The Birthplace of Mardi Gras
While the colorful celebrations of Mardi Gras in New Orleans and South Louisiana are more widely known, Mobile was actually the birthplace of modern Mardi Gras. The Mobile Carnival Museum takes you behind the scenes of manufacturing the various parade floats and costumes, as well as teaching you more about the history of Mardi Gras as a whole.
Did you know? Early Mardi Gras festivities were brought to Mobile by Catholic settlers of French Louisiana. The first recorded instance of the holiday happened on March 3, 1699, as a preperation for Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.
Nowhere else can you delve so deeply into the history of the festivities and examine the various floats and costumes. It’s only when you visit the Float Room and study the beautifully decorated festival floats up close that you realize the incredible creativity and craftsmanship that goes into making each Mardi Gras season a unique and unforgettable experience.
The Costume Room, on the other hand, is more about the beautiful and elaborate costumes worn by festival goers in the Mardi Gras parades. From the stunningly intricate masks to the colorful and glittering costumes, you’ll be in awe of the craftsmanship and attention to detail that goes into each and every costume.
