Louis Armstrong House Museum

The house of Louis Armstrong and his wife Lucille sits nestled in a tree lined neighborhood in Flushing, Queens near Corona Park. The simple brick facade of the three story home that was built in the early 1900s does not boast of being the home of a jazz legend. Upon moving closer to the home you can see that there is a sign on the sidewalk that denotes this home as the home of Louis Armstrong, jazz pioneer and trumpeter supreme. You will also see that the Armstrong's former garage is now the visitor's center to the museum. It is here that you enter the museum and you see postcards, red beans and rice recipes, and books about Satchmo. You purchase your admission at the small desk in the center and then make your way to the small exhibit area located in a small room next door. It is here that you get a glimpse of Louis and Lucille. He, the famous musician, and she his fourth wife, love of his life, and a former dancer at the Cotton Club in Harlem. You will find clothing, pictures, gifts from heads of state, and of course one of the famous trumpets. After waiting for the tour which starts on the hour you will make your way through the front gate and up the stairs and into the foyer where Louis and Lucille welcomed their guests. Louis was on the road 300 days out of the year and when he had some time off he came home to a loving home created by his wife and filled with the things that they both loved their furnishings and their two little dogs. You walk through the rooms of the downstairs and upstairs and walk in the footsteps of Louis and Lucille. You see the things they held dear and you see the superb taste that Lucille had that reflected the styles of the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. The crown jewel is being able to walk into Louis' den where he spent time listening to music and recording hours and hours of conversations. This man not only lived in the neighborhood but served as a "uncle" to the children there and even taught some of the neighborhood kids how to play a few notes on the trumpet like their "Uncle" Louis. You get to hear stories of how he interacted with the community and how after almost a life time of living on the road and in less than stellar conditions Louis finally had a place to call home and a place of his own when he needed some R & R. In addition to the home that you can visit there is also a Japanese garden almost completely hidden from the street by trees and a brick wall where surely Louis and Lucille enjoyed spring days and summer nights. During the summer there are actually jazz concerts there through August. This museum is truly a gem and although it is off the beaten path it is totally worth taking the ride out to Queens to see it. Coming in 2011 there will be a large visitor's center constructed across the street where school children, jazz fanatics, and curious passersby can learn and experience who Louis Armstrong was. The very genius of his music and his style are captured in the place that he called home. As Louis told the Pope when he was asked about not having children, "It's okay your holiness, we're still swinging!" And thanks to this museum we're still swinging to his music!

Louis Armstrong House Museum
34-56 107th Street
Corona, Queens, NY 11368
(718)478-8274
info@louisarmstronghouse.org
www.louisarmstronghouse.org
www.twitter.com/@ArmstrongHouse

Open Tues-Fri 10am-5pm
Sat-Sun 12pm-5pm

Last tour at 4pm

Admission: $8 (Adults), $6 (Students, seniors, children, group of 8 or more)
Free for members and children under 4

Take the F train from 42nd street (Manhattan) to 103rd (Queens). When you get off the train walk to the left on 103rd street until you get to 34th Ave. Cross to the other side of 34th Ave and walk up to 107th Street and 34th Ave. Turn left on
107th St and walk midway up the block and the museum is on the left!