Recovered Memories: Spain, New Orleans and teh Support for the American Revolution Exhibit opening at the revitalized Cabildo

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 4, 2018 Contact: Susan Maclay

504-558-0493

REVITALIZED CABILDO TO REOPEN WITH BLOCKBUSTER EXHIBITION FROM SPAIN

NEW ORLEANS — The Louisiana Museum Foundation, on behalf of the Louisiana State Museum, will host its first tricentennial celebration event, on Friday, April 20^th,with the reopening of the revitalized Cabildo and premier of Recovered Memories: Spain, New Orleans and the Support for the American Revolution.

Recovered Memoriesis a magnificent 7,000 square foot exhibition featuring hundreds of historic artifacts, documents, costumes and works of art from Spanish and U.S. museums, archives, and private collections. Itexplores Spain’s influence on the development of New Orleans, its support of the American Revolution, and Spain’s lasting legacy on American culture. Italso brings to light Louisiana’s often overlooked or forgotten Spanish Colonial era.

Recovered Memories: Spain, New Orleans and the Support for the American Revolution is made possible by IBERDROLA, amultinational Spanish energy company, and its U.S. subsidiary AVANGRID, in association with the Louisiana State Museum.

A few highlights of what will be on display include Francisco de Goya’s lyrical masterpiece from 1779, “The Swing,” on loan from Madrid’s Museo Nacional Del Prado and a Charles Wilson Peale painting of U.S. founding father Robert Morris, on loan from Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park. These and other treasures are featured along with extraordinary works from the Louisiana State Museum’s own significant holdings, such as centuries-old Spanish weapons and portrait paintings by José Salazar. Fascinating documents from the Louisiana Historical Center Collection will also be on display, including an oath of allegiance signed by the free black militia and an original broadside issued by Governor Alejandro O’Reilly as he asserted Spanish rule over colonial Louisiana in 1769.

Recovered Memorieswill make its U.S. debut in the Cabildo, the seat of Spanish Colonial Louisiana. An unprecedented over two dozen fabricators, curators, couriers, and art handlers from Spain and U.S. institutions are installing the exhibition in time for its opening during a spectacular week of festivities for the city of New Orleans official tricentennial celebration. The Cabildo is a National Historic Landmark that also has the distinction of being the site of the transfer of the Louisiana Purchase territory in 1803. It has been the flagship facility of the Louisiana State Museum since 1911,and has not featured a new exhibition of this magnitude in over a quarter of a century.

The exclusive opening reception will have a distinguished roster of attendees, including numerous high ranking Spanish and other government officials and dignitaries. CEO of AVANGRID James P. Torgerson and Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser are scheduled to give brief remarks. The reception will also feature Spanish inspired cuisine by Educated Palate and Gallician Chef Andres Rodriguez, Spanish wines and cocktails, compliments of the Goldring Family Foundation and Sazerac, and Spanish inspired entertainment.

Opening night reception tickets are $200 per person with discounts for Louisiana Museum Foundation and upper level Friends of the Cabildo members.Louisiana Museum Foundation Tricentennial Events’ co-chairs Mr. and Mrs. T. Semmes Favrot and Mr. and Mrs. Murray Calhoun are pleased to present this first tricentennial celebration event and also offer special thanks to IBERDROLA, the New Orleans Hispanic Heritage Foundation and other Hispanic cultural and business organizations for supporting this momentous occasion. The exhibition will be opened to the general public from April 21 – July 8, 2018.

The Louisiana Museum Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to preserve and promote Louisiana History and culture through its work on behalf of the Louisiana State Museum. For more opening reception information and to purchase tickets visit thelmf.orgor call (504) 558-0493.