Very nice staff, koi pond, and butterfly sanctuary. A great place to take the kids, especially if they like to eat bugs after they learn about them. (Crickets and seasoned waxworms are served in the cafeteria.)

Pick up an audio guide and stroll the footpaths of the NOMA’s backyard.

A really great example of American Renaissance architecture and design. On a nice day, tour the eight acres of nine gardens.

This is no Madame Tussaud. It's a darker, weirder museum that uses surreal wax tableaux to tell the story of the city's history. Ther are battle scenes, boxing scenes, lynch mob scenes, and Napoleon in a bathtub.

Could there be a more perfect home for this new institution? Try and time your visit with one of their seminars (like “The Mindful Bartender,” or “The Math of Mixology”).

America's first licensed apothecary has two floors crammed with cool old pharmacy tools, tincture bottles, and remedies — great for a few hours of poking around.

A meticulously restored version of 18th-century Creole architecture. And the former home of NOLA’s first American mayor post-Louisiana Purchase.

A great way to get your architectural bearings: Hitch a ride on a mahogany trolley car (from 1835) to glimpse grand old homes, the zoological gardens, Tulane and Loyola universities.

Filled with folklore and Southern mystic charm. Curious curios to boot. Take 20 minutes, and you'll have a intro into the magical history of NOLA.

A fresh-faced neighborhood for the arts: Ogden Museum of Southern Art, Contemporary Arts Center, the excellent World War II Museum, and contemporary art galleries.