How many museums are in the French Quarter? Too many to count? The only museum I’m very familiar with is The Louisiana Children’s Museum and that’s primarily because of the endless number of birthday party invitations I’ve received (and couldn’t help but let my inner child attend). If you’re like me, having lived here your whole life with a count of only two main museums (NOMA included) under your cultural-history belt, or if you’re a visitor, you’ll no longer have to wonder how many museums you can hit in a block.
With the goal of showcasing the city’s oldest neighborhood museums as a “thriving and enriching” cultural experience, seven not-for-profit French Quarter museums came together to form the French Quarter Museums Association (FQMA) Visitors Center, a temporary brick-and-mortar French Quarter history museum information stop.
The New Orleans Collection’s Museum on 533 Royal Street will be hosting a tricentennial event. Passing by, you’ll be able to meet with a representative from each participating institution, learn about each museum and the 13 sites they represent, grab a brochure with a map of participating museums, and receive info on discounted admissions and shopping perks for member institutions.
For any Louisiana history buff and/or adamant dessert lover, Dickie Brennan’s Tableau Restaurant will give out a free dessert to those who visit 5 of the FQMA locations. I can't think of anything sweeter than the special incentive of Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee, Blueberry Bread Pudding with vanilla ice cream, or Dark Chocolate Cake made from buttercream and ganache! Well, maybe having a permanent FQMA Visitors Center.
The FQMA Visitors Center is open Tuesday-Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through December 30, 2018. Though the FQMA Visitors Center is free, regular rates apply to participating museums. For more information, visit frenchquartermuseums.org.
List of Participating Institutions:
- The Historic New Orleans Collection
- Hermann-Grima + Gallier Historic Houses
- Beauregard-Keyes Historic House and Garden Museum
- New Orleans Pharmacy Museum
- Louisiana State Museum (including the Cabildo, the Presbytere, and the 1850 House)
- New Orleans Jazz Museum at the U.S. Mint (an affiliate of LSM)
- Catholic Cultural Heritage Center (including the Old Ursuline Convent, the St. Louis Cathedral, and the St. Anthony’s Garden)
