From history to science, these are the best museums in the US
There are more than 35,000 museums in the United States, according to a figure released by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. That means there’s more than twice as many museums in the country as there are McDonald’s restaurants — a staggering figure.
To narrow that enormous number down to the best museums and educational venues across 10 categories, from history museums to science museums, we tasked an expert panel with nominating their top picks. Then, readers voted to decide the winners.
Click on each category below to see the full winners list:
Best Children’s Museum: The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis in Indianapolis, Indiana
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis wins Best Children’s Museum for third consecutive year — Photo courtesy of The Children’s Museum of indianapolis
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is the largest children’s museum in the world — it offers around 482,950 square feet of fun-filled exhibits. Kids can snap a selfie with a T. rex, explore outer space through the lens of NASA’s Project Mercury program, and spend some time playing sports in the fantastic, interactive, outdoor park.
Full list of winners: Best Children’s Museum »
Best Free Museum: National Infantry Museum & Soldier Center in Columbus, Georgia
You can’t put a price on a visit to the National Infantry Museum & Soldier Center — Photo courtesy of National Infantry Museum
Immersive exhibits at the National Infantry Museum & Soldier Center in Columbus, Georgia, take visitors through the last 240 years of U.S. military history. More than 70,000 artifacts tell the story of what it means to be a U.S. soldier. Admission is free and tours are self-guided.
Full list of winners: Best Free Museum »
Best History Museum: Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pay a visit to “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” at Heinz History Center — Photo courtesy of Heinz History Center
The Heinz History Center preserves the history of Western Pennsylvanians and helps educate visitors with six floors of interactive exhibits. A highlight is the “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” exhibit — the show was filmed in Pittsburgh — which displays the welcoming living room set, the Great Oak Tree, and King Friday XIII’s Castle.
Full list of winners: Best History Museum »
Best Museum Ship: Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts
Dive into naval history at Battleship Cove — Photo courtesy of DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images Plus
Visitors to aptly-named Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts, can tour five different museum ships and other craft, including battleship USS Massachusetts, destroyer USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., and the submarine USS Lionfish. Battleship Cove is the world’s largest collection of historic naval ships, making it a great place to get a deeper look into U.S. naval history.
Full list of winners: Best Museum Ship »
Best Music Museum: Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville, Tennessee
Learn more about the “Man in Black” at the Johnny Cash Museum — Photo courtesy of Johnny Cash Museum
This museum dedicated to the “Man in Black” is packed with Johnny Cash memorabilia including costumes, gold and platinum records, handwritten song lyrics, and even a piece of the wall from the home he shared with his wife, June. A small theater screens clips of Cash’s television and movie appearances.
Full list of winners: Best Music Museum »
Best Open-Air Museum: Plimoth Patuxet Museums in Plymouth, Massachusetts
Experience the past in the present at Plimoth Patuxet Museums — Photo courtesy of Plimoth Patuxet Museums
The Plimoth Patuxet Museums in Plymouth, Massachusetts, feature reconstructed and preserved structures, including the Mayflower II and replicas of both English and Native American villages. Visitors can immerse themselves in living history while interacting with historical interpreters who portray both Pilgrims and Wampanoag people and showcase daily life of the period.
Full list of winners: Best Open-Air Museum »
Best Planetarium: McDonnell Planetarium at Saint Louis Science Center in St. Louis, Missouri
Journey through the cosmos at McDonnell Planetarium at Saint Louis Science Center — Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Science Center
Opened in 1961, the James S. McDonnell Planetarium at the Saint Louis Science Center offers guests the opportunity to explore the stars and discover St. Louis’ direct impact on America’s space history. This facility — which offers free admission — presents daily star shows and in-person telescope viewing.
Visitors can also learn about life on Mars via life-sized replicas of rovers in the planetarium’s lobby, and view lots of photos, artifacts, and other materials from outer space, including Gemini and Mercury space capsules built in St. Louis during the 1960s.
Full list of winners: Best Planetarium »
Best Pop Culture Museum: Comic-Con Museum in San Diego, California
Comic-Con Museum is a pop culture haven for fans of all ages — Photo courtesy of A. Afshar (c) 2022 SDCC
No need to wait for Comic-Con — you can enjoy the fun of this annual event at the Comic-Con Museum all year long. Visitors can enjoy rotating exhibits, interactive experiences, and a collection that highlights video games, TV shows, books, anime, and costumes.
Full list of winners: Best Pop Culture Museum »
Best Science Museum: Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus, Ohio
Science and natural history come to life at the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) — Photo courtesy of COSI
The Center of Science and Industry (COSI) features a wide array of permanent exhibits and a few traveling ones, too. Check out the American Museum of Natural History Dinosaur Gallery and Ohio’s largest Planetarium, take a deep dive into ancient stories of the sea hosted by Poseidon himself, or lift a 2,437-pound car with the help of a lever in the outdoor Big Science Park.
Full list of winners: Best Science Museum »
Best Small Town Museum: Concord Museum in Concord, Massachusetts
Learn more about Concord, as well as the American Revolutionary War, at Concord Museum — Photo courtesy of Concord Museum
The town of Concord, Massachusetts, played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War, and in the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Concord Museum presents the cultural, political, environmental, and literary history of this town through artifacts from Concord and the surrounding land. The museum’s collection, parts of which are centuries old, includes paintings, tools and instruments, furniture, maps, and clothing.
Full list of winners: Best Small Town Museum »
Congratulations to all these winners! Remember to visit 10best.usatoday.com daily to vote in more Readers’ Choice Awards.
