New Orleans photos: museum time

This last week in New Orleans, we visited as many museums as we could cram into our schedule. Up first: the World War II Museum, which is quite impressive, considering it isn't as big as it's going to be.


Fans of the National Air and Space Museum or the Boeing Museum will appreciate the Suspended Aircraft Wing (see what I did there?) that greets visitors.


The exhibits are solid, although they might seem like old hat to history buffs. Most excellent are the various interviews with people involved on all sides and in all facets of the conflict. The coming expansion will hopefully take the institution from excellent to outstanding.


One of the more renowned exhibits: Eisenhower's never-needed apology letter, prepared in advance of potential defeat at Normandy (and, in the heat of things, wrongly dated).


Another essential New Orleans destination: the Cabildo, which recounts the ancient and not-so-ancient history of the city. Seen here is Pere Antoine. Those guilt-seeking eyes.


Napoleon's death mask.


A quill, from the good old days before Twitter.


A random pianoforte, or perhaps a pianomezzoforte.


The Presbytere, in the same block as the Cabildo and the St. Louis Cathedral, houses the state's Mardi Gras museum, with delightful exhibits, illuminating videos, and the most costume jewelry I've ever seen assembled in one place.


No comment.