The Backstreet Cultural Museum is a non-profit organization, established in 1999. It gathers all sorts of New Orleans’ African American collections, including photographs, memorabilia, costumes, films, and other objects related to this culture.
The museum has 5 creative collections exhibited, starting with the Film Collection that started this backstreet world in the late 1970s when the founder of the museum began filming carnival celebrations. It also records more than 500 jazz funerals and Mardi Gras Indian performances.
The Mardi Gras Indians collection exhibits the unique suits worn by the tribes, which take a whole year of preparation and time to make them as spectacular as they are.
To the African American culture, Jazz Funerals connect the community to the ancestors like no other tradition does. This Jazz Funerals collection includes films and photographs of New Orleans’ jazz funerals from the last 30 years.
Don’t forget to visit the Skull and Bone Gangs and Baby Dolls collections too!
Check out the many different programs such as the Mardi Gras Indian Sewing Program (and Mardi Gras Day Open House), All Saints Day Parade, and for the youngest, the Back to School Picnic, which takes place the Saturday before Labor Day.
