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Backstreet Cultural Museum, New Orleans

4.6
#17 of 56 in Museums in New Orleans
Specialty Museum · Museum
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Learn about New Orleans' African American heritage at Backstreet Cultural Museum, where you can browse collections of photos, colorful suits, and more. The museum prides itself especially on the displays of Mardi Gras Indians, jazz funerals, and second lines parades. Time your visit according to special events and witness dynamic musical and dance performances. The museum's founder, Sylvester Francis, used a Super 8 mm camera to document Mardi Gras celebrations, and then started displaying the photos in 1988. For Backstreet Cultural Museum and beyond, use our New Orleans driving holiday planning app to get the most from your New Orleans vacation.
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Backstreet Cultural Museum reviews

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TripAdvisor traveler rating
TripAdvisor traveler rating 4.5
351 reviews
Google
4.7
TripAdvisor
  • If you are interested in the history and culture of Mardis Gras, you must come to this tiny yet richly curated treasure of cultural knowledge. 
    If you are interested in the history and culture of Mardis Gras, you must come to this tiny yet richly curated treasure of cultural knowledge.  more »
  • It is important to note that the address of this museum has changed--it is now located at 1531 St. Philip St., at the corner of North Robertson, still in Treme. This museum is a labor of love by the....  more
    It is important to note that the address of this museum has changed--it is now located at 1531 St. Philip St., at the corner of North Robertson, still in Treme. This museum is a labor of love by the....  more »
Google
  • This was my favorite part of a 3 day trip to New Orleans! The museum is small but the information and history you receive is immense. What really sets this place apart is the welcoming staff! They were very down-to-earth and willing to answer any questions we had. We were even fortunate enough to meet one of the suit creators, hearing the details of their designing process as they happened to stop by during our visit.
  • We paid $20 a person and spent about 15-20 minutes inside. The decorative wardrobes are not available anywhere else as far as I know so this is the big ticket item. It's a unique part of NOLA history and American culture so $20 is a reasonable price compared to the $20 drink on Bourbon Street. I'll take history and culture each time.

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