Historic New Orleans Collection
www.hnoc.org

Historic New Orleans Collection

533 Royal St.
New Orleans, LA 70130 [Map It]
(504) 598-7100
Fax: (504) 598-7108
Neighborhood: French Quarter

Attraction Information

Attraction Hours: Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (except holidays). Tours of the history galleries and the Williams Residence are at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m., Groups of eight or more require a reservation. (Times are subject to change. Please call ahead to verify.)
Admission Costs: $5 per person
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Free Parking: No

Description:

New Orleans’ appeal as a tourist destination rests heavily on the city’s long, eclectic history. Casual tourists and scholarly researchers alike can experience the growth of the city and surrounding Gulf South region at The Historic New Orleans Collection’s seven-building complex in the French Quarter. The Collection houses primary sources including manuscripts and documents, literary and artistic treasures, and other artifacts showcasing the numerous cultures that shaped New Orleans from the 18th century to the present.

The compound at 533 Royal Street includes the Williams Residence, exhibition galleries, and a museum shop. The Williams Residence was the home of General L. Kemper Williams and his wife, Leila, who established The Collection in 1966. The Williams Gallery of changing exhibitions and ten galleries detailing the history of the city, state, and region are located in The Merieult House, one of the few buildings to survive the 1794 fire that all but destroyed the French Quarter. The museum shop features Louisiana books, prints, and specialty gift items.

Just blocks away, at 410 Chartres Street, The Williams Research Center offers a microfilm collection; tens of thousands of volumes, pamphlets, documents, maps, manuscripts, newspapers, and magazines (including the Double Dealer, the literary magazine that published writers such as Sherwood Anderson, Amy Lowell, and Ezra Pound); and more than 300,000 photographs, prints, drawings, and paintings. A research guide is available, as is a range of photocopying services. Nearly 8,000 researchers make use of The Collection each year. The institution co-sponsors an award for excellence in publishing Louisiana history.

The Historic New Orleans Collection’s Royal Street facilities and Williams Research Center are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (except holidays). Tours of the history galleries and the Williams Residence are at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m., at a cost of $5 per person. Groups of eight or more require a reservation.

The Historic New Orleans Collection is located at 533 Royal Street, in the heart of the beautiful French Quarter. For more information, call (504) 523-4662 (phone); (504) 598-7108 (fax). Email: hnocinfo@hnoc.org, or visit: www.hnoc.org.