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The Cabildo
New Orleans
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Address

701 Chartres Street
New Orleans, LA 70116

GET DIRECTIONS

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Hours

Tuesdays–Sundays 
9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. 

Last ticket sale at 3:30 p.m.  
Closed on Mondays and state holidays
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Contact

504-568-6968
800-568-6968

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Admissions

GET TICKETS

$10 for Adults
$8 for Senior Citizens, Active Military, and Students
FREE for Children 6 and Under

Receive a 20% discount when purchasing tickets for two or more Louisiana State Museums. School groups are FREE with reservations. Groups of 15 or more with reservations receive a 20% discount. AAA Members receive a 10% discount.
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Accessibility

The Cabildo is fully wheelchair accessible with elevator access to each floor. Services animals, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, are welcomed. Text guides are available on request in English, French, Spanish, and Vietnamese. If you have any questions about planning your visit, please contact our office at 504-568-6968 or email [email protected]

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Education

The Cabildo currently has these education resources available for students, teachers, and families: 

  • Field Trips
  • Scavenger Hunts
  • Free Book
  • Lesson Plans
Exterior view of The Cabildo
The Cabildo Interior
A man and women looking at paintings that are part of the "We Love You, New Orleans" exhibit at The Cabilbo

Your visit to New Orleans’ historic French Quarter would not be complete without a stop at Jackson Square, which is where you will find the Cabildo. This elegant Spanish colonial building neighbors St. Louis Cathedral and houses many rare artifacts of America’s history.

In commemoration of the city’s 300th anniversary, the Louisiana State Museum debuted a new exhibition, We Love You, New Orleans!, celebrating people, places, and things that are quintessentially New Orleans including Sidney Bechet’s saxophone, a Mardi Gras Indian suit, memorabilia from Pontchartrain Beach, and a K&B sign, among other things. 

Using a variety of artifacts, images and documents, the exhibition From "Dirty Shirts" to Buccaneers: The Battle of New Orleans in American Culture opens with an exploration of the battle’s history, emphasizing the diversity of its participants, and closes with an investigation of how the battle has been remembered, commemorated and represented.

Come visit the Cabildo, the site of the Louisiana Purchase transfer ceremonies in 1803 and one of Louisiana’s most significant historical buildings. From landmark court cases to visits from international ambassadors, many important events in Louisiana have taken place within the Cabildo. The three floors of Cabildo exhibitions cover the history of Louisiana by featuring artifacts such as documents, paintings and 3D objects from the museum’s vast collection.
 

The Cabildo History

The Cabildo was built under Spanish rule between 1795 and 1799, following the Great New Orleans Fire of 1788 that completely destroyed the structure that stood on the property. Designed by Gilberto Guillemard, who also designed the neighboring St. Louis Cathedral and the Presbytère, the Cabildo was the site of the Louisiana Purchase transfer ceremonies in 1803, which finalized the United States’ acquisition of the Louisiana Territory and doubled the size of the fledgling nation.

The Cabildo served as the center of New Orleans government until 1853, when it became the headquarters of the Louisiana State Supreme Court, where the landmark Plessy v. Ferguson decision originated in 1892. The building was transferred to the Louisiana State Museum in 1908 and has since served to educate the public about Louisiana history.

In 1988 the Cabildo was severely damaged in an inferno and, within five years, the landmark was authentically restored with 600-year-old French timber framing techniques. It was reopened to the public in 1994, featuring a comprehensive exhibit on Louisiana’s early history.
 
This remarkable building’s tumultuous past is reason enough to pay it a visit, but the historical treasures within make it an absolute must-see.

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