The New Orleans Jazz Museum is a music history museum inside the historic Old U.S. Mint, at 400 Esplanade Avenue on the edge of the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana. This guide covers current opening hours, ticket prices, transport and parking, accessibility, and practical tips for a first-time visit.
This guide was updated in August 2026.
Quick facts
| Opening hours | Tuesday–Sunday, 9am–4pm. Closed Mondays. |
| Adult ticket price | $11 |
| Address | 400 Esplanade Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70116 |
| Nearest transport | Riverfront Streetcar to the French Market stop, directly across the street |
| Typical visit length | About one to two hours |
The New Orleans Jazz Museum opening hours
Most current sources, including the Louisiana State Museums website, list the museum as open Tuesday to Sunday, from 9am to 4pm, with Mondays closed.
The museum’s own main visit page currently shows hours running every day of the week without a Monday closure, which conflicts with this. Given the inconsistency, it is worth calling (504) 568-6993 to confirm before attempting a Monday visit.
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The New Orleans Jazz Museum ticket prices
Adult admission costs $11 per person. Students, seniors and active military pay $9, and children aged 6 and under enter free.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in August 2026. Buying tickets to two or more Louisiana State Museums together saves 20% per additional ticket, groups of 15 or more with a reservation save 20%, AAA members save 10%, and school groups can visit free with a reservation.
How to get to the New Orleans Jazz Museum
The museum is reachable by the Riverfront Streetcar line, which terminates at the French Market stop directly across the street. RTA bus routes 8 and 55 also stop within a short walk.
The museum sits at the edge of the French Quarter, close to the Frenchmen Street live music corridor, so many visitors combine a visit with a walk through the Quarter or an evening of live music nearby.
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Parking at the New Orleans Jazz Museum
There is no dedicated museum car park. Street parking is limited near the French Quarter and Frenchmen Street, and paid parking garages operate a short walk away in the Quarter and around the French Market.
How long to spend at the New Orleans Jazz Museum
Most visitors spend around one to two hours exploring the museum’s galleries across its multiple floors. Visitors who also catch a free performance or ranger talk in the building should allow extra time.
Accessibility at the New Orleans Jazz Museum
The museum is fully ADA compliant, with elevator access to every level. It recommends entering via the Barracks Street entrance; the Esplanade Avenue entrance also has a ramp, though it was affected by ongoing construction work at the time of writing.
Inside the New Orleans Jazz Museum
The Old U.S. Mint building itself is a highlight, having operated as a federal mint from 1838 to 1909 and remaining the only U.S. mint to have struck coins for the United States, the short-lived Republic of Louisiana, and the Confederacy.
Congo Square to the World: Early Jazz in New Orleans traces the roots of jazz using instruments, photographs and recordings from the museum’s collection of more than 25,000 artifacts. The permanent exhibit It All Started in Jane Alley: Louis Armstrong in New Orleans covers Armstrong’s upbringing and lifelong connection to the city.
Drumsville: Evolution of the New Orleans Beat traces the development of the drum kit in New Orleans, drawing on equipment loaned by contemporary local drummers as well as historic instruments.
The museum’s renovated third-floor Performance Center hosts live music, lectures and recordings, and the museum states it hosts more than 365 musical acts a year across its various spaces, including free weekly Tuesday Balcony sessions.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Timing | Most sources list Mondays as closed, though the museum’s own page currently shows no Monday closure, so call ahead if planning a Monday visit. |
| Crowds | The museum spans several floors, so even busy periods rarely feel crowded in every gallery at once. |
| Layout | Coin and Mint history exhibits sit on the ground floor, with jazz galleries and the Performance Center above, so allow time to see both. |
| Entry process | A Jazz Museum ticket covers the museum’s exhibits; the adjoining, free National Park Service Jazz Visitor Center and its performances do not require this ticket. |
| On-site logistics | The museum recommends entering via Barracks Street, since the Esplanade Avenue entrance has been affected by construction. |
Frequently asked questions about the New Orleans Jazz Museum
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the New Orleans Jazz Museum suitable for children? | Yes. Children aged 6 and under enter free, and the exhibits use listening stations, instruments and photographs that suit a range of ages. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for the New Orleans Jazz Museum? | No. Tickets can be bought online or at the door. |
| Is the New Orleans Jazz Museum open on Mondays? | Most sources say no, though the museum’s own visit page currently lists no Monday closure, so confirm directly before visiting. |
| Is the New Orleans Jazz Museum free? | No, general admission is $11 for adults, though the adjoining National Park Service Jazz Visitor Center in the same building is free. |
| Is the New Orleans Jazz Museum wheelchair accessible? | Yes. The museum is fully ADA compliant with elevator access to every level. |
Things to do near the New Orleans Jazz Museum
The French Market, a historic marketplace with food stalls and shops, sits directly across the street. Frenchmen Street, one of the city’s best-known live music corridors, is a short walk away in the Faubourg Marigny.
The Presbytère and The Cabildo, both part of the Louisiana State Museum near St Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square, are a short walk into the French Quarter. Washington Square Park, a quiet green space in the Marigny, is another easy add-on stop.
What to visit tomorrow
The Capitol Park Museum, in Baton Rouge, is about an hour and a quarter’s drive away and includes exhibits on jazz, blues, zydeco, Cajun and country music.
The West Baton Rouge Museum, in Port Allen, is a similar distance and hosts a recurring Cajun music jam alongside its regional history exhibits.
Vermilionville, a living history park in Lafayette, is around two hours’ drive and includes a permanent exhibit on the tools of Cajun and Creole music.
The Cajun Music Hall of Fame & Museum, in Eunice, is a little over two hours’ drive and is dedicated entirely to the history of Cajun music and its performers.
The Prairie Acadian Cultural Center, also in Eunice and run by the National Park Service, sits alongside the Hall of Fame and offers free exhibits on Cajun and Creole music and culture.
More New Orleans travel
Other New Orleans travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- The Old Ursuline Convent in New Orleans: Visitor guide with hours, prices and history.
- What you need to know before visiting the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience in New Orleans.
- Discover tales of slavery in the antebellum South at the Hermann-Grima House.
- Embrace local food and drink culture at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum.
- See the costumes and floats in progress at Mardi Gras World.
