The New Orleans Museum of Art is a jewel in the loveliest of settings--New Orleans wounded, but still beautiful, City Park. Come on a short visit with us.

The Museum

Endowed in 1911 by Isaac Delgado, a sugar cane planter who was a great educational philanthropist, the Museum was built in the Beaux Arts-style, a 25,00 square foot temple. Since then, the Museum has expanded greatly, and includes the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden.

With its collection, the Museum ranks among the top 25 percent of the nation’s most significant museums.

Permanent Collections

The Museum has a permanent collection of over 40,000 objects, in 46 galleries, valued at more than $200 million. Favorite collections include 44 miniature "Easter eggs" carved by Peter Carl Fabergé and displayed on 3 objects: 13 on a miniature golden tree, 19 on a gold Russian necklace and 12 on a bracelet. Added to these are more traditional Fabergé Easter Eggs, a pink clock set formerly owned by the last Tsarina of Russia, a Bismark Box studded with 90 carats of diamonds, cigarette cases, clocks,and numerous other objects.

In keeping with New Orleans' history, the Museum emphasizes French art. French Impressionist Edgar Degas is well-represented here, and there are paintings and sculptures by Picasso, Braque, Dufy, Miro, and other artists from the School of Paris.

An "Arts of the Americas" collection surveys the cultural heritage the Americas from pre-Columbian times through the Spanish Colonial era.

There is a valuable assemblage of Mayan objects from Mexico and Central America, and art from ancient Cuzco. Regarding American art, the Museum features a suite of period rooms featuring important 18th and 19th century furniture.

The Sculpture Garden

The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden has reopened with 55 modern sculptures from around the world. Admission is free.

Special Collections

"Windows of Heaven" is a collection of Russian Ikons from the private collection of Daniel R. Bibb. Highly stylized, the Byzantine-style of icons of saints were the tradition until the westernation of religious art in the 19th century.

Renaissance engravings and woodcuts from The Albrecht Dürer Collection of the Foundation of Lower Saxony and the Konrad Liebmann Foundation, Germany will be on display through August 26. These works date from 1496 to 1519, and showcase his love of nature in the context of popular religious images. The exhibition includes four complete cycles of prints as well as many single pictures.

Henry Casselli's drawings, sketches, and watercolors are featured in this modern day grouping from the Lieselotte and Ernest Tansey Collection. Casselli grew up in the 9th ward in New Orleans, and has earned awards for his artistic merit. On display arestudies for Echo, the American Watercolor Society Gold Medal winner.

Location and Hours

The Museum is located at One Collins C. Diboll Circle, City Park, New Orleans, Louisiana 70124. It is open five days a week, Wednesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.