NEW ORLEANS (September 18, 2008) – On Saturday, September 27, 2008, New Orleans-area museums and attractions will participate in the fourth annual Museum Day, presented by Smithsonian magazine. Museum Day is a day when museums and cultural institutions nationwide open their doors free of charge to Smithsonian magazine readers and Smithsonian.com visitors. A celebration of culture, learning and the dissemination of knowledge, Smithsonian’s Museum Day reflects the spirit of the magazine, and emulates the free-admission policy of the Smithsonian Institution’s Washington, DC-based properties.
“Louisiana is fortunate to have an authentic culture and heritage that can’t be found anywhere else in the world,” said Louisiana Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu. “Our museums preserve the rich history of our people, and I encourage everyone to take advantage of this special opportunity to visit these venues, free-of-charge.”
Last year, upwards of 100,000 people attended Museum Day. All 50 states plus Puerto Rico were represented by 651 participating museums. Attendees must present Smithsonian magazine’s Museum Day Admission Card to gain free entry to participating institutions. The Museum Day Admission Card will be available in the September 2008 issue of Smithsonian magazine and a downloadable version is available on the Museum Day website at http://microsite.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/
“As a Smithsonian affiliate, we always look forward to this annual event. As museums, it always feels good to give back to the community that gives us so much support,” said Museum President and CEO, Gordon “Nick” Mueller, Ph.D. The National World War II Museum will debut the exhibition Lives Remembered: Photographs of a Small Town in Poland 1897-1939 as part of the Museum Day festivities.
New Orleans attractions participating this year include:
The National World War II Museum
504-527-6012
www.nationalww2museum.org
Ogden Museum of Southern Art
504-539-9600
www.ogdenmuseum.org
Contemporary Arts Center
504- 528- 3800
www.cacno.org
House of Broel Mansion and Dollhouse Museum
504-522-2220
www.houseofbroel.com
The Historic New Orleans Collection
504-523-4662
www.hnoc.org
Longue Vue House and Gardens
504-488-5488
www.longuevue.com
Louisiana Children's Museum
504-523-1357
www.lcm.org
Louisiana State Museum
504-568-6968
http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/
New Orleans Museum of Art
504-658-4100
www.noma.org
New Orleans Pharmacy Museum
504-565-8027
www.pharmacymuseum.org
For information on individual institutions and their programs and hours of operation, please contact the specific venue. Smithsonian Museum Day is sponsored by Citgo, The Louisiana Office of Culture, Recreation and Tourism and the World Cultural Economic Forum.
About Smithsonian
Founded in 1970 with the launch of Smithsonian magazine, Smithsonian Media—comprising Smithsonian magazine, Air & Space, goSmithsonian, Smithsonian Publishing Digital Network,
Smithsonian Books and advertising for Smithsonian Channel—allows the intellectually curious to indulge and engage their passions for history, the arts, science, the natural world, culture and travel. Smithsonian Media’s flagship publication, Smithsonian magazine, has a circulation of more than two million. This multimedia network is also affiliated with the world’s most visited museum and research complexes at the Smithsonian Institution. For more information, visit www.smithsonian.com, www.airandspacemag.com, and www.gosmithsonian.com.