The Confederate Museum is an exhibition facility dedicated to displaying artifacts from the American Civil War. Built in 1891, the museum feature an impressive collection of artifacts, such as clothing, ammunition, currency, battle flags, weapons, and medical equipment. In addition, the silver camp service of Robert E. Lee, and the personal effects of P.G.T. Beauregard, Jefferson Davis, Braxton Bragg, and Franklin Gardner are also featured. The museum was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

The museum’s collection came from the donations of the local people. In fact, most of the items came from the bequest of Jefferson Davis’ wife. Jefferson Davis was the first, last, and only President of the Confederate States of America. The personal effects of the soldiers, many of whom lost their lives, will leave a lasting impression on all who view them.

Another impressive element is the Lee Circle, a 16-foot statue outside of the museum that pays honor to Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The statue sits atop a 60-foot white marble column and faces north, the location of his enemies. Civil War enthusiasts will enjoy the detailed display of times past and children will get a firsthand lesson in history. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm.

The Ogden Museum of Southern Art features one of the largest collections of southern art in the country. Artists from 15 states are represented. The artwork covers over 200 years, 1733 to the present. Work from artists such as, Kendall Shaw, William Grenier, and Robert Tannen are displayed throughout the exhibition hall. In addition the museum holds the Kohlmeyer, Lee Eggart, Andreas Humphrey, and Ogden Collections.

It was a gift of art from father and son to mother that sparked the beginnings of the museum. The gallery contains over 4,000 items, with over 1,000 items coming from philanthropist Roger H. Ogden’s private collection. The artwork has been featured at the Vatican and the 1996 Olympics. In addition, the Center for Southern Craft and Design features unique craft/art using a variety of media created by southern artists.

The museum also has a gallery on Julia Street that hosts temporary exhibitions and a museum shop that contains a mix of items that reflect southern culture. The museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm Wednesday through Monday and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. On Thursdays, patrons are treated to a jazz/funk/folk concert from 6 pm to 8 pm.

Opened in 2000, the National World War II Museum contains one of the largest collections of the war in the United States. For World War II historians and enthusiasts, this museum is a dreamland. The recorded interviews, artifacts, photographs, and personal effects of the soldiers will leave a lasting effect on all who view them. The museum is located in New Orleans, the city where the Higgins Boat was built, inspected, and tested.

The Higgins Boat was an important part of D-Day. Weekly lectures, programs, lunch box lectures, and events where patrons can meet the author happen on a regular basis. In addition, the Stage Canteen holds weekly matinees and musical events. Several galleries comprise the museum’s collections.

The Louisiana Memorial Pavilion Collection consists of fighter jets, tanks, aircrafts, and other full-scale vehicles. It contains a reproduction of the Higgins Boat that transported the troops to the beaches of Normandy on D-Day.

The Home Front Gallery begins in the year 1939 and addresses the conflicts that lead up the war and America’s involvement in helping those overseas who were first affected by the war.

The Pacific D-Days Gallery presents Pearl Harbor and the events that led up to that momentous day. The suicide pilots, the atomic bomb, and the Japanese invasion are discussed in detail.

The D-Day Planning Gallery gives an up-close and personal look at the planning stages that led up to the invasion of Normandy. Battle plans, weapons, and small-scale models are presented.

The D-Day Beaches Gallery allows visitors to ride a Higgins boat and to experience it landing on the America Beach, an experience similar to the what the Allied forces actually experienced.

One exhibit visitors must see is the Solomon Victory Theater’s 4-D film, Beyond All Boundaries. The film allows participants to have real world experience of the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Over two-million people visit the museum each year. They are open daily from 9 am to 5 pm and are closed New Year’s Day, Mardi Gras, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. The museum can be scheduled for group visits, large parties, and corporate events. Reservations are required for large groups.

Promoting the visual and performing arts and educating the masses is the foundation of the Contemporary Arts Center. Founded in 1976 by a group of visual artists, the multi-disciplinary structure offers an ever-changing lineup of workshops, seminars, and events.

Artists from the United States and from countries around the world have performed at or had their worked showcased at the center. The 30,000 square foot facility features a blend of modern architecture and classic New Orleans design. It is on the cutting edge of technology and features award winning galleries, atriums, theaters and studios. Whether your passion is art, theatre, music, dance, photography, video, or sculpture, the center has something to fit your needs.
Two of the most important events are the NOADA's White Linen Night on the first Saturday in August and Art for Art' Sake on the first Saturday in October. The center can also be reserved for public and private events for as few as 10 or as many as 3,500 guests.
The Education Department features programs that reach out to adults, schoolchildren, and special needs individuals from all walks of life through a series of outreach programs. The gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm.

The Audubon Insectarium is an entomology museum that features 50 live exhibits. The 23,000 square foot facility is part of the Audubon Nature Institute complex and is located on the first floor of the US Custom House Federal Building on Canal Street. It opened in 2008.

If you love all things insects, you will enjoy this museum. Interactive exhibits, fossils, and insects are everywhere. One interesting interactive element is the den that shrinks people down to the size of an insect. The exhibits and attractions include the Underground Gallery, the Louisiana Swamp Gallery, the Termite Gallery, the Butterfly Garden, the Metamorphous Gallery, the Hall of Fame Gallery, the Ward Night, and the Bug Appétit.

Two of the attractions you should make a definite effort to see are Awards Night and Bug Appétit. Awards Night is an animated film that features the voices of Jay Leno, Joan Rivers, and Brad Garrett. The film allows viewers to visit a red carpet event for bugs. The Bug Appétit allows patrons to watch chefs prepare meals that contain insects and to sample those dishes once they are complete. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm. They are closed on Mardi Gras, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.