Preservation Hall, New Orleans — Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

Enter Preservation Hall and step back into the revolutionary moment when New Orleans jazz nearly disappeared, saved only by a small group of dedicated activists who believed this music was worth fighting for. Founded in 1961 by Larry Borenstein, Ken Grayson Mills, Barbara Reid, and Allan Jaffe, the hall was created with a singular mission: protect, preserve, and perpetuate Traditional New Orleans Jazz. What made this venue extraordinary was not just the music, but its fearless embrace of racial integration during the Jim Crow era, when segregation wasn't merely law but violent cultural doctrine. Here, racially integrated bands performed for racially integrated audiences in a Southern city where such mingling invited legal scrutiny and worse. The venue featured living legends of early jazz, musicians like George Lewis, Punch Miller, and Sweet Emma Barrett, people who remembered when jazz first emerged from the streets of New Orleans in the 1920s. Allan Jaffe's innovative decision to tour Preservation Hall ensembles starting in 1963 carried this irreplaceable music to national and international audiences, proving that tradition could thrive alongside expansion. No stage, no frills, no fancy lighting; just musicians and audience in intimate proximity, creating genuine connections that transcend performance. This venue still operates 360 nights per year with over 50 master musicians in the collective. With Questo, you can uncover how small acts of cultural preservation reshape entire cities.