Mardi Gras World: New Orleans Mardi Gras Museum
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One of the best things to do during your time in New Orleans is a visit to the wonderful Mardi Gras World. The Mardi Gras Museum gives you an amazing look at the craftspeople who create floats for Mardi Gras.
Visiting Mardi Gras World: (Jump To)
Mardi Gras World is on our New Orleans Itinerary.
Before visiting this museum in New Orleans I might have turned down an invitation to the annual Mardi Gras celebration. I thought it might be a weekend of trying to avoid stepping in vomit while walking through a raucous drunken bacchanal of Girls Going Wild. Turns out that (for the most part) my impressions of the festival are totally off base. Now I want to go.
Free Mardi Gras World Shuttle From Your Hotel
Our visit to the Mardi Gras World Museum was absolutely fascinating. Visiting the museum is super easy. They provided a free shuttle that picked us up right at our hotel. If you’re staying in the French Quarter or Downtown the shuttle will likely pick you up for free too. It beats paying for parking in the lot near the museum.
Touring Mardi Gras World
To visit the museum you must join a tour. It’s probably best to book in advance to avoid unnecessary waiting. Tours happen every thirty minutes seven days a week. Check out their website for details. You’ll meet your guide in the gift shop where you’ll be whisked away to a small screening room for a short informational video. Then there was an opportunity to dress up in costume and take some Mardi Gras photos to impress your friends on Instagram. They also dished out a free slice of traditional King Cake. Who doesn’t like free cake?
I had no idea how much work, money, and craftsmanship went into the parade until I entered the second part of the tour, the workshop. We were escorted through a giant warehouse jam-packed with giant sculptures and props in various phases of their life cycle. We had the opportunity to see the artists molding and painting props for this year's parade while learning about the different tools and methods used to make all the unique items.
The tour continued past the myriad of floats lined end-to-end from parades of the past. The tour wraps up in a final room that is often used for events. You’re given free rein in the room to pose with the floats and sculptures.
Walking through the warehouse was a very unique experience. It felt like we were in some sort of crazy childhood dream. I’m so glad I made the visit. This is a place I could go to over and over to see the new props coming out of the workshop. Next time I’m in NOLA (hopefully for the parade) I’ll be making another visit to Mardi Gras World.
