The Degas House

On 2306 Esplanade lies the historic home of the late, famous French painter, Edgar Degas. Degas was known for his impressionist art work in painting, drawing, and sculpting. His works focused on depictions of the body, specifically through dance. His paintings captured dancers in movement hoping to create an a very realist view through his art.

After the Civil War in 1872 Degas left France and escaped to his family's house here in New Orleans. Both Degas' grandmother and mother grew up in New Orleans so he had much connection and history in the city. During his stay at the house, he created some of his most famous works titled, "Portrait of Estelle".

The house now serves as a Bed and Breakfast that also doubled as a museum of some of his paintings. Tours are available to the public that highlight two of his paintings: The New Orleans Cotton Exchange and Estelle Musson.

Backstreet Cultural Museum

The Backstreet is known as New Orleans hidden treasure. It's one of those places that you look at while you're parking the car and wonder "Am I in the right place?" The Backstreet Cultural Museum was founded in 1999 by Sylvester Francis, who is a videographer and photographer. It is located on 1116 St. Claude Ave, which is in the Fauborg Treme section of the city, which is the oldest African American neighborhood in the United States. This museum was once the home of the Blandin Funeral Home. As much as this is a living museum, it's also a community center and a neighboorhood pillar. It preserves and perpetuates New Orleans' African American parading traditions through collections, exhibitions and publications, public programs, and performances. The traditions consist of Mardi Gras Indians, Skull and Bone gangs, Baby Dolls, jazz funerals, social aid and pleasure clubs.

The Backstreet Cultural Museum features a permanent and enormous collection of Mardi Gras Indian suits, parade costumes, photographs, and artifacts. The museum holds the largest collection of Mardi Gras Indian suits. The Mardi Gras Indian suits are gaining recognition for their aesthetic importance and artistic power. Mardi Gras Indians evolved from a bond African and Americans shared in the 18th and 19th centuries in the South, when runaway slaves sought safety among the various tribes living in the area. There are 20 tribes found here in Louisiana some of which are White Cloud Hunters, Wild Apache, Flaming Arrows, and Yellow Pocahontas. Most of the Mardi Gras Indians wear their costumes only one time and after that, they donate it to the museum.

Not only do the museam have second line parades, it also hosts the annual White Buffalo Day Ceremony. White Buffalo Day is a day of gathering of the tribes for unity, peace, and healing. It started on August 27,1995 in New Orleans on the site of the old battleground by Claiborne and Poydras and on the scared ground of Congo Square.

After researching the Backstreet Cultural Museum, it makes me wonder what else does New Orleans have to offer that we don't know about. Even though I didn't visit the museum yet, I encourage everyone that hasn't been there to go and visit. I read of a lot of the reviews and they say it's awesome. If anyone is interested in visiting the Backstreet Museum, it is open on Tuesday-Saturday from 10 am-5 pm.