Specialty Museums in the US

Oh, I forgot. This one is captivating:



-ERD50
 

Attachments

  • bz-panel-01-25-12 - AIR-MUSEUM-JOKE-.jpg
    bz-panel-01-25-12 - AIR-MUSEUM-JOKE-.jpg
    125.4 KB · Views: 34
Great thread!

Here in the Denver area
- Forney Museum of Transportation : https://www.forneymuseum.org/

- Wings over the Rockies : https://wingsmuseum.org/

- Anchutz museum of Western Art - Absolutely amazing collection of western paintings & sculpture : https://anschutzcollection.org/

- Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Arts : Great if you like furniture, dishes, lamps etc. Also has art by kirkland & other colorado artists: https://www.kirklandmuseum.org/

- Rock museum at the School of Mines : Amazing collection of rocks & minerals : https://www.mines.edu/geology-museum/

- American Mountaineering Museum in Golden. (I haven't been to this one yet) : https://www.mountaineeringmuseum.org/

- Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum : https://www.rmqm.org/
 
Not really a museum but DW and I loved days walking through Arlington National Cemetery. So much history.
 
ERD50 said:
They had some medicine that contained opium "Paregoric", and DW swore her mother gave her that stuff. I was thinking, no way, that must have gone out in the late 30's. Later, I looked it up to show she was off base, but nope, was still available in the 60's.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paregoric



-ERD50
Click to expand...

My mother used to give that to me if I had a tooth ache by rubbing it on my gums. I'm amazed I am still here today.
 
Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Cody WY. 5 separate museums in one.
 
camfused said:
+1 on the Air Force museum in Dayton. I would say it is probably the top flight museum in the world.
Click to expand...

+2
I drove by there many dozens of times over the years traveling between Indy and the east coast. I finally stopped after I retired. There was a thunderstorm so I stayed longer than I would've otherwise. I didn't realize it was one of the top flight museum in the world, so thanks for that!
 
From a 2006 road trip......jailhouse in Macon, MS, converted to a library and a museum - don't go out of your way....but if you're in the area........

 
nvestysly said:
Over the years, in no particular order:


The Henry Ford (Dearborn, MI) - the museum simply cannot be explained. It's an eclectic collection of all kinds of things. Mostly arranged in a sequence that makes sense but some come at you from left field. Lot's of history related to all aspects of life in the United States
Click to expand...

The Ford museum is one of the country's greatest, particularly for relics from around Henry Ford's lifetime. The Wright Brothers bicycle shop, George Washington Carver's childhood cabin ... pains Ford took to assemble this stuff boggles the mind. Of particular interest to me were the chair that Lincoln was shot in, a vial containing Thomas Edison's last breath (!), and the letter to Ford, ostensibly from Clyde Barrow claiming that Ford V8s were his favorite getaway car.
 
I'm having all kinds of trouble with the site this evening, but few to add:
1. Behind the Auburn-Cord-Deusenberg Museum in Auburn IN is the "National Auto and Truck Museum" that has some great history on automobiles and trucks. Literally on the same property just in different buildings behind the front A-C-D Museum.
https://natmus.org/
2. In my old place I lived Albuquerque, NM go to the "National Museum of Nuclear Science and History" for some great history of nuclear science and weapons.
https://www.nuclearmuseum.org/
3. Related to #2, and located in Los Alamos, NM is the "Bradbury Science Museum" for some more history especially as related to Manhattan project.
https://www.lanl.gov/museum/
 
nvestysly said:
Over the years, in no particular order:

Gilmore Car Museum (near Kalamazoo, MI) - you don't have to be a car fan to enjoy this place. Yes, there are lots and lots of cars but they're arranged in a manner that conveys the history of the time period in other aspects of daily life

The Henry Ford (Dearborn, MI) - the museum simply cannot be explained. It's an eclectic collection of all kinds of things. Mostly arranged in a sequence that makes sense but some come at you from left field. Lot's of history related to all aspects of life in the United States

The Ringling (Sarasota, FL) - part art museum, part millionaire estate, part performing arts

Deming Museum (Deming, NM) - one of the most interesting local museums we've seen. Some of it is simply a collection of collections but the American Indian pottery collection is second to none.

University of Wyoming Geological Museum (Cheyenne, WY) - who knew Wyoming was such a geological treasure trove?

Bruce Elder Classic Cars (Staunton, VA) - not a museum but a classic car dealer. Go ahead and pay for a "tour" and you won't be disappointed. The owner takes you on an hour long journey through time as it relates to automobiles and related history.

The Hank Williams Museum (Montgomery, AL) - Country & Western at it's best and worst. Hank Williams was one of a kind!

Kentucky Horse Park (Lexington, KY) - Horses? What's up with horses? You won't be disappointed. The daily horse show describes breeds from around the world. The number of race horses born, raised and trained here is amazing.

Josyln Art Museum (Omaha, NE) - Omaha has several very nice museums and this is one of the best in town.

Booth Western Art Museum (Cartersville, GA) - very few places like this exist. One of the best collections of western art in the country.

Abita Mystery Museum (Abita Springs, LA) - small town museum that shouldn't be missed! Have a beer at the nearby brewery.

National WW II Museum (New Orleans, LA) - This museum started out on a much smaller scale and grew to be one of the best in the country. Learn the story of Higgins boats and how they contributed to the allied forces during the war.

Golden Spike Tower (North Platte, NE) - Stop by to see one of the largest freight yards in the country. Overlook the yard from the top story of the observation tower and talk to local and train geeks about how the rail system works in the United States.
Click to expand...


