Being low on cash and looking for something to do with a baby, Chance and I went to The Historical New Orleans Collection yesterday on Royal. This fit our budget perfectly because it is FREE!

I had never been before and it turns out at this time they have a couple of pretty good exhibits, well actually one I really liked and one I could take or leave.

What’s Cooking New Orleans: Culinary Traditions of the Crescent city is pretty much described in the title. They have some menus from local restaurants and newspaper articles along with some pictures and some cookbooks and other items on display from the 18th through mid 20th centuries. It was ok but small in all honesty I was not very impressed with this exhibit. However, it is on display until July 7th so if you are into cooking or New Orleans cooking traditions check it out. I might not be that into it because I am not much into cooking.

The second exhibit I loved, Four Hundred Years of French Presence in Louisiana: Treasures from the National Library of France gets two thumbs up. This exhibit is much larger than the cooking exhibit and features some items that have never before been displayed. There are maps, rare books, early drawing of Louisiana, historic documents and beautiful paintings. I found particularly interesting the way it seems some French saw Louisiana as a wonderful (vacation) getaway, some letters almost read as if they are sending a post card home from a Caribbean island. I never really thought of Louisiana that way. A big thanks to France for letting us borrow this great exhibit, it will be with us until June 2nd.

Related posts:

1. Sunday in the French Quarter
2. Cheap Fundraiser
3. All that empty space
4. Louisiana SPCA Wish List
5. Finally - Recycle Your Stuff In New Orleans!