Flourishing in Full Swing

December 15, 2022
The New Orleans Jazz Museum celebrates the history of jazz in all its forms through dynamic interactive exhibits, multi-generational educational programming, research facilities, and engaging musical performances. It promotes the global understanding of jazz as one of the most innovative, historically pivotal musical art forms in world history.

The Jazz Museum enhances New Orleans’ ongoing cultural renaissance by providing diverse resources for musicians and music lovers of all languages and nationalities. America’s quintessential musical art form can be fully explored in the city where jazz was born. It is a signature destination for music lovers to thoroughly immerse themselves as well as a vibrant community resource for local musicians, artists, and culture bearers.

Soon, exciting new renovations and expansions will add to the many unique experiences our world-class museum offers. Renovations include a permanent outdoor stage, a sculpture garden, and a courtyard café which will allow guests to experience the joie de vivre of the French Quarter. This will create an educational and impactful visitor experience by expanding their educational programs to bring a greater understanding of the history, culture, and creation of jazz.

The New Orleans Jazz Museum is a cultural clearinghouse preserving the legacy of jazz in its New Orleans birthplace. Fascinating exhibits feature listening stations, films, instruments, and more to personally engage each visitor. In addition, it is home to one of the foremost jazz collections in the world including instruments, performance costumes, photographs, original manuscripts, historic recordings, and rare film footage. Their state-of-the-art Performance Center incorporates production, recording and web broadcasting of live music and theatrical performances, lectures, symposia, oral histories, video interviews, and curatorial panels. The Donald M. Marquis Reading Room provides public access to their archival collections. The museum hosts more than fifteen festivals and over 365 live concerts annually!

The Jazz Museum furthers the legacy of jazz through the development of the next generation of musicians. It has made expanding educational programs a priority. In the past five years, the museum has held partnerships with educational organizations in the city and fostered a new generation of professionals in the music industry with their mentorship and workforce development programs. The New Orleans Jazz Museum Music Outreach Program brings expert jazz instructors into schools to promote music education and allow students to enhance their individual abilities in a more intimate, focused setting with resources specifically dedicated to their success. They strive to identify and cultivate talent through master classes and mentorship by engaging K–12 schools, universities, and adults in lifelong learning opportunities.

The New Orleans Jazz Museum also impacts the local culture including the tourism industry, the music industry, and the preservation of music and Louisiana culture. With weekly programming, monthly special events, and many annual festivals, the museum creates opportunities for local artists to perform and bring music to our community of guests and visitors.

Now, more than ever, the museum is raising the bar to be a destination in the Crescent City that will add to our rich cultural fabric and become a global bridge for students, artists, musicians, musical innovators, and historians to not only thrive in New Orleans, but also share their talents, history, and love for jazz on the world’s stage.