Plan on spending most of the day at New Orleans Museum of Art, or NOMA, as with 40,000 exhibits demonstrating the artistic heritage of Louisiana, there is plenty to get through.
The institution was founded in 1910 when local businessman and Jamaican immigrant Isaac Delgado offered US$150,000 to create a “temple of art for rich and poor alike”. One hundred years later, though the collection has expanded many times over, the vast majority of the original building is still use today.
The collection is famed in particular for its French and American art, photography, glass, and African and Japanese works. The two-hectare Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden is one of the most well-known installations in the United States, with over 60 sculptures situated on beautifully landscaped grounds. The museum has kept up with the times and has a free audio tour which you can download to your mobile phone and then explore the sculptures. If you're into yoga or Pilates, there is often a class taking place in the gardens.
Inside the museum, don't miss the European Art collection which includes masterpieces by Monet, Picasso and Degas, who stayed in the city for a few months in 1870. Degas House, the house where he stayed, is just a few blocks away if you want to know more.
Throughout the day there are tours inside the museum and there is a particularly good programme for children, especially in the school holidays. Before you go, check out the NOMA shop which sells creative souvenirs of New Orleans.
NOMA is located at the southern end of New Orleans' City Park, in the city centre. The museum is open daily except Mondays, as is the Sculpture Garden. Admission is free every Wednesday. There is free parking though it’s easy to find by public transport via the Canal streetcar.
