The Ogden Museum is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year! You can join us in celebrating with a day of kid and adult art activities, yoga, scavenger hunts, music, food and more on Aug. 25, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.! This event is free and fun for the whole family.
We can’t wait to celebrate our 15th anniversary with you, but until then, here are 15 reasons why you should visit the Museum now.
1. Learn about New Orleans history.
The Ogden Museum has two exhibitions right now that let visitors take a look back at the history of the city. Salazar: Portraits of Influence in Spanish New Orleans, 1785 – 1802 features the portraits of painter Josef Francisco Xavier de Salazar y Mendoza. His career spanned the second half of the Spanish administration of New Orleans. The exhibition provides insight on life in Spanish colonial New Orleans. A Precise Vision: The Architectural Archival Watercolors of Jim Blanchard highlights the work of artist Jim Blanchard in restoring the grand buildings of New Orleans’ past through his paintings.
2. Support local student artwork.
The Education Gallery features work from local students ranging from elementary school to college. The HBCU Art Showcase is on view now in the Education Gallery. It presents works from students attending Dillard University and Xavier University of Louisiana, two of Louisiana’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
3. See the Permanent Collection.
The Ogden Museum’s Permanent Collection features more than 4,000 works by artists from or associated with the South. It is the world’s largest collection of Southern art. Selections from the Permanent Collection of the Ogden Museum are currently installed on the third and fourth floors of Goldring Hall. Ranging from 19th century Bayou School landscapes to Vernacular Art, these exhibitions celebrate the depth and breadth of the Museum’s holdings. Right now, you can see works by Richard Clague, Ellsworth Woodward, John McCrady, Kathleen Blacksheer, Benny Andrews, Thornton Dial Jr., Howard Finster, Clementine Hunter, Walter Anderson and others.
4. Hear live music at Ogden After Hours.
Every week, the Ogden Museum stays open until 8 p.m. for Ogden After Hours! OAH is a place for Southern musicians to showcase new work or break into the New Orleans market. Visitors can enjoy music in such genres as blues, jazz, R&B, country, folk, rockabilly, Cajun, bluegrass, Swamp pop, gospel and rock ‘n’ roll, as well as enjoy various food pop ups as well as a cash bar. There is also a children’s guided art activity inspired by Southern artists, held weekly, in the education gallery on the third floor.
5. Check out The Center for Southern Craft and Design’s artist spotlight.
The Center for Southern Craft and Design showcases leaders in craft fields like jewelry, ceramics, textiles, glassworks, woodworks and metalworks. The current artist spotlight is North Carolina-based artist Mimi Logothetis, who applies graphics to the surface of porcelain to tell stories and wry jokes.
6. Support contemporary Louisiana artists.
Louisiana Contemporary, Presented by The Helis Foundation, a yearly juried exhibition, celebrates the work of artists in Louisiana. The exhibition opened on Hancock Whitney White Linen Night. Louisiana Contemporary provides an exhibition space for the exposition of living artist’s work and engages a contemporary audience that recognizes the vibrant visual arts culture of Louisiana and the role of New Orleans as a rising, international art center.
7. See the Ogden Museum’s view of New Orleans from the terrace.
Did you know we have an outdoor terrace? Head to the fifth floor to look at the sculptures we have, and see the views of the city from the top of the Museum!
8. Spend the day in the Warehouse District in New Orleans.
The Ogden Museum is located in the vibrant Warehouse District in New Orleans, surrounded by other museums and galleries. The Warehouse District is also home to many events celebrating the New Orleans art community, such as Hancock Whitney White Linen Night. For this year’s White Linen Night, we celebrated the opening receptions of two new exhibitions, Louisiana Contemporary, Presented by The Helis Foundation and the HBCU Art Showcase.
9. Check out the photography exhibitions.
The Ogden Museum regularly features photography exhibitions showcasing the work of artists from or inspired by the South. You can see Doris Ulmann’s lush and dreamy portraits of the craftsmen, musicians and other tradespeople of the American South on view now at the Museum! Ulmann was a native New Yorker who traveled from Appalachia and the Sea Islands of South Carolina to the deep South and New Orleans, photographing the region’s people in dignified portraits.
10. Learn about self-taught artists.
Check out the Southern Vernacular Art gallery to learn about self-taught artists like Clementine Hunter, George Andrews, Howard Finster, Thornton Dial and more! These artists did not have formal training, allowing them to develop their own unique styles. You can also keep up with the Ogden Museum on Instagram to see our #SelfTaughtTuesday posts featuring the different self-taught artists whose work is at the Museum!
11. #SeetheSouth for free.
We regularly offer deals for discounted or free admission to the Ogden Museum so that everyone has the opportunity to explore the world’s largest collection of Southern art. Louisiana residents get in for free every Thursday, courtesy of the Helis Foundation. College students get free admission on the first Friday of every month for O First Friday. And of course, members always receive free admission!
12. August is New Orleans Museum Month.
If you’re a member at one of the other museums participating in New Orleans Museum Month, you can also get free admission to the Ogden Museum in August! The Ogden Museum, National WWII Museum, New Orleans Museum of Art and Contemporary Arts Center are just some of the great museums participating in NOLA Museum Month.
13. Join us for special events with artists.
Get to know more about the art on view and the artists through our artist workshops or Meet the Artist events. Jim Blanchard, whose work is on view now in A Precise Vision: The Architectural Archival Watercolors of Jim Blanchard will be at the Museum on Thursday, Aug. 9 and Saturday, Aug. 11 in the gallery for A Precise Vision to answer questions about his work.
14. Check out one of our kids education events.
Part of our mission here at the Ogden Museum is to promote arts education and give people the chance to get involved with the arts. From our Summer Camps to the Baby Artsplay workshops, there’s something for children of all ages! Don’t forget about the kid art activities at our 15th anniversary celebration!
15. Tour the Museum on your own or guided by one of our docents.
Docent-led tours are available on the first three Saturdays of the month at 2 p.m., and are free with regular museum admission. Any other time, you can take the time to explore the exhibitions on view at the Museum on your own.