The silver spaceship-style roof of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome is instantly recognizable. The largest fixed-dome structure in the world, it’s a popular stop on New Orleans guided tours. The Superdome has been a symbol of the city since it was first built in 1975 and in recent years has gained added cultural significance after it served as a makeshift refuge for thousands of people displaced during Hurricane Katrina.
The stadium can seat up to 76,468 people for a sporting event or concert and is famous for its electric atmosphere on game nights, which has been proven to give the Saints a statistically significant home-field advantage. The Superdome is also home to the Saints Hall of Fame Museum, which looks back at the American football team’s storied history.
If you’re heading to an event, get there early and you’ll be able to explore the stadium before the event starts.
There’s a store on-site selling Saints memorabilia.
The Hall of Fame Museum is open Monday to Friday, 9am–3pm, by appointment only.
There is an admission fee to enter the museum.
The Superdome has paid parking available.
The Superdome is located at 1500 Poydras St. in the heart of NOLA’s Central Business District. It is accessible by car (but bear in mind that nearby roads get very busy on event days), public transport, or as part of a walking tour of the city. The Rampart-St. Claude Street streetcar (line 49) stops a block away from the stadium, at Poydras Street and Loyola Avenue, and the city’s main intercity train and bus station, the Union Passenger Terminal, is also within easy walking distance.
The Superdome is only open on game or event days, with the exception of the Hall of Fame Museum, which can be visited by prior arrangement only.
To learn more about the devastating 2005 hurricane that damaged large sections of New Orleans and left thousands of people without their homes, head to the State Museum, where a sensitive exhibit explores the natural disaster and its aftermath. The display features artifacts left behind when the floodwaters receded, explains the science of hurricanes, and features moving oral histories from the city’s residents.
