St Bernard between cultural sites and wetlands

St Bernard as a travel destination

St Bernard can be considered from two perspectives when planning a trip: its landscape, surrounded by protected wetlands and waterways, and the cultural landmarks of the Los Isleños Museum and Historic Village. St Bernard is less than an hour from New Orleans. As another cultural point of reference, the San Bernardo Byway in St Bernard recommends a visit to the Isleños Museum and Multicultural Center.

History and cultural connections

The Los Isleños Museum and Historic Village comprises nine buildings. Its historic structures date from Louisiana’s Spanish colonial period and span from the late 18th century to the early 20th century. This time span places the complex within Louisiana’s history; the site brings together several buildings rather than focusing on a single historic structure. For visitors interested in history, this provides a clear framework for a museum visit.

The site includes an interpretive area about the Houma, an Indigenous North American people, as well as a memorial to the Filipino settlement of Saint Maló. In addition to the Spanish colonial period, these highlight other clearly identified cultural connections: the Houma and the memory of Saint Maló. The features take different forms—an interpretive area and a memorial—and thus represent different aspects of the site.

The museum also displays a 2,000-year-old cypress log. This natural feature complements the buildings and memorial sites with a different kind of object; visitors can appreciate an ancient tree trunk as a distinct focal point alongside the site’s historical and cultural character. At 2,000 years old, the cypress log predates the buildings from the Spanish colonial period.

Fiesta and planning your visit

La Fiesta de los Isleños, also known as the Los Isleños Fiesta, is held annually on the grounds of the Los Isleños Museum and Historic Village and celebrates Louisiana’s Spanish heritage. If you would like to plan your trip around the Fiesta, check the event dates in advance. Event dates are important when planning a visit to the festival; the museum has its own opening days and exceptions.

The Los Isleños Museum and Historic Village is open to the public free of charge Wednesday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except on public holidays, holidays observed by the government of Saint Bernard Parish, and during special events. Check the listed exceptions before your visit.

El Museo de los Isleños (Los Isleños Museum), the Louis A. Ducros, M.D. Museum and Research Library, and the Frank M. Fernández, Jr. Isleño Center have ramps and wheelchair-accessible restrooms.

Discover more destinations: Chalmette.

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