| Louisiana State Museum
751 Chartres Street
The Louisiana State Museum, created by legislative act in 1906 and opened in 1911, consists of
eight National Historic Landmark buildings in the Vieux Carre, seven in the Jackson Square area, and one, the Old US
Mint, at 400 Esplanade Avenue. The archives are part of the Louisiana Historical Center in the Mint.
The Louisiana State Museum Carnival Collection contains approximately 5000 items representing nearly all of
the
Greater New Orleans Metropolitan Area Carnival krewes. It includes costumes, jewelry, throws, manuscript material,
photographs, oral history, costume and float sketches, recordings, and newsclippings (1860 to date). Notable costume
and float designers represented are Bonne Caze, Jennie Wilde, Bror A. Wickstrom,
Leda Plauché, Susan Kearney,
Katharine Dyer, and Larry Youngblood. Notable also is the Chris Valley Collection (Elks Krewe
of Orleanians), which
includes photographs, manuscripts, doubloons, costumes, and memorabilia.
Holdings of items generated by Carnival organizations for the use of their members and guests include ball and supper
invitations, admit cards, programs, dance cards, souvenirs, proclamations, correspondence, ball favors, throws,
committee insignia, jewelry, regal regalia, costumes, and miniature floats.
Commercially-made items include Carnival newspaper bulletins, broadsides, books, posters, guides, paintings, prints,
drawings, postcards, photographs, records, and tapes.
Studies and analyses include marching band records, theses, clipping files, and oral histories. Personal memorabilia
include photographs, invitations, scrapbooks, and street costumes.
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