Rivertown in New Orleans, Louisiana
Located in the town of Kenner, just a half-mile from New Orleans International Airport and close to the other attractions the city offers, Rivertown is a 16-block historic district and tourist complex that includes museums, theaters, shops, and cafes, all situated on a pretty stretch of land along the Mississippi River. It’s becoming a major attraction in the area and also boasts facilities for meetings and conventions.
One of the most visited venues in Rivertown is the Mardi Gras Museum. Small but fun to browse, this attractions profiles more than 150 years of Mardi Gras history and provides not only artifacts to admire but also video presentations. Visitors can even climb aboard a Mardi Gras float and snap some souvenir photos.
The Cannes Brulee Native American Museum exhibits both contemporary and traditional works of art crafted by Native Americans from Louisiana and other portions of the Southeastern United States. Items on display include pottery, instruments, weapons, wood carvings, paintings, and even moccasins and dream catchers. Occasionally, craftsmen are on hand to demonstrate their art and Native American concerts are offered as well.
The Science Center at Rivertown explores science and space via hands-on exhibits that the whole family can enjoy and Space Station Kenner provides a full-sized prototype of the NASA International Space Station and a variety of other space-related exhibits including a 4-billion-year-old meteorite. More science knowledge is imparted at the nearby Planetarium MegaDome and Cinema, which shows daily “sky shows” and laser presentations as well as big screen movie productions on a variety of earth- and science-related subjects.
The Rivertown Repertory Theater presents a full schedule of plays and musicals that appeal to a large range of tastes. The theater company has been lauded for its excellent productions and is the recipient of numerous awards for its offerings, which enrich the community-at-large.
Designed especially for young visitors, the Children’s Castle offers once-a-week shows on Saturday mornings throughout the year for a small fee. These productions might include puppetry, storytelling, magicians, and a variety of musical concerts.
Finally, Kenner Heritage Park is a reproduction of an early 20th century town featuring a blacksmith shop, ice house, packing shed, and gas station. Visitors can also sit by the pond or visit a replica of the town of Kenner’s first church, St. Mary’s.
The attractions in Rivertown all carry separate
admission prices or visitors may purchase a one-day pass that allows them
admission to the Mardi Gras Museum, Science Center, Space Station Kenner,
Native American Museum, Kenner Heritage Park, and one activity at Kenner’s
Planetarium and Megadome Cinema. Productions at the Children’s Castle are
not included.
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