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Germaine Wells opened the original
Carnival Memory Room on September 15, 1952. The reinstallation
which was done 31 years later in 1983 and the original
mannequins were used along with the costumes from
1952 to 1968. The oldest costume in the exhibit (Germaine's
1939 Empress gown) was worn by Germaine's mother,
Lady Irma, in 1941. As the Queen of Iris, she portrayed
"Good Queen Bess." The most recent gown
is Germaine's as Queen of Hera (1968).
The fabulous Germaine Cazenave Wells Mardi Gras Museum
was opened at Arnaud's Restaurant in the French Quarter
by proprietor Archie A. Casbarian on September 15,
1983. It provides a glimpse of the private side of
Mardi Gras with its collection of Carnival court gowns,
costumes and other memorabilia. The museum brings
together more than two dozen lavish Mardi Gras costumes,
including 13 of Mrs. Wells' queen costumes, one of
her mother's and one of her daughter's, as well as
four king's costumes worn by Count Arnaud.
The museum has two basic themes-'what Mardi Gras
is' and 'who Mrs. Wells and her family were'. It offers
a unique view of Count Arnaud, founder of the restaurant
in 1918, his wife "Lady Irma," Mrs. Wells
and her daughter Arnaud. Germaine Wells reigned over
twenty-two Mardi Gras balls from 1937 to 1968 and
the exhibit was named the 'Queen's Collection' because
it is said that she was queen of more Mardi Gras courts
than any individual in the history of Carnival.
Viewing of the priceless collection and memorabilia
is free to the public during restaurant hours seven
days a week.
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