I might add that next to the Henry Ford Museum is Greenfield village where Henry brought building from around the us Included is Edison's lab at Menlo Park, an number of vintage houses from around the us. Here is a link to more detail.
https://www.thehenryford.org/visit/greenfield-village/districts/
 
The FL Panhandle and nearby is lightly populated, but has a substantial concentration of military facilities.

Air Force Armament Museum - Eglin AFB - Ft. Walton Beach/Valparaiso

Air Force Armament Museum Foundation


Naval Aviation Museum - Pensacola NAS

https://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/

Army Aviation Museum - Ft. Rucker AL (SE AL)

United States Army Aviation Museum – Preserving the Past…for the Future

Of the 3, the Naval Aviation Museum is my favorite, followed by the Army Aviation Museum. Both show the evolution of aircraft in their respective services and allow you to get a perspective on just how small (Grumann Hellcat) and large (Chinook) the aircraft are that have been at the point of the spear.

The Armament museum is a relatively quick visit, but their static aircraft displays allow you to get up close and the technical aspects of weapons development will be of interest to some (you know who you are:))

And 2 in north Scottsdale:

Musical Instrument Museum

For music freaks. Includes regional displays (which my teen musicians found fascinating) and enough American modern displays to keep me interested.

https://mim.org/

Penske Auto Group - display of winning race cars from the most successful race team owner

https://www.penskeautomall.com/penske-racing-museum/
 
Last edited:
Let me add lakeshore museums in Chicago, starting with the Museum of Science and Industry
https://www.msichicago.org/


Then the Field Museum of Natural History further north along the lakeshore:
https://www.fieldmuseum.org/


And in the same area (within walking distance) the Shedd Aquarium
https://www.sheddaquarium.org/


And the Adler Planetarium:
https://www.adlerplanetarium.org/#6Y0wZjGBKrvCehUg.97


My dad (a science teacher) used to take students there from both Decatur In, and Plymouth Mi. It was a weekend trip.



There are other attractions near by I have not been to like the art institute etc.
 
The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI is amazing. It has the car JFK was shot in on display along with hundreds of other cars and period stuff that Ford collected. From the museum you can take a shuttle to see the nearby Ford F150 plant and take a tour.

The blimp museum in Tillamook, OR is well worth a visit, as well.
 
meierlde said:
Let me add lakeshore museums in Chicago, starting with the Museum of Science and Industry
https://www.msichicago.org/


Then the Field Museum of Natural History further north along the lakeshore:
https://www.fieldmuseum.org/


And in the same area (within walking distance) the Shedd Aquarium
https://www.sheddaquarium.org/


And the Adler Planetarium:
https://www.adlerplanetarium.org/#6Y0wZjGBKrvCehUg.97


My dad (a science teacher) used to take students there from both Decatur In, and Plymouth Mi. It was a weekend trip.



There are other attractions near by I have not been to like the art institute etc.
Click to expand...

Ah, the Art Institute -- Grant Wood's "American Gothic," Hopper's "Nighthawks," Van Gogh's "Bedroom," among others. I recall seeing a Rembrandt there, "Young Woman at an Open Half Door." I believe Rembrandt's self-portrait is there too.

Lots of Goya works, Picassos -- it is a landmark art museum.

Edit: for those who visit the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, there's a lesser-known museum nearby on the University of Chicago campus called the Oriental Institute. If you're interested in artifacts from ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt and Persia, it's a great place to visit.
 
Last edited:
Experimental Breeder Reactor-I (EBR-I) Atomic Museum in Idaho (https://visitidaho.org/things-to-do/museums/experimental-breeder-reactor-i-ebr-i-atomic-museum/).

Years ago we were driving along US-26 and saw a sign for it, had the time, and we both thought what the heck. Out in the middle of the proverbial nowhere (deliberately of course) and we both thought it fascinating.

Another power generating museum we visited and enjoyed that may be of interest: Fort Peck Dam and Power Plant Museum in Montana.
https://www.visitmt.com/listings/general/dam/fort-peck-dam-and-power-plant-museum.html
 
The U.S. Space & Rocket Center, in Huntsville, Alabama.

https://www.rocketcenter.com/
Click to expand...

I am a space nerd and loved this one. For two hours I talked to a guy that worked directly for Wernher Von Braun.

(Neil) Armstrong Museum in Wapakoneta, OH.

There are also museums of glass in Corning, NY and Toledo, OH.
 
Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum - Whitefish Point, Mi

International Spy Museum - Washington DC

Maritime Museum - Astoria, Oregon

Route 66 Museum - Kingman, Arizona

Illinois Railway Museum - Union, Illinois

Pima Air & Space Museum - Tucson, Arizona

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Museum - Durango, Colorado

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center / Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum - Dulles Airport

The Sixth floor Museum at Dealey Plaza - Dallas, Texas
 
Last edited:
Mr._Graybeard said:
Ah, the Art Institute -- Grant Wood's "American Gothic," Hopper's "Nighthawks," Van Gogh's "Bedroom," among others. I recall seeing a Rembrandt there, "Young Woman at an Open Half Door." I believe Rembrandt's self-portrait is there too.

Lots of Goya works, Picassos -- it is a landmark art museum.
Click to expand...
I’m sure the OP has been there, but to the above I’d add Seurat’s “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte“ and the whole Hokusai collection as must sees for Art Institute Chicago visitors.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

folivier
First million is enough
6 7 8
Replies
185
Views
16K
skyking1
skyking1
P
Long layover at JFK
Replies
13
Views
1K
healthyandfun
H
S
7-10 days for "girls trip" in Italy or Greece
Replies
10
Views
742
Scuba
S
2017ish
Quick report on a month in the Canary Islands
Replies
1
Views
728
jj
J
L
New Zealand in the Fall
Replies
4
Views
733
Lazyfish
L

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom