Cabildo
701 Chartres St.
(504) 568-6968

 

Hours:

Tuesday through Sunday: 10:00am – 5:00pm

 

Admission/Fees:

Adults, Children, Seniors: $4.00

 

Part of the Louisiana State Museum historical museum complex, the Cabildo was constructed in 1795-99 as the seat of the Spanish municipal government in New Orleans. The Cabildo housed the Spanish colonial government offices and the local army garrison. In 1803, the Cabildo was the site where the transfer papers for the Louisiana Purchase were signed. Through the years, the building also served as the home of the Louisiana Supreme Court; where such nationally famous court cases as Plessy vs. Ferguson and the Slaughterhouse case were decided.

In 1911 the Cabildo was designated the home of the newly established Louisiana State Museum. After a fire severely damaged the building in 1988, the Cabildo re-opened in 1994 with an exhaustive exhibit concentrating on Louisiana’s early history. The Cabildo has a host of changing exhibits that show the cultural impact in the shaping of New Orleans. Permanent exhibits include the death mask of Napoleon, and artifacts from early Louisiana Indians. The Cabildo is located in historic Jackson Square, next to St. Louis Cathedral.