Understand New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS TODAY

On her 300th birthday, New Orleans navigates immigration and a troubled history while embracing her unique culture.

HISTORY

From French trappers to free people of color to gentrification, this seemingly timeless city is ever evolving.

PEOPLE OF NEW ORLEANS

The city blends a unique brew of Native American, African, French, Spanish, Irish, Vietnamese and many more nations.

ARCHITECTURE

The unique nature of New Orleans is immediately evident thanks to entire blocks of Caribbean-inspired architecture.

MUSIC

The musical tastes of entire generations has been shaped by the sounds that have incubated in New Orleans.

ENVIRONMENT

Bayous, wetlands and cypress swamps make for a surreal landscape, currently threatened by rising water levels.