Points of Interest
St. Augustine Church1210 Governor Nicholls St.
www.staugustinecatholicchurch-neworleans.org
St. Augustine Church is known as the oldest African-American Catholic parish in the United States where members included civil rights activist Homer Plessy and A. P. Tureaud. On its grounds is the “Tomb of the Unknown Slave.”
New Orleans African American Museum of Art, Culture & History
1418 Governor Nicholls St.
www.thenoaam.org
NOAAM is housed in what is said to be one of the finest examples of Creole villa construction, the Meilleur-Goldthwaite house. This elegant raised cottage with a central hallway is now the elegant backdrop for important exhibitions of art by traditional and contemporary African American artists. The Meilleur-Goldthwaite House is also historically significant for being the first location to manufacture bricks for the city.
Congo Square and Armstrong Park
801 N. Rampart St.
Armstrong Park is an impressive public garden complete with waterways and sculptures of iconic New Orleans music greats. Within the park is Congo Square, a place where slaves and free people of color played African music and performed dance customs when most states outlawed such expressions.
St. Louis Cemeteries No. 1 and No. 2
425 Basin St.
www.saveourcemeteries.org
St. Louis Cemeteries No. 1 and No. 2 are two of New Orleans’ most famous “Cities of the Dead,” and both are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A number of notable persons are buried in these cemeteries, including musicians, war heroes, the famous “Voodoo Queen” Marie Laveau, Homer Plessy, and Ernest “Dutch” Morial, the first African American mayor of New Orleans. St. Louis No. 1 opened in 1789, making it the oldest cemetery in New Orleans. No. 2 opened in 1823.
Backstreet Cultural Museum
1116 St. Claude St.
www.backstreetmuseum.org
This museum celebrates several traditions original to New Orleans and Tremé: jazz funerals, second line parades, and Mardi Gras Indians. The museum's collection of Mardi Gras Indian costumes is the city's largest, offering a unique insight into this magnificent and colorful form of street theater.
Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts
www.mahaliajacksontheater.com
Named for the late gospel singer and New Orleans native Mahalia Jackson, this theater in Armstrong Park hosts a wide range of cultural events and performances.
Municipal Auditorium
Armstrong Park
Opened in 1930, the Municipal Auditorium is home to concerts and events, including the annual Carnival balls.
Le Musée de Free Persons of Color
2336 Esplanade Ave.
This museum presents important works by African American artists and other memorabilia that documents the life of free people of color.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church
311 N. Rampart St.
www.judeshrine.com/history
Dating back to 1826, the oldest church building in New Orleans is the Mortuary Chapel, presently called Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.
Basin Street Station Visitor Information Cultural Center
501 Basin St.
www.basinststation.com
The Center is housed in the only historic railroad building in New Orleans, providing information about the history and culture of the city.
Edgar Degas House
2306 Esplanade Ave.
www.degashouse.com
Once home to famed impressionist Edgar Degas, the Degas House documents Degas’ transformation as an artist during his long visit from his home in France. The house is currently an art museum and bed and breakfast.
Gayarre Place
2200 Block of Esplanade Ave. & Bayou Rd.
A triangular park at the intersection of Tonti Street and Bayou Road, the statue Cleo the Genius of History, the Goddess of Peace soars above a distinctive red masonry base. This is the only remnant of the 1884 World Cotton Exposition staged in New Orleans.
House on Bayou Road
2275 Bayou Rd.
www.houseonbayouroad.com
The home was built upon an indigo plantation with a classic West Indies Creole style just before the turn of the 19th century. It is now a luxury Bed and Breakfast.
Benachi House and Gardens
2257 Bayou Rd.
www.benachihouse.com
This mansion features a collection of 20th century art, a garden of 22 varieties of heritage roses and a splendid Beaux Arts pavilion, fabricated in France and installed on the lawn.
Shotgun Temple
2300 Block of Bayou Rd. & Bell St.
Robert Tannen’s contemporary sculpture pays homage to the Greek Revival and Afro-Caribbean roots of the ubiquitous shotgun house form that dots every neighborhood of the city.
Old Public Market
2300 Block of Bayou Rd. & Esplanade Ave.
One of the last standing of a network of public markets built by the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression also marks one of the city’s original markets for Native Americans. It has today returned as a market for ethnic goods, as well as an independent church.
Perseverance Hall in Armstrong Park
U.S. National Park Service’s New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park
www.nps.gov/jazz
Come learn about the history of jazz near the very spot where it got its start!
