of those dudes are hard to find. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and are so glad we gave it a shot. Check it out and learn some stuff!

This museum features two exhibits; Hurricane Katrina and Madi Gras. The Katrina exhibit is located on the first floor and Mardi Grasi is on the second ( don't forget to check it out)! Great for children and adults. Some of the exhibits have interactive stations that the children may enjoy. It's fairly cheap in my opinion. Admissions is $6 for Adults, $5 for Senior Citizens, active military, and students, and free for children under 6. They have various discounted prices so be sure to check out their website before visiting.

Solid 3.5 stars This museum is located in the Jackson Square. The two exhibits are Hurricane Katrina and Mardi Gras. I wished the Hurricane Katrina exhibit was a little bit bigger, but overall, a pretty good place to drop by if you're in the area to learn about how the devastating hurricane took over the city of NOLA. Mardi Gras exhibit was just okay, but then again, I am not into the history of festivals.

Overall experience: Educational. Clean. Not too expensive. Hits all the good points. Price $6 for general admission. $5 for students, military and over age 65 I learned a lot about Katrina and Mardi Gras here. They have just enough information so that I don't get overly bored but stayed engaged long enough to learn something. They have some interactive exhibits too. I thought it was really well done and organized for the amount of space that they have. Excellent layout. Fair value ($6 for entrance is actually pretty cheap). Maybe not a must-visit but it certainly was a cheap way to learn about two major events/happenings in New Orleans.

Location of this museum is perfect- right next to the infamous St Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square. The hours are 10am to 4:30, but CLOSED MONDAYS (& Sundays of course) so be careful when planning your trip! The main floor exhibit is Hurricane Katrina and on the 2nd floor, its about Mardi Gras. Personally, my group found the Katrina half to be 10x more interesting than the MG one. There were silent films, interactive stations, photos, article clippings, and tons of personal letters. Super informative and educational in a way that wasnt boring at all. The MG part was mainly costumes and decor I felt. Breezed through that in about 10 mins honestly. A good getaway from the typical New Orleans debauchery. We went in around 4pm when they closed at 4:30, managed to see everything we wanted to in 30 minutes. I think the admissions fee was $10 per person. I prob wouldn't come back myself cause Ive already seen everything it has to offer, but I def do recommend it to others!

The Presbytere is a nice museum located outside of Jackson square. The exhibits cover the Mardi Gras culture, costumes, and history. As well as Hurricane Katrina. I found the exhibits to be both very informative and well put together. I love museums so I made sure to visit a museum a day while in Nola.

Great museum with exhibits on mardi gras and Katrina. Lots of video, pictures and costumes. Only 6 dollars. AAA discount.

I love visiting museums around the city. We had a few hours to kill so we decided to visit here. We only had time to visit the first floor since we ran out time. I love it that it's located smack near every other attractions like the Jackson Square, the Cathedral and many resturants. When entering, you can not notice the arts they have in the ceiling. Made mostly of bottles and crystal made hands. The light changes and reflect thru the bottles looks so pretty. The receptionist told us that the upper stairs has mardi gras costumes that we missed out because we ran out of time. We enjoyed the walk around first floor reading people experience during the Katrina hurricane. I would totally come back to tour the 2nd floor. The price is very reasonable and affordable to tour the museum.

Another must see attraction near the Jackson Square. Two exhibitions are on display: A. Living with Hurricanes-Katrina and Beyond tells of rescue, rebuilding and renewal on the first floor and B. Mardi Gras-It's Carnival Time in Louisiana on the second floor. It captures the fun and fantasy of this annual celebration. Tickets: Adult $6, students, seniors, active military $5, Children 12 and under free.

With a $6 admission The Presbytere Museum is an historic steal. The Living with Hurricanes:Katrina and Beyond Exhibit is a powerful journey through one of the most tragic of times. You'll witness the personal and heroic stories of individuals.The Superdome situation is captured in all its madness. There's a particular exhibit which combines news videos shared with an extensive New Orleans map that creates a visual timeline of the horrible events that leads to 80% of New Orleans being flooded. Mardi Gras: It's Carnival Time in Louisiana is light and fun.Wild parade floats and outlandish costumes are on display. Mardi Gras throughout the decades is learned via video, illustrations and literature. You'll leave shaking your head while smiling.

