Hurricane Katrina (Outer Journey) Jan 7

Outside the Presbytere (museum) waiting for the tour to begin the square was just starting to come a live with artists setting up/displaying their art around the square and musicians were starting to fill the air with eclectic music. Upon entering the museum the atmosphere changed as we began to tour memoirs of Hurricane Katrina. The room was dimly lit and radiated voices talking about the initial weather reports of the impending tropical storm. A report that we would have seen years ago leading up to her landfall into the gulf and eventually landing at the threshold of Louisiana. As we made our way around the corner large projector screens displayed conditions of cars trying to drive through flooded streets that were full of debris from homes/business that were demolished and wind gusts that were blowing over trees. In the next room, first-hand accounts exuded around the room from people who were trapped in their homes, healthcare workers that were trapped in hospitals unable to evacuate with patients, and those who were in the superdome trying to survive. You could hear a pin drop in this particular room with how silent viewers were in reverence for what was being talked about. I know for me I was shocked to know people lived in the conditions they did in the superdome. On the other side of the room sheets of plaster recounted a citizen’s timeline after Katrina and how they were doing. Makes you wonder if that person thought they were not going to survive and wanted to leave behind their experience for those to read after the fact. The exhibits depicted the shear despair of what was going on down in New Orleans, they needed lots of support financially, physically, and emotionally. Towards the end of the Katrina tour the rebuilding section depicted not only the physical rebuild but how the hurricane did not take away the spirit of the city which is powerful overall. That was a testament to not only the city but to tourists going through that yes New Orleans will go through tough times but nothing is going to take away their pride.