Black and white portrait of a man in a tuxedo seated at a piano bench, one arm resting on the piano keys. He faces the camera with a composed expression. Artifact from the exhibition "The District: The Music and Musicians of Storyville."

The District: The Music and Musicians of Storyville

New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint
Sat, November 01, 2025 - Fri, February 12, 2027

On Thursday, November 13, the New Orleans Jazz Museum will open the exhibition The District: Music and Musicians in Storyville. The District will feature photographs, artifacts, interviews, and video exploring the music and musicians of Storyville, as well as what was known as “Black Storyville.”

Although there is a persistent myth that jazz originated in Storyville, the truth is more nuanced. The district was filled with music in its clubs, cabarets, and brothels, while music also rang through the streets of both Storyville and the smaller vice district uptown of Canal Street known as Black Storyville. Musicians such as Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver, Tony Jackson, Kid Ory, and Fess Manetta all performed there and left vivid recollections of the area.

The exhibition will include photographs of music clubs and the music rooms inside the houses where these pioneers played. The Jazz Museum will also display the long-awaited carriage stone and stained-glass window from Lulu White’s Mahogany Hall. Additionally, video recreations will highlight the dances Storyville visitors enjoyed to this vital and emerging music.

In partnership, the Storyville Museum will graciously loan the Jazz Museum several important artifacts, including the mantelpiece that once hung in Hilma Burt’s house.