New Orleans Jazz Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1961 |
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| Location | 400 Esplanade Avenue New Orleans, Louisiana 70116 |
| Type | Jazz music |
| Founder | Doc Souchon, Danny Barker |
| Owner | Louisiana State Museum |
The New Orleans Jazz Museum is a cool place in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.. It's all about keeping the amazing history of jazz music alive! This museum helps everyone learn about and celebrate jazz.
It started as its own museum. Now, its collection is part of the Louisiana State Museum. You can find the New Orleans Jazz Museum in the historic Old U.S. Mint building. This building is at 400 Esplanade Avenue, right next to the famous French Quarter neighborhood.
Contents
History of the Jazz Museum
People started planning a museum for New Orleans jazz in the 1950s. A group called the New Orleans Jazz Club, formed in 1948, helped make it happen. Key people like Edmond "Doc" Souchon, Myra Menville, and Helen Arlt were very involved.
The museum first opened its doors in 1961. It was located at 1017 Dumaine Street in the French Quarter. Clay Watson was the first person in charge of the museum's collection. Even though the collection moved, the original spot still has special commemorative plaques.
In 1969, the museum moved to the Royal Sonesta Hotel. Then, in the early 1970s, it moved again to 833 Conti Street. After that, the museum had to close for a short time.
On September 15, 1977, something big happened. The entire collection of the New Orleans Jazz Museum was given to the people of Louisiana. It became "The New Orleans Jazz Club Collections of the Louisiana State Museum." In the early 1980s, this jazz collection opened on the second floor of the Old U.S. Mint building. Don Marquis became the curator. The New Orleans Jazz Museum is now permanently located at the Old U.S. Mint.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused some damage to the U.S. Mint building and the jazz collection. But the museum reopened in 2008! Since then, the jazz collections have been shown in many exhibits. In 2015, there were plans to turn most of the Mint building into the New Orleans Jazz Museum.
The main goal of the New Orleans Jazz Museum is to celebrate jazz history. It does this through fun exhibits, learning programs, research, and live music shows.
What You Can See and Do Today
Amazing Collections
The museum has a world-famous collection called the New Orleans Jazz Club Collection. This collection was put together over many years. It includes the largest collection of jazz instruments in the world! You'll also find important items, photos, and other cool stuff.
For example, you can see Louis Armstrong's very first cornet. There's even a 1917 record of the first jazz song ever recorded! The museum has instruments played by jazz legends. These include trumpets, cornets, trombones, clarinets, and saxophones. Famous musicians like Bix Beiderbecke, Edward "Kid" Ory, George Lewis, Sidney Bechet, and Dizzy Gillespie played some of these instruments.
The collection also has about 12,000 photos from early jazz days. There are thousands of recordings, too. These include old 78 rpm records from 1905 and newer LPs. You can also see posters, paintings, and old sheet music. There are even film clips of concerts, parades, and festivals!
The museum also has research materials like letters and interviews. These are available for people who want to study jazz history.
Fun Exhibits
The New Orleans Jazz Museum shows how jazz started in New Orleans. It also explores its lasting impact and how it's still important today. The museum often changes its exhibits. It's also making its exhibit space bigger!
Soon, there will be about 8,000 square feet of exhibit space. This will include a welcome area for visitors. There will be a main area for permanent displays and classrooms for kids and families. Plus, there will be a special gallery for changing exhibits. You'll also find four interactive tech spaces. Here, guests can create and share their own jazz music!
Live Music Shows
The New Orleans Jazz Museum has a special place for live performances. It's on the third floor. These shows help people learn about all the different kinds of jazz. They make the museum's work feel alive and exciting!
The museum also hosts many yearly festivals. These include French Quarter Fest, Satchmo Fest, Downriver Fest, and the International Guitar Fest. The Danny Barker Fest is another popular event held here.
Learning and Education
The New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint offers learning programs for all ages. If you're a student or researcher, you can access the museum's amazing collection. This is done through the Louisiana Historical Center. The museum also puts its audio collections online. This means people all over the world can listen to its famous Jazz Collection.
For kids and families, the museum has cool education programs. These include music lessons and workshops where you can build instruments. Guest musicians often visit and teach. You can even learn about recording music! These activities often match what the museum wants to teach. They also include music camps and retreats. Many of these programs are done with the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park.
See also
In Spanish: Museo del Jazz de Nueva Orleans para niños
- List of music museums
