Historic Voodoo Museum, New Orleans
Museum exterior and Voodoo ritual mask on display (by Max Sparber).
"Baron Samedi" made of a human skeleton. Photo by Max Sparber.
Haphazard exhibits in the Historic Voodoo Museum.
"Black Cat Ju Ju" in the Voodoo Museum. Photo by Ben Curthoys.
Photo by Ben Curthoys.
The Historic Voodoo Museum displays a collection of artifacts and information on voodoo as it was and is practiced in New Orleans.
Some of the hard-core voodoo practitioners in town might scoff at the Voodoo Museum, and perhaps rightly so. It is largely designed for tourists, but it is also probably the best opportunity for tourists to get acquainted with the history and culture of voodoo.
Don't expect high-quality, comprehensive exhibits – the museum is just two rooms and dark, dusty, and musty. Items on display include portraits by and of voodoo legends, African artifacts believed to have influenced the development of the religion, a video discussing voodoo, and lots of gris-gris.
There are occult objects from all over the globe plus some articles that allegedly belonged to the legendary Marie Laveau.
Unless someone on staff talks you through it (which they will, if you ask), you might come away with more confusion than facts. Still, it's an adequate introduction. The people who run the museum are involved in voodoo, and there is generally a voodoo priestess on-site, giving readings and making personal gris-gris bags.
The gift shop sells gris-gris potions and voodoo dolls. The museum can arrange psychic readings and visits to voodoo rituals if you want to delve deeper into the subject.
For a less touristy glimpse into Voodoo, visit the Voodoo Spiritual Temple.
| Names: | Historic Voodoo Museum; New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum |
| Address: | 724 Dumaine St, New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Location: | Bourbon St. |
| Phone: | 504/523-7685 |
| Hours: | Daily 10am-8pm |
| Cost: | Admission $7 adults, $5.50 students, seniors, and military, $4.50 high school students, $3.50 grade school students. Cemetery tour $22; tour of the Undead $22 |
Map
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Sources
- Traveler Reviews of the Historic Voodoo Museum – TripAdvisor
- Traveler Reviews of the Historic Voodoo Museum – CitySearch New Orleans
- New Orleans (Rated G) – Travel + Leisure
