Built in 1752, The Old Ursuline Convent in the French Quarter is one of the oldest buildings in the Mississippi River Valley and the oldest example of French Colonial architecture in the United States. The Convent grounds (which include a formal parterre, most of the interior first floor, a rear garden with an 80-by-40-foot tent and an additional exterior space, which also can be tented) are now available as a venue for private functions, wedding receptions, events, and parties.