The South's nickname was supposedly born at a former bank in New Orleans' French Quarter.

This New Orleans statue of a portly figure in a goofy hat pays homage to a classic of satirical literature.

Professional and amateur dioramas, taxidermy, and oddities all located in an attic above a gallery.

An artist weaves "wooden quilts" with scraps salvaged from his Katrina-damaged home in Tremé.

This strange example of the Egyptian Revival architecture trend now holds Mardi Gras floats.

Taxidermied cartoon heads, unseen illustrations, and famous characters all reside in this small gallery space.

Once the site of a Native American harvest festival, this humble clearing later played an invaluable role in the birth of jazz.

"If she'd leave us alone, we would have a happy home, sent from down below."

The first patented shaved-ice machine heralded a snowy wonderland of iced treats at a favorite New Orleans summer shack.

One of the oldest continuously-operated gay bars in the United States is allegedly haunted by Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams.

Shop for books in the New Orleans house where William Faulkner once lived.

The greatest collection of New Orleans masking and processional traditions covering everything from Baby Dolls to Skull and Bone gangs.

Parts of the civil rights movement unfolded in this historic eatery, helmed by the "Queen of Creole Cuisine."

A pink cottage covered in hearts served as a haven and a resting place for LGBTQ activists.

This unique shop is full of memento mori art, antique medical equipment, secret society paraphernalia, and historical relics.

Tiny historical streetcars wind through a small scale version of Crescent City in this whimsical train garden.

This macabre shop, filled with art, oddities, and taxidermy is hidden in the heart of the French Quarter.

An otherworldly musical haven in The Big Easy.

This float factory takes the mask off of Mardi Gras and lets visitors see where the magic happens.

A 19th-century shrine covered with prosthetic body parts as votive offerings.

This bar named after the world's first mixed cocktail was home to one of New Orleans' most notorious politicians.

Imagine playing a version of Legends of the Hidden Temple, but with a distinctly Southern Gothic flare.

Made of giant chains and hung with shackles, this iron cross honors those unknowns who perished under American slavery.

Storyville was New Orleans' historic red light district and hotbed of jazz music, sometimes referred to simply as "The District."