Mardi Gras World

Mardi Gras World is the riverfront home of Kern Studios, the company that designs and builds floats, props and sculptures for New Orleans Carnival parades. Its history goes back to 1932, when Blaine Kern and his father, Roy, built their first float on a garbage wagon, and public tours have been offered since 1984. If you are not in town for Mardi Gras itself, this is the best way to understand the scale and craftsmanship of the parades.

The tour takes you behind the scenes into the working studios, where you can see floats in different stages of construction alongside huge painted figures and props from past parades. Because this is a working studio, what you see depends on the time of year and the projects under way, which keeps repeat visits interesting. It is a rare chance to see the craft and scale of the work up close, from sculpting to painting.

Mardi Gras World is open seven days a week from 9am to 5.30pm. The first admission is at 9.30am and the last at 4.30pm, and it closes on Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, Easter and Mardi Gras Day itself. Tickets can be bought online through the official website. Allow time to look around after the guided part of the visit, and book ahead in busy periods.

The tour suits families, with children usually delighted by the giant figures, as well as photographers and anyone curious about Carnival culture. Groups can book activities such as mask-making, mini float building and mixology classes, which are popular for team events. Wear comfortable shoes, as you will be on your feet in a large warehouse space.

If your trip does fall in Carnival season, a visit before the parades gives useful context for what you will see on the streets, and in other months it is the closest you can get to the spectacle. The shuttle phone line also handles pick-up questions, so call ahead if you are staying outside the downtown area and want to know whether your hotel is on the route.

The studios are on Port of New Orleans Place on the riverfront. A free shuttle runs from select hotels and downtown locations; call the shuttle line to arrange a pick-up. A visit combines well with The National WWII Museum or an afternoon in the Warehouse District, and the walk along the riverfront is pleasant in cooler weather.