A REVIEW OF JAM NOLA, NEW ORLEANS
ART PRESERVES: JAM NOLA
The original JAM NOLA opened in the Marigny on Royal Street in 2020. As you can imagine, the pandemic was an early challenge. Although the concept was an impressive one (collect interactive works by local creators to engage visitors in the history and culture of a city through art), and some exhibits were instant hits, the experience for me - even after multiple visits - lacked coherence.
A new location and a fresh start has completely revamped things, though, and in this new venue, over 100 local artists have contributed to a much more engaging, interesting and relevant attraction. I’d previously stopped recommending the old place to visitors, but having seen the new iteration, JAM NOLA is firmly back on my list of enthusiastic suggestions.
From the very beginning, the world-building is immersive, unpredictable and in many cases very funny. You enter a fantasy version of New Orleans through its sewers, with period news clips about when the city cleaned out hundreds of tons of Mardi Gras beads from its underground canals. You emerge from the mouth of a huge animal (no spoilers, but there's a clue in the photo) made from discarded industrial baking trays (the museum is on the site of a former bakery).
Different zones and worlds await, each touching on an essential aspect of New Orleans culture. You’ll see giant articulated puppets, miniature versions of the city’s legendary music venues, and even a spacecraft taking us to Mardi Gras, 500 years into the future. Almost every surface is covered in something to look at, touch, help embellish or take photos of. You can use your phone to interact with different levels of augmented reality, dodging gators in a digital swamp, or simply appreciate the intense levels of creativity and craft that have come together to create this playground.
The interactive art and an irreverent approach to most of city life promotes infectious levels of joy. There are sly inside jokes for the locals, but all visitors will love the surface level charm and characters, and it’s easy to get lost in the whimsy. You don’t have to be a professional New Orleanian to enjoy JAM. There are also exhibits that highlight the importance of local cultures such as the masking Mardi Gras Indians. You can see their incredible beaded costumes and masks up close - the museum works with local tribes to rotate the exhibits every few months, and all money raised from related souvenirs in the gift shop goes to supporting these historic societies.
You can skip through the exhibits at your own pace, and if you want to commit to the full experience, then fire up your phone and dive into all of the augmented reality options. You can also just view it as an (albeit unconventional) art gallery, and simply admire the work of some of our city’s most creative minds. There are lots of great gift shop souvenirs to browse, many that you won’t find elsewhere: find works from featured artists, help support the Mardi Gras Indian societies, and pick up some quirky apparel and accessories. If you went to the old JAM, I’d really recommend going to the new one and seeing the difference. If it’s your first time, you’ve chosen well. (PO)
JAM NOLA
940 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70116
Website
REVIEW: THE NEW ORLEANS JAZZ MUSEUM
A new location and a fresh start has completely revamped things, though, and in this new venue, over 100 local artists have contributed to a much more engaging, interesting and relevant attraction. I’d previously stopped recommending the old place to visitors, but having seen the new iteration, JAM NOLA is firmly back on my list of enthusiastic suggestions.
From the very beginning, the world-building is immersive, unpredictable and in many cases very funny. You enter a fantasy version of New Orleans through its sewers, with period news clips about when the city cleaned out hundreds of tons of Mardi Gras beads from its underground canals. You emerge from the mouth of a huge animal (no spoilers, but there's a clue in the photo) made from discarded industrial baking trays (the museum is on the site of a former bakery).
Different zones and worlds await, each touching on an essential aspect of New Orleans culture. You’ll see giant articulated puppets, miniature versions of the city’s legendary music venues, and even a spacecraft taking us to Mardi Gras, 500 years into the future. Almost every surface is covered in something to look at, touch, help embellish or take photos of. You can use your phone to interact with different levels of augmented reality, dodging gators in a digital swamp, or simply appreciate the intense levels of creativity and craft that have come together to create this playground.
The interactive art and an irreverent approach to most of city life promotes infectious levels of joy. There are sly inside jokes for the locals, but all visitors will love the surface level charm and characters, and it’s easy to get lost in the whimsy. You don’t have to be a professional New Orleanian to enjoy JAM. There are also exhibits that highlight the importance of local cultures such as the masking Mardi Gras Indians. You can see their incredible beaded costumes and masks up close - the museum works with local tribes to rotate the exhibits every few months, and all money raised from related souvenirs in the gift shop goes to supporting these historic societies.
You can skip through the exhibits at your own pace, and if you want to commit to the full experience, then fire up your phone and dive into all of the augmented reality options. You can also just view it as an (albeit unconventional) art gallery, and simply admire the work of some of our city’s most creative minds. There are lots of great gift shop souvenirs to browse, many that you won’t find elsewhere: find works from featured artists, help support the Mardi Gras Indian societies, and pick up some quirky apparel and accessories. If you went to the old JAM, I’d really recommend going to the new one and seeing the difference. If it’s your first time, you’ve chosen well. (PO)
JAM NOLA
940 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70116
Website
REVIEW: THE NEW ORLEANS JAZZ MUSEUM
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