Best Arts and Culture Places in Metairie

"A must-see on most visitors’ New Orleans itineraries, and deservedly so. The building itself, set back in City Park, is imposing and grand with its alabaster walls and Greco-Roman columns. There's also a beautiful five-acre sculpture garden, with artwork beneath magnolias and Spanish moss-laden live oaks."

"Behind the museum’s main building is a gated outdoor space in 11 acres of mature parkland enriched with more than 90 works of sculpture. The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden opened in 2003 and at the time of writing in 2019 had just doubled in size with an expansion that included 26 new works, mostly by 21st-century artists. On serpentine paths among pines, magnolias, camellias and live oaks draped with Spanish moss there are pieces by Henry Moore, Deborah Butterfield, Barbara Hepworth, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Robert Indiana, Gaston Lachaise and René Magritte, as well as contemporary sculptors like Katharina Fritsch, Hank Willis Thomas and Jeppe Hein."

"This five-acre sculpture garden is a park within City Park, and acts as an open-air annex to the wonderful New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA). 90 sculptures—mostly modern and abstract—are set among magnolias and live oaks, framed by bridges and reflecting pools, with world-renowned artists Henry Moore, Antoine Bourdelle, and Ossip Zadkine represented. The lake-set Virlane Tower by Kenneth Snelson is a favorite, as is the familiar Love, Red Blue sign by Robert Indiana, but it’s best to come without a map."

"The sculpture garden that sits just outside the New Orleans Museum of Art is a wooded quilt of streams, pathways, lovers' benches and, of course, sculpture, mainly of the modern and contemporary sort. During spring and summer, theatrical productions are often put on here, but it's a lovely spot for a stroll any time of year."

"The CAC complex in historic downtown is a cultural leader, bridging the gap between the visual and performing arts by combining exhibitions, concerts, dance and plays. Past interactive events, such as Leverage by Mexican artist Pedro Reyes, had patrons delightedly playing on what resembled a giant see-saw. Upcoming exhibitions include 30 Americans, showcasing the last three decades of art by the most influential African-American artists, and Julian Sands in A Celebration of Harold Pinter, where the actor will share and provide insight into Pinter's little-known poetry."

"Right next door to The National WWII Museum is the Contemporary Arts Center, known to locals as the CAC. This artistic hub hosts a variety of exciting contemporary art exhibits and events. To open the 2018 season, the CAC is presenting “Constructing the Break,” their annual open call exhibition of 29 regional artists."

"The CAC has free admission for Louisiana residents on Sundays courtesy of the Helis Foundation. The museum focuses on multi-disciplinary programming and rotating exhibits."

"If you like arts and culture, you might enjoy a trip to the New Orleans Museum of Arts aka NOMA. Here you’ll find art work from famous artists like Picasso, Joan Miro, Georgia O’ Keffe, and also some local Louisiana artists. The art exhibition are divided into arts from different regions of the world. NOMA has a nice cafe, a cute garden to enjoy a picnic and a lake behind to kayak."

"Located in the center of City Park is NOMA, New Orleans Museum of Art which the building itself is beautiful holding a permanent fine art collection of over 40,000 pieces. We will be checking this out on our next trip as well!"

"Gracing the main entrance to City Park since 1911, this traditional fine-arts museum draws from classic Greek architecture, with several…"

"The Octavia Art Gallery focuses on artists whose work is informed by distinct cultural heritage but also vast global perspectives. The staggeringly dynamic paintings pop out from the big white walls as you wander through the brightly lit space on Magazine Street, just off Julia Street. At Octavia Art Gallery, you might catch the exquisite wildlife photography of Joe Zammit-Lucia and the sombre industrial landscapes of Errol Barron."

"Spillman | Blackwell is an exciting new venue on the block – located on Camp Street in the Warehouse District. Recently conceived by longtime best friends Leslie-Claire Spillman and Amy Blackwell, the gallery showcases a diverse roster of artists who work with a variety of media and processes. Bold surrealist canvases from artists like Ed Smith hang side by side with the abstract creations of Melissa Herington and realist photographs of Spillman herself."

"French Quarter and Warehouse District, respectivelyOkay, while the dozens of art galleries lining Royal St in the French Quarter and on Julia St in the Arts District aren’t, technically speaking, museums, they host a veritable smorgasbord of diverse art, antiques, and artifacts much like a bona fide museum... only you can buy the art, if you have the money bags. So long as you’re not falling-down intoxicated or otherwise obnoxious, most galleries are happy to have you stop in for a look at their wares."

"A gas station turned late night diner, The Trolley Stop is open 24 hours Thursday-Saturday on St. Charles Avenue, with breakfast all day, sandwiches, burgers, beer and wine, and usually some strange characters dining within. Try the daily specials, or dare we suggest Pigs in a Blanket."

"Lakeside Shopping Center, 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 79A, Metairie, (504) 833-7906; www.smashburger.com. A barbecue, bacon and cheddar burger is topped with fried onions on an egg bun."

"Frozen dessert impresario Sam Caruso has a devoted cult following for his quarts (yes, quarts) of crazy killer creams. The fetish began with Monkeys Be Hatin’ (banana ice cream with blonde Oreos), leading to Caroots n Cake and the insanely good Mr. Meowgi (dark chocolate custard, salted-caramel cream cheese, crispy rice and half-baked brownies) to name a few. Order via Instagram."