Monday, April 4, 2011

Museums of New Orleans

When it comes to New Orleans, not many people first think about the museums that the city has to offer. New Orleans actually offers many great art museums. Although none of the first three museums are Creole specific museums, they all offer a different view of some part of Creole culture through their art.


The Contemporary Arts center is located on Camp Street close to Lee Circle. It was founded in 1976 as just an artist-run and artist-driven center. After going through renovation in 1990 the Contemporary Arts Center has really flourished. Since that renovation the arts center has become more involved with New Orleans Art, including Creole art. The Contemporary Arts Center does not have much of a Creole presence however.


Contemporary Arts Center



The Ogden Museum is devoted to the art of the American South. A common Creole tie-in to the Ogden Museum is artists with Creole backgrounds or influences. In fact, at Ogden, they have an exhibit opening on April 21st 2011 called: One World, Two Artists: John Alexander and Walter Anderson. John Alexander was greatly influenced by Creole culture, and Walter Anderson grew up in New Orleans. Just in the past winter, Ogden had a special Creole furniture exhibit. The artist who creates the Creole furniture is Greg Arceneaux. Ogden is less than a block away from The Contemporary Arts Center.


http://www.gregarceneaux.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Pitite-Table.jpg

A Creole Desk made by Greg Arceneaux



The New Orleans Museum of Art is the oldest art museum in New Orleans. It is located in City Park near the end of the Canal Street line. It was founded in 1911 as the Delgado Museum of Art. The main collection at The New Orleans Museum of Art is European and American from the Italian Renaissance to the modern era. It includes a vast selection of French and Spanish art from the time before settlement all the way through the creation of the city. Although there hasn’t been a Creole based exhibit recently, they release information about Creole culture; more specifically a study on the art of Creole building.



New Orleans Museum of Art


After a little more research, I think the New Orleans African American Museum would be a great source for Creole art and history. It’s located in Tremé, a historically Creole neighborhood. The museum is dedicated to protecting, preserving, and promoting through education the history, art, and culture of African Americans in New Orleans and the African Diaspora.




New Orleans African American Museum

9 comments:

  1. I've always wanted to go to a museum, but I don't think I have the patience for it. It seems really boring and i'm not really that interested in the museums around New Orleans, but i'm planning on going to one anyways. Its best to get a first hand experience than to continue thinking I might not like it. I might surprise myself and turn out to enjoy museums.

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  2. Since I been living in New Orleans, I've went to only two museums here. I've been to the D-Day Museum and The Children Museum. I would love to visit all the other museum since now I know a bit about them. They seem like it can be a very fun and learning experience.

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  3. I have yet to go to a museum in New Orleans, but it is definitely on my list of things to do in my time here. I personally love museums. The Contemporary Art Museum looks like an amazing building. I also think that the New Orleans African American Museum looks like a very authentic place to learn about the history of African Americans in New Orleans, as well as Creoles. I also want to go to the Voodoo Museum, just because we have talked about it so much in this class!

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  4. My favorite museum would have to be New Orleans Museum of Art. First it sits in city park, which is one of the most beautiful parks in the city. Also, the Museum of Art brings in all type of different displays. The last time I went there were pieces from China and even art by Andy Warhol. Some students from my high school visited the museum when the Princess and the Frog had a display there. New Orleans Museum of Art just has so much to offer.

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  5. I've never really been into art museums but this post makes me a little more interested in visiting the New Orleans Museum of Art. Another thing that caught my eye was that Kateri said there was a Princess and the Frog display there, which just happens to be one of my all time favorite movies. Art tells a lot about the environment it is brought about in and what is going on in that time, which makes art a very important learning tool.

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  6. I have to agree with Chelah's comment about not being very patient with art. However of these museums, I'd definitely want to see the New Orleans Museum of Art and the New Orleans African American museum. The first for it's variety and history, the second because I'd like to see Creole art.

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  7. I honestly don't think that I have a favorite museum here. The Old Pharmacy Museum is a really great one though. It is located in the French Quarter.

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  9. @Ariel When The Princess and the Frog was first released, NOMA had a large disney-themed exhibit all about Disney-themed animations through the ages and it finished with The Princess and the Frog. That film was a pretty big deal for us here.

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