In New Orleans we often take pains to point out what makes us different from other places. It’s pretty common to hear comments like, “We’re not like the rest of the country,” and “We’re not like the rest of the South.”
So it’s ironic that two of New Orleans’ newest icons are representative of the South, and the rest of the country. And they’re just a few blocks away from each other: The National World War II Museum and The Ogden Museum of Southern Art.
The National World War II Museum was declared America’s official national World War II Museum by an act of Congress. In 2014 Traveler’s Choice named it as the11thbest museum in the world. And by 2017 its economic impact on the city is projected to reach $1 billion. By any standards the museum is a big deal.
Locally, we refer to The Ogden Museum of Southern Art as “The Ogden.” The museum takes the abbreviation a step further, referring to itself as "The O." The Museum holds the largest collection of Southern art in the world and is the leading resource and authority on the culture of the South.
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