There's nothing like a little context to better understand New Orleans' commitment to throwing grand parades. The Presbytere, designed in 1791 to match the Town Hall on side opposite the French Quarter's landmark St. Louis Cathedral, is now part of

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There's nothing like a little context to better understand New Orleans' commitment to throwing grand parades. The Presbytere, designed in 1791 to match the Town Hall on side opposite the French Quarter's landmark St. Louis Cathedral, is now part of the Louisiana State Museum and houses a permanent exhibition dedicated to Mardi Gras. Magnificent costumes, artifacts, and video footage populate the displays, which are divided into five parts: history, masks, parades, balls, and customs. And yes, the LGBT community's contributions to the festivities are included; all-gay crews have constructed floats and thrown elaborate parties alongside their straight counterparts since the '50s.

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