The Historic New Orleans Collection

Located in the French Quarter on Royal Street, this is a New Orleans treasure trove of quirky, well-described historical artifacts (for example, an original Jazz Fest poster or the "Fair Play for Cuba" leaflets that Lee Harvey Oswald passed out while in town), plus rotating exhibits, local art, and photography, furniture, archives and more.

Entry to the excellent temporary history exhibitions in the street-front room of the Merieult House is free, but to see the best of the collection, the architecture, and the history, you will need to take a guided tour, offered several times daily. The tour covers the galleries upstairs or the elegant Williams House on nearby Toulouse Street – a must for anyone interested in design and decorative arts.

You may also want to look at the courtyard café and the perfectly curated gift shop staffed by some of the savviest ladies in town.

Tip:
Any music lover would be happy to hear the Aeolian organ, completed in 1926 and recently restored (check out the "organ demonstrations" tour). It is a major deal for organ music lovers as only four working models still exist in the US.