NEW ORLEANS / AGILITYPR.NEWS / June 10, 2026 / The Historic New Orleans Collection’s (HNOC) 2026 New Orleans Antiques Forum, themed Material Belief: Objects of Faith, Spirit, and Tradition, returns Aug. 7-9 for a weekend of discovery into the many items that give body and beauty to belief in New Orleans and across the Gulf South. Registration is now open.

Antiques Forum sessions will cover a range of sacred items, including Catholic statuary, Judaica, prayer samplers, Afro-Caribbean ritual objects and more. Attendees will learn how these objects were made, used and kept—and how they continue to function as powerful material expressions of belief throughout the American Gulf South.

“Since 2008, the Antiques Forum has become a treasured gathering for those who appreciate the stories held within antique treasures and the deeper understanding of our shared past,” says HNOC President and CEO Daniel Hammer. “This year, we offer a unique opportunity to explore the intersection of the spiritual and material worlds, a rich landscape of antiques shaped by belief, devotion and spiritual practice across cultures.”

Attendees will have the distinct pleasure of hearing from a distinguished lineup of experts and enthusiasts. Among them are George Schwartz, curator-at-large at the Peabody Essex Museum and an expert on the 19th and 20th-century Spiritualism movement; Alexia Williams, who will share her expertise on Roman Catholic statuary; Marcelitte Failla, who will discuss the rich material culture of altars, offerings, ritual tools and performance associated with African diasporic religions, including Voodoo, Hoodoo, Vodou, Ifá and Òrìṣà traditions; and Beth B. Schneider, consultant to the Judaica Initiative at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, who will discuss Jewish ritual objects and their use in homes and synagogues.

Forum sessions will be held at HNOC’s Williams Research Center located at 410 Chartres St. in the French Quarter. Attendees are encouraged to enhance their experience with optional off-site add-on activities including a Northshore excursion featuring visits to historic homes and sacred spaces that highlight the region’s cultural and spiritual traditions, a private luncheon with Forum speakers at the Hotel Monteleone and a celebratory brunch at Arnaud’s to conclude the 18th annual event.  

The 2026 New Orleans Antiques Forum is proudly presented by the Historic New Orleans Collection and generously sponsored by the Neal Auction Company, Country Roads Magazine, Hederman Brothers, Keil’s Antiques, Moss Antiques and Premium Parking.

To discover the full program of engaging presentations, unique experiences and the roster of esteemed speakers, visit www.hnoc.org/events/antiques-forum-2026.

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