The New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint
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The New Orleans Jazz Museum celebrates jazz in the city where it was born. Through dynamic interactive exhibitions, multigenerational educational programming, research facilities and engaging musical performances, the music New Orleans made famous is explored in all its forms. Experience more here.
Strategically located at the intersection of the French Quarter and the Frenchman Street live music corridor, the New Orleans Jazz Museum is in the heart of the city’s vibrant music scene. You can hear great music from some of New Orleans best contemporary artist at the $4-million, a state-of-the-art performance venue on the Museum’s 3rd floor. The near-perfect sound environment features advanced acoustics and sound recording equipment designed to enhance the listener’s experience and record the performance for historical archives. The Museum uses the space for evening programs, solo and small group concerts and special events while the National Park Service offers daily live music programs.
Through partnerships with local, national and international educational institutions, the New Orleans Jazz Museum promotes the global understanding of jazz as one of the most innovative, historically pivotal musical art forms in world history. For more information, visit us here and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The New Orleans Jazz Museum, in collaboration with the Louisiana Museum Foundation and other educational and program partners, has launched a fundraising campaign to develop the world’s premier jazz exhibition. This new exhibition is designed to highlight the tremendous influence of New Orleans Jazz on the cultural fabric of the world. The first phase of the permanent exhibit is planned to open in 2020. Meanwhile, visitors can enjoy throughout the year a series of temporary exhibitions pulling from the Jazz Museum’s comprehensive collection as well as free musical performances weekly and special events in the evenings.
The Old U.S. Mint is wheelchair accessible. Individuals with special needs are requested to contact Museum staff to make arrangements.
History of The Old U.S. Mint
The Old U.S. Mint is a historical landmark in and of itself, offering a fitting home for the seminal collections of the New Orleans Jazz Museum; read all about music at the Old U.S. Mint here.
William Strickland of Philadelphia, who designed the Second Bank of the U.S., the Philadelphia Mint and the Tennessee State Capitol, designed the Old U.S. Mint as well.
The simple, classic style of the building reflects the Greek Revival era. Completed in 1838, the Old U.S. Mint holds the distinct title of being the only mint to have produced both American and Confederate coinage.
After the Civil War, the Mint was the only one in the South to reopen, resuming full operations by 1879. In 1909, minting ceased, and the building was used as a federal prison during Prohibition, then by the Coast Guard until the federal government transferred it to the state in 1966. In 1981, the Mint opened to the public as a state museum site.
The Mint contains an excellent exhibit on making coins, with a Morgan & Orr coin press, a Troemner bullion scale and displays of coins minted on-site.
EXHIBITS
EVENTS
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There are currently no events at this location.
Please visit our full calendar to see events scheduled at some of our other museums.