GARBLE-HONK-BANG-GARBLE-YAKYAK-GARBLE The Katrina exhibit at the Presbytere is professionally done. It is comprehensive. It is well researched and broad in scope. It is surprisingly educational even for us residents who suffered through that tumultuous summer of 2005. But... THE ACOUSTICS ARE LIKE A QIK-LUBE PIT Imagine being rapt at the symphony, anticipating the subtle opening reeds of the Moldau, the two rivulets streaming parallel through the bohemian countryside...and then a packed bus of rowdy 5 year old boys unload nearby with percussion instruments! The volume between audio presentations is so loud in the Presbytere you can hear room 1 still blaring when in room 3. It's ridiculously distracting. This outstanding and important exhibit deserves tweaking.

This museum is really well done. It's tucked right in against Jackson Square and the downstairs is dedicated to Hurricane Katrina and upstairs is Mardi Gras. I was particularly struck by the downstairs and easily spent an hour reading, watching, and reflecting on Katrina. Upstairs was good too, though.

Wow. This is one of those museums that is interesting, fascinating, and kind of depressing in a way. The museum displays the flood and aftermath of Katrina. The name is one of those that you don't have to say what it is. When you hear "Katrina", you instantly think of New Orleans and the devastating flood. There are salvaged items, video, news reports, interviews, pictures and all kinds of reminders of this natural disaster. It knocked the city down, but not out. Shows the fight and resiliency of its residents, and the support from all over the country. I would encourage you to go. It'll take about 1 to 1.5 hours to go through.

Located in The French Quarter, next to St. Louis Cathedral. My husband and I ended up coming to this museum since we purchased the 3 museum package deal at The Cabildo (get an additional 20% discount for multiple ticket purchases, which can be purchased at any of the Louisiana State Museums). To be honest, this museum is probably the least favorite of the 3 museums we bought tickets for, but is still an interesting museum at that. Two stories of exhibits to see at this state museum. On the first floor, an exhibit of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that includes personal testimonies of victims of mother nature's wrath. There is a particular piece from the exhibit that is not appropriate for children (and is marked as so). This piece (which I found to be a waste of space and uninformative) displayed is of a man who documented what it was like during the hurricane. He uses profanity and writes about drugs and alcohol. A lot of what he writes is not interesting and some of it is nonsense. Honestly I think they added this to fill up space (which some of the things displayed on the first floor gives me that vibe). On the 2nd floor is the history of how Mardi Gras has come to be with some elaborate costumes and jewelry (including past crowns) worn in past parades. There is also a float ride that you can get a better up and close look at (this is a typical float that parade participants would throw beads and other souvenirs out to audience members). Also on the 2nd floor, the restrooms look like porta potties. Just the doors look like it, but once you open it, you will see a regular restroom. Thought it was pretty cool and had to take a photo of it. Anyways, this museum doesn't have as much as some of the other museums that I have been to in general. So an hour or two at most will be adequate for this museum. Open Tuesday through Sundays (not open Mondays), 10 am- 4:30 pm. Admission is only a mere $6 for adults, $5 for students (seniors and military too) and free for children 12 and under. You can also purchase museum tickets for 2 other Louisiana State Museums near by with an additional 20% discount here (might as well take advantage of the discount and culture yourself in NOLA history). This museum also provides discounts for AAA members (10% discount).

Right next to Jackson Square so you can get your aura read before or after visiting the museum. A beautiful building in a beautiful area I entered expecting to see fair museum and just have break from French Quarter chaos. Getting to the register and chatting with a nice lady that used to live in D.C. and finding out that with a Student ID, the admission was only 5 bucks things were looking up. Entering the Hurricane Katrina exhibit one of the first things I saw was a sign that said something to the effect of the views expressed herein are those of the persons interviewed and not of The Presbytère. From there I knew the exhibit would be truth-laden. The first thing that I focused on was this Kodak Eastman silent film about New Orleans from the 1920s. I love stuff like this and want to see the video err film again. I noted the title but couldn't find it on the WWW so if you like stuff like this too, I'd watch it all at the museum. The Hurricane Katrina exhibit as a whole was a lot to process but it was well organized and not boring at all. It handled one difficult subject in a very nuanced and diverse way. There were news clips, there were oral histories, photographs and numerous interactive tools that presented the cataclysmic devastation of Katrina in way that not only showed the devastation but also showed the causes and effects. All of this incorporated and was interwoven with New Orleans history. Upstairs was a or the Mardi Gras exhibit. It was cool. I breezed through it. I'm not one too interested in Mardi Gras but the collection had some nice items. After learning so much more than what I thought about Katrina I was satisfied with The Presbytère. The Presbytère was a must see for me. I believed that New Orleans would not be able to tell the most objective story about Katrina. I don't say that attempting to downplay anyone's truth. I say taking into account how recent and how catastrophic everything was. The Presbytère proved me wrong by showing that I didn't know the half of it.

