If you haven’t visited a museum in a while because you feel that there aren’t any nearby, we hate to tell you but… you’re wrong. There are approximately 35,000 museums across the United States (wow!). You can find a list of them on Wikipedia here, if you’re curious.
When was the last time you visited a museum of any sort? Recently? Within the past few months? Within the last year? After you vote in the poll below, please leave a comment telling us about the last museum you visited. We love museums, so we’d be excited to hear about it. Thanks!
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Last week – Adams Museum, Deadwood South Dakota. Very informative and interesting.
Our most recent visits were to the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, TN; the Oklahoma Bombing Memorial in Oklahoma City, OK; the Clinton Library in Little Rock, AK; and the Central High School Museum in Little Rock (across from the high school that was integrated in September 1957). Each one of these was a gem.
We visited the Charleston Museum last weekend. Founded in 1773. America’s first museum.
We are heading to the Henry Ford Greenfield Museum in 2 weeks to see the Jim Henson exhibit and their new exhibit on car racing. I remember years ago my mother saying O my I am old when your car is in the line of historic cars. My husband saw his a few years ago. Kind of scary to see stuff you played with as children now a part of history.
Today. We visited the Orphan Train Museum in Concordia, Kansas.
I couldn’t say “Within the last week” because I missed my weekly day of work at the Military Veterans Museum & Education Center in Oshkosh when our refrigerator died on Monday. I started volunteering there 3 years before I retired as Curator of Collections at the EAA Air Museum. So yes, I’m a ringer.
Having been raised in Idaho potato country and spending my misspent youth on the seat of a tractor, I may go visit the Potato Museum. Having lived the past 40 years away, it might be a bit of nostalgia. Besides that, the forest fire smoke and rain are gone and it’s just down the road from the RV Park.
I don’t want to see something old no more for I am old. As my youngest son states antiques are ugly. I remind him to be careful as he’s talking to one. I made a habit to find the little town museums but trying to park a rig can be sometimes impossible and any great walk now is limited to eating I can’t do both.
Checked out the nuclear science museum in Albuquerque New Mexico in May. Very interesting.
The last museum I visited was the Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum Remembering Columbia, Hemphill, Texas [nasacolumbiamuseum.com]. The museum is dedicated to the Columbia that exploded over Texas with the larger pieces landing in and around Hemphill.
Our last outing included the Johnstown Flood Museum, Flight 93 Memorial, Hershey Auto Museum & Strasburg Rail Road.
Prior trip was Grand Ole Opry and Graceland. How’s that for a variety of interests!
We visited a number of museums this summer – Williamsburg, Jamestown, civil war museum in Shenandoah area, etc. all very interesting.
Just a couple of weeks ago went to the osh AIR Show. The largest in the world and took 2 grand sons. of course they weren’t very interested interested in history. I guess I wasn’t at that age either.
Lucy and Desi Museum in Jamestown, NY. Also home of the National Comedy Center. Both are well worth the visit!!
I highly recommend the Military Museum in Crossville TN. The volunteer gentlemen there have many interesting stories of the local history. We were there last month in conjunction with a group rally campout.
Took our grandson to the atomic energy museum in Albuquerque NM a few weeks ago. Highly recommended!
We love museums and always check to see if one is any where around where we are staying. We’ve learned that the size of the town or the style of a brochure doesn’t necessarily indicate how great one really is. Some of the smallest towns may have the most amazing museums, and some fancy brochures may disappoint. The latest one we’ve visited was The National Quilt Museum in Paducah KY – fantastic! We’ve been traveling from AZ to KY (so far) since April and haven’t found any “closed due to COVID”. Some, with shorter hours, due to lack of staff, but not closed. Support them, they need it!
We visited the “National Museum of Funeral History” in Houston. We went there as a joke, and to kill time. It turned out to be a really fun and informative visit. We loved it!
And then, on our way home, we finally stopped to see “The Thing” at “The Thing Museum” (their description) on I-10 in New Mexico. With 60+ billboards announcing this place, we finally decided we had to see what it was all about. Fuel, a huge store with geegaws for sale, and the “museum” all in one place. The museum was $5. It was cool. A big “what if” storyline regarding aliens and dinosaurs, and as you wander through, it gets closer to current times. I found it fascinating. You have to keep an ‘open mind’ of course.
Desert Museum, Tucson, while not a typical museum is a great place to learn about the desert.
We love to visit the local museum in every town we visit that has one. They will surprise you with their content and local history more often than not. Hawthorne, NV has been the most memorable. It was there I accidently discovered the origins of a small ornate bell dated 1811 that I had purchased from a street vendor in Mexico in the 1970s. Turns out the 1811, which I always doubted, is true. Mined locally and cast by Indians enslaved by the Spanish at the time to provide Missions with bells, the Indians eventually revolted. The Spanish left, burying their bells for later recovery. The bells were re-discovered in the 1950s? and given to the local museum who researched their origin. I would have never found these facts out, had we not stopped. The bell is now a prized possession.
The title of this poll is a little misleading. There are thousands of museums, though not all art and history. We visited America on Wheels in Allentown this summer. Though the word museum is not on the building, I still consider it one. We spent 2-3 hours looking at all the vehicles inside. My biggest surprise was a 1956 Desoto Adventurer sitting just inside the door.
That model was my first car when I was 16 (now 72). They even let us get a close up view by escorting us inside the ropes.
Have gotten so used to being them closed for covid, I don’t brake for them or even include them in my plans anymore. Will have to start being aware of them again.
Museums are high on our list when traveling with grandson. Just last month we were in Beckley, WV at the Coal Mine Museum. Very interesting and educational including a ride into a now closed mine.
I can recommend the Clean Museum in Pocatello, IA. They are a Boondockers Welcome and Harvest Host members and a great stay as in quiet and level. The museum was awsome and well worth your time!
Is that Pocatello, Idaho rather than Iowa? Our oldest daughter went to graduate school there and I have been under the impression that there is only one Pocatello in the entire country.
Hi, Bill. Yes, the Museum of Clean is in Pocatello, Idaho. (Another example of where one little letter makes a whole lot of difference. 😯 ) Have a great day. 🙂 –Diane
Covid has put a crimp on visiting museums, but I managed to see the Popeye museum in Chester, IL last month. Fun little place.