What do streetcars, shotgun houses, and the Superdome have in common? They are quintessentially New Orleans, of course. They are all also featured in the Louisiana State Museum’s upcoming exhibit, We Love You, New Orleans! Opening in the historic Cabildo on August 30, 2018, the exhibition celebrates the unique people, places, and things that have made New Orleans an extraordinary place for the last three hundred years.

The more than one hundred artifacts and images on display range from a stunning stair railing that once adorned the opulent St. Charles Hotel in the 1880s to a sequined jacket that legendary rhythm-and-blues singer Ernie K-Doe wore while performing at the 2001 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. If you are new to the Crescent City, the exhibition provides an entertaining and informative introduction to the diverse culture, music, food, nightlife, and architecture that have attracted people to New Orleans since its founding in 1718. For long-time residents, a vintage sign from the Pontchartrain Beach amusement park and a circa-1947 tablecloth from the Roosevelt Hotel decorated with scenes of old New Orleans will bring back memories of a bygone era.

While the majority of objects on display are part of the Louisiana State Museum’s collection, several—including a Summer Snow ice shaver, once used to make the snoball treats that New Orleanians love, and a customized cocktail bottle from Galatoire’s—are on loan from the Southern Food and Beverage Museum.

We Love You, New Orleans! will be on display through December 2019.

www.louisianastatemuseum.org