I really liked this one because they had two exhibitions. One was on Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath and Mardi Gras. Lots of beautiful artifacts such as crowns, scepters, costumes, and party accessories about Mardi Gras on the second floor. Of course, the first floor had powerful images, documentaries, news, interviews, and artifacts about Hurricane Katrina and its affect on Louisiana. It is only $6 to get in.

For a six dollar fee, this cannot be beat! Set aside at least 1.5/2 hours for this activity. The Katrina exhibit will put chills across your neck and tears in your eyes. The exhibit is interactive and very informative. I was especially impressed that there was a large section dedicated to educating people about the levee systems! The Mardi Gras exhibit was just as impressive as the Katrina. There are Mardi Gras artifacts and even a 'Port-o-potty' wall with real restrooms behind the doors; very creative! The sheer amount of crowns a scepters, some of which date back to the late 1800's, was awe-inspiring. Also: The view of Jackson Square you get while on the second floor of the Presbytere is second to none!

Great museum with a lot of history and artifacts to see this whole museum will literally blow you away the is more than one museum and they are all great at teaching and telling the history of the big easy

The Presbytere is situated on the back side of Jackson Square to the right of St. Louis Cathedral and should be on EVERY visitors 'to-do' list when visiting New Orleans. (I am not proud to say that I haven't been here since grade school, until recently.) This place is very affordable and VERY informative about some of the things that people automatically think of when they hear 'New Orleans', Mardi Gras & Hurricane Katrina. Due to some poor time management on my part, we had to race through most of the museum before they closed (we spent too much time at the Cabildo down the block, another MUST DO). After a few moments in the Katrina exhibit my PTSD started to kick in and I was HAPPY to race out of that flash-back, if you haven't lived through it I am SURE it is fascinating stuff! We slowed down a bit as we wandered through the much lighter Mardi Gras exhibit on the second floor. It was all so good. They have captured so much in this museum. The beauty and the tragedy that is our collective history. All wonderfully displayed and very educational at the same time. GO!!

Five stars for the Hurricane Katrina exhibit.. It's moving, uses lots of video and interactive displays and pulls you into the subject. Three stars for the Mardi Gras exhibit upstairs It's crying out for a makeover by a modern museum curator. It takes a very cool subject and makes it static and tedious. Discounts for AAA.

I'm not from New Orleans but for some reason Hurricane Katrina hit me really hard. After that, my husband and I made a pact that we would visit NOLA every year to help bolster their economy. Guess what? We've made true on that promise, even visiting twice in one year. When I saw that they were going to do a Katrina exhibit I was looking forward to it but at the same time, I was a little reluctant as well. Like most of the exhibits I've seen at this museum, this one is exceptionally well done. It's touching, it's poignant, and yes, it's also very sad. I teared up on more than one occasion... The facility itself is great - right in the heart of the French Quarter. The people who work here (or are they volunteers?) are amazing. They do need to build a few more bathrooms... All that being said, I hope they make this exhibit a semi-permanent display. Not so that we can dwell on the past... rather, so that people can see just how strong the citizens of New Orleans are and how far they've come since then. I'm sure there will be people out there who will nay-say what I've written but my admiration for NOLA comes from a genuine place. Great exhibit and a wonderful city.

Great museum with lots of history on Voodoo culture and origins. They also have a nice Madei Gra sections and Victorian era collection. The attendant was wonderful and provide us with great information on other sightseeing locations.

The Presbytere is part of the Louisiana State Museum that features Mardi Gras and Hurricane Katrina exhibits in the building. The Katrina exhibit is on the lower floor and uses multimedia and artifacts to document the disaster and that dark times that followed. The Mardi Gras exhibit is on the upper floor and has a lot of costumes and artifacts documenting the history and traditions of the celebration in New Orleans along with a special section focusing on traditions in rural areas. If you're looking at the front of St. Louis Cathedral the Cabildo is to the right of the church. The Mardi Gras museum has been a favorite of folks I've brought to the Presbytere. Admission: Adults $6 Students, Senior Citizens, Active Military $5 Children 12 and under Free Groups of 15 or more w/ reservations 20% discount School groups w/ reservations Free Purchase tickets for two or more museums 20% discount AAA membership discount, with card 10% discount