Above: Various beaded and feathered suits on display at the Backstreet Cultural Museum in New Orleans

Floats, throws, costumes and King Cake — that’s what most people know about Mardi Gras in New Orleans. But there’s another side of Carnival that only select locals get to experience, the ones who ride or march with a secret society, called a krewe. For visitors who want to learn more, a few off-the-radar museums will let you in on the magic and the mystery of this most New Orleans of holidays.

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Above: Various beaded and feathered suits on display at the Backstreet Cultural Museum in New Orleans

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