Confederate Memorial Hall Museum

General information

Confederate Memorial Hall Museum is a museum located in New Orleans which contains historical artifacts related to the Confederate States of America (C.S.A.) and the American Civil War. It is historically also known as "Memorial Hall". It houses the second-largest collection of Confederate Civil War items in the world, behind the American Civil War Museum in Richmond, Virginia. The museum has been advertised as Louisiana's Civil War Museum and as Louisiana's Oldest Museum.This "Adjunct of the Howard Memorial Library Association", according to Frank T. Howard's letter of 8 Jan. 1891, was placed in the "possession" the Board of Governors of the Louisiana Historical Association "to be set apart forever for the use of" that organization. Sully & Toledano designed the hall, which was completed in 1888, following the Richardsonian Romanesque style of the Howard Library designed by H.H. Richardson.CollectionsThe Confederate Memorial Hall contains over 5,000 historical artifacts including several rare Civil War items. It holds the personal effects and uniforms of Confederate generals Braxton Bragg and P.G.T. Beauregard, as well as over 140 regimental and other C.S.A. flags. Jefferson Davis' wife Varina Davis donated several of her late husband's belongings to the museum including items of clothing, his Bible and saddle, plus a crown of thorns from Pope Pius IX.