Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Street art in Cartagena.
Colombia • 10 days, 9 nights
Colombia Discovery: Coffee, Art & Music
from
Caucasus - Geghard Monastery, Armenia
Armenia • 15 days, 14 nights
Caucasus Road Trip: Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia
from
View all trips
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Louisiana New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal Murals
AO Edited

Union Passenger Terminal Murals

Striking images of New Orleans history, including colonizers, soldiers, Klansmen, scientists, sharecroppers, and more, are depicted in frescoes that line the walls of this transportation hub.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Added By
Larissa Hayden
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Scenes from the “Modern” age of science.   Larissa Hayden
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse soar over a Civil War death scene.   Larissa Hayden
The “Colonization” panel over the Greyhound entry.   Larissa Hayden
The “Modern Age” panel depicts a hooded Klansman, carpetbaggers, and sharecroppers.   Larissa Hayden
  Larissa Hayden
The entire “Modern Age” panel.   Larissa Hayden
Union Passenger Terminal   Vegasjon/CC BY-SA 3.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Setting off on a voyage, travelers' minds are typically preoccupied with their immediate concerns: departure times, the relaying of luggage, and the journey ahead. But the sweeping scenes depicting New Orleans history in the local Amtrak and Greyhound station set travelers off thinking about the past.

While many public historical murals are painted through rose-colored glasses, artist Conrad Albrizio chose to paint 400 years of Louisiana history using intense colors, abstract figures, and macabre moments. The four panels comprising the mural, each over 60 feet long, convey different themes over history: the ages of "Exploration," "Colonization," "Conflict" (or "Struggle"), and "The Modern Age." Inside the panels, viewers will discover depictions of dying soldiers, enslaved workers, nuclear scientists, Vestal Virgins, and the four horsemen of the apocalypse—all woven together to tell the story of the land.

Artist Albrizio was previously funded through the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to paint murals throughout the South and, during the 1950s, was part of the Louisiana State University's Art Department. This mural, one of the largest in the United States when it was completed in 1954, was his last fresco and considered his best-known work.

While the "nightmarish" murals seem to be an unexpected choice for a public space, locals find them to be a fit for the artful and honest city. Following 2005's Hurricane Katrina (and the use of the station as the controversial Camp Greyhound), the mural was restored by the New Orleans Building Corporation.

Related Tags

Fresco Art History & Culture Trains Train Stations Murals

Community Contributors

Added By

larissahayden

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy

  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

October 28, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.lsumoa.org/inside-lsu-moa/2017/1/13/collection-spotlight-conrad-albrizios-new-orleans-union-passenger-terminal-sketches
  • http://archives.nolalibrary.org/~nopl/spec/pamphlets/muralscover.htm
  • https://64parishes.org/entry/conrad-albrizio
  • http://icecreamandpermafrost.com/new-orleans-train-station/
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Greyhound
  • https://www.greatamericanstations.com/stations/new-orleans-la-nol/
Union Passenger Terminal Murals
1001 Loyola Ave
New Orleans, Louisiana, 70113
United States
29.946159, -90.078655
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Plaza Tower

New Orleans, Louisiana

miles away

Museum of the American Cocktail

New Orleans, Louisiana

miles away

Café Reconcile

New Orleans, Louisiana

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of New Orleans

New Orleans

Louisiana

Places 122
Stories 27

Nearby Places

Plaza Tower

New Orleans, Louisiana

miles away

Museum of the American Cocktail

New Orleans, Louisiana

miles away

Café Reconcile

New Orleans, Louisiana

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of New Orleans

New Orleans

Louisiana

Places 122
Stories 27

Related Places

  • Altar and murals.

    Akhtala, Armenia

    Akhtala Monastery

    This often-missed monastery, set in a scenic mountain landscape, features unique frescoes, fortifications and legends.

  • Takao Railway Museum

    Kaohsiung City, Taiwan

    Takao Railway Museum

    A museum commemorates what was once the largest freight station in Taiwan.

  • Art Nouveau Vestibule

    Prague, Czechia

    Prague Hlavni Nadrazi Vestibule

    A historic and beautiful Art Nouveau chamber in a historic railway station.

  • ‘Where Independence Begins’ Mural

    Fort Worth, Texas

    'Where Independence Begins' Mural

    A one-of-a-kind blind-accessible, interactive mural.

  • ‘World Sources of Food’

    San Francisco, California

    'World Sources of Food'

    A four paneled, brightly multicolored mosaic adorns the side of this popular grocery store.

  • Locomotive 11 was the first car to roll into town once the Florida Southern Rail system was extended to Punta Gorda.

    Punta Gorda, Florida

    End of the Line Mural

    This outdoor mural is one stop on a walking trail that weaves art and history together to tell a tale of local history.

  • The C11–292 steam train.

    Tokyo, Japan

    Shimbashi Station SL Square

    The decommissioned steam engine’s whistle can still be heard three times a day at one of Japan’s oldest train stations.

  • Peebles Mural Project

    Peebles, Scotland

    Peebles Mural Project

    A town's history displayed through a massive work of art.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.