CULTURE

The first operas in the United States were held in New Orleans in the 1790s, when the Spanish-style houses of the French Quarter and the exquisite Greek Renaissance mansions of the Garden District were built. The restaurants offer meals of different cultures, as well as the distinctive Cajun and Creole cuisine. New Orleans was the birthplace of the nation and artists and artisans from all over the world emigrated to this vibrant port. The city has world-class museums, including those affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution: the National Museum of World War II and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. Artist studios and galleries line the streets of the French Quarter / Marigny Warehouse / the Arts District and Magazine Street.