A Life of Beauty in Motion - Historic New Orleans Collection

2 Volume XXVIII, Number 3 — Summer 2011
The definition of treasure varies by individual,
by community, and by culture.
The term may immediately connote
objects made of intrinsically valuable materials—emeralds,
platinum, ambergris—but is also
used, in a broader sense, to reference keepsakes,
monuments, memories, events, and even people.
embracing this latter, more inclusive definition,
the exhibition The 18th Star: Treasures from 200
Years of Louisiana Statehood presents an array of
signature items from the holdings of The historic
New Orleans Collection to tell the stories
that have defined Louisiana since its entry into
the Union on April 30, 1812, as the 18th state.
The exhibition’s curators—a diverse group of
staff members including historians, cataloguers,
registrars, librarians, and reference specialists—
selected objects that are by turns fundamental,
Orleans Parish ballot box, between 1840 and 1890 (2009.0100),
partial gift of Romnie LeLeux and James W. McLaughlin
Constitution ou Forme de Gouvernement de l’État de la
Louisiane, January 22, 1812 (66-84-L)