The distinctive beat of jazz music placed New Orleans on the map, at a time when jazz was beginning its soulful melodic sound. Located in the heart of this area is the Old U.S. Mint, housed within the Louisiana State Museum and honoring this distinctive music sound and Carnival celebrations. In fact, the very first trumpet of Louis Armstrong is here, part of the historical story told to the world in regard to jazz and how it developed within the New Orleans area.
A tool for musicians to personally express themselves in the famous
French Quarter of New Orleans, the Old U.S. Mint can no better be described than with a quotation from the Louisiana State Museum itself, "New Orleans jazz is a performance art based on the musical elements of syncopation, improvisation, blues scale, call-and-response, rhythm, tone color, harmony and interpretation."
Just one of several heritage attractions offering a variety of exhibits, exquisite showcases in the Old U.S. Mint involve a wide range of displays. Revealing to the public shows such as the "Treasures of Napoleon" and "Let Your Motto Be Resistance: African American Portraits", they all add to the Museum's online digital collection of photographs, maps, jazz, and paintings.
Opening last October in 2007 after renovation from Katrina, the U.S. Mint in New Orleans began a new era when it reopened with an exhibit called "Gold." Up and running at full steam, the museum is open Monday to Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and are closed on major holidays.
