Attraction
The National WWII Museum
A large campus of pavilions in the Warehouse District telling the American story of the Second World War, with restored aircraft, immersive films and a submarine…
The Historic New Orleans Collection
A free museum and research centre on Royal Street devoted to the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South, with French Quarter galleries and a courtyard café.
At a glance
- Type
- History museum
- Area
- French Quarter, New Orleans, United States
- Official site
- hnoc.org
Good to know
- Free entry
- Courtyard café
- Shop
- Research centre
Why we recommend it
The Historic New Orleans Collection is a museum and research centre dedicated to the history and culture of New Orleans and the Gulf South. It was founded in 1966 through a foundation created by General L. Kemper Williams and his wife, Leila, collectors who lived in the French Quarter, and it has grown into a large collection of documents, maps, photographs, paintings and objects. Its main museum is at 520 Royal Street, between Toulouse and St Louis streets, and admission is free.
Permanent displays include the French Quarter Galleries, which tell the story of the city and its neighbourhood, and French Quarter Life, about the people and places of the Vieux Carré. A Vanishing Bounty looks at Louisiana's coastal environment and culture. Changing exhibitions in 2026 and 2027 include an augmented-reality exhibition on the American Revolution, a retrospective of the New Orleans cartoonist Bunny Matthews and a selection of art showing the city's musicians. The collection's archives also hold important material on Tennessee Williams and on jazz.
The museum opens Tuesday to Saturday from 9.30am to 4.30pm and Sunday from 10.30am to 4.30pm; check holiday hours on the website. Entry is free, but you need a ticket, which you can collect at the front desk or reserve online. A ticket covers all exhibitions and some daily programmes, such as short gallery talks. Allow an hour to an hour and a half.
The Collection suits history lovers, families with older children and anyone who wants context for a walk around the French Quarter, and it is a good place to start a first day in the city. It is also a welcome cool, quiet stop on a hot afternoon. In the Brulatour Courtyard, a café serves coffee and pastries, and the shop sells work by local artists and the Collection's own books. Researchers can use the Williams Research Center at 410 Chartres Street, open Tuesday to Saturday.
The Collection is easy to combine with the Cabildo and St Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square, so you can follow its overview of the city with the Louisiana State Museum's displays. Royal Street itself is one of the French Quarter's main streets for a walk.
The Historic New Orleans Collection FAQs
Is The Historic New Orleans Collection free?
Yes. Admission is free, but you need a ticket from the front desk or reserved online.
When is the museum open?
Tuesday to Saturday from 9.30am to 4.30pm and Sunday from 10.30am to 4.30pm. Check holiday hours before visiting.
Where is the museum?
At 520 Royal Street, between Toulouse and St Louis streets in the French Quarter.
Is there a café?
Yes. A café in the Brulatour Courtyard serves coffee and pastries.
Who founded the Collection?
It was founded in 1966 through a foundation created by General L. Kemper Williams and his wife, Leila.
Can I do research there?
Yes. The Williams Research Center is at 410 Chartres Street and opens Tuesday to Saturday.
How long should I allow?
About an hour to an hour and a half for the galleries.