Performance Center

The 3rd floor Performance Center of the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint incorporates production, recording and web broadcasting of live music and theatrical performances, lectures, symposia, oral histories, video interviews, and curatorial panels.

From both a technical and cultural standpoint, the Performance Center complements the New Orleans Jazz Museum’s mission to celebrate the history of jazz, in all its forms, through dynamic interactive exhibits, multi-generational educational programming, research facilities and engaging musical performances. 

The New Orleans Jazz Museum now links its ongoing collections audio digitization work-flow with that of the Performance Center, including the digitization of its internationally recognized Jazz Collection.

The Performance Center provides the opportunity to link the artifacts and exhibits with the living musical and cultural traditions of the region through a variety of avenues, including live musical and theatrical performances, web streaming, lectures, symposia, conferences, and curatorial presentations. A new comprehensive exhibit on the history of jazz is in development. Regular updates will be posted on this site and social media.

Education & Expansion

Educational programming at the New Orleans Jazz Museum is actively expanding as we are engage K-12 schools, universities, and adults in lifelong learning opportunities. In addition to school tours, summer camp opportunities and internships, key partnerships like that with the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park provide rich historical context and immersion in jazz through presentations, exhibits, and concerts. We are proud to announce that the first phase of our new Jazz Education Center has opened this Fall, and we are looking forward to opening our Ruth U. Fertel Jazz Lab in collaboration with a grant from the Ruth U. Fertel Foundation. In keeping with our commitment to further the legacy of jazz through the development of the next generation of musicians, the Jazz Museum is partnering with organizations like the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts (NOCCA) and the Trombone Shorty Academy to identify and cultivate young talent through master classes and mentorship. We are excited to announce a key partnership with the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation to launch the New Orleans Jazz Museum Music Outreach Program, which will bring expert jazz instructors into schools to promote music education and allow students to enhance their individual abilities in a more intimate, focused setting with resources specifically dedicated to their success.