Carnival Time Around the Museum: Tips for Your Trip to the Museum this Mardi Gras

As Carnival season builds up over the next week down here in New Orleans, the fun will be drumming down the streets right near the Museum, and it may affect your visit to the Museum.

For March 9th, 1943, the Retailers for Victory Committee organized a special Carnival Day Bond Drive and celebration in the 800 block of Canal Street. Image from the collection of The National WWII Museum.

Whether you’re a history buff or a parade-goer, we’ve got some tips for your Carnival Time trip to the Museum.

1. Plan carefully for when and how you’re making your trip to the Museum.

• On the weekend of February 6-7, parades will be rolling day and night near the Museum, as well as parades on the evenings of February 3-5 and 8. You may find it impossible to park or get caught in parade traffic if you’re not careful. Tip: Beat the traffic, and arrive at the Museum before the parades roll.
• Be sure to read the signs carefully before you park! Especially if you’re parking on the street. Avoid parking under “Parade Route” signs. You may get towed if there’s a parade set for that day.

2. Come see us while you’re at the parades!

The King Cake at The American Sector is definitely worth fighting for.

• Escape the beads, and learn some history. We’re just a block off Lee Circle, and our restaurant The American Sector will have Mardi Gras food and drink specials, a real bathroom, and some seats waiting for you. Looking for a quick snack? Pop into Jeri Nim’s Soda Shop for a bite!

3. If it looks like a rainy day out on the parade route, consider staying dry in the Museum.

A restored P-40 Warhawk fighter plane is suspended in our newest exhibit Road to Tokyo.

• Our newest exhibits Road to Berlin and Road to Tokyo are pretty spectacular. And according to Architectural Digest, our US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center is just one of 16 spots not to miss in New Orleans.

4. Have fun on Mardi Gras Day, and remember that we’re closed for it on Tuesday February 9, 2016.

King and Queen in full costume, presumably welcoming crowd. Probably image from Mardi Gras celebration in Italy in February 1945. Scanned to disk in donor file. 13 February 1945. Gift in Memory of Dr. Thomas Edward Weiss, from the collection of the National WWII Museum.

For more information on Mardi Gras Parades Schedules and Routes, click here.

See what Carnival time was like around the world during World War II. Uncover stories from New Orleans and Italy here.