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Museums of the United States

SimonBolivar

By SimonBolivar
in Food and Travel

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Onboard 2.0

Onboard 2.0 9083

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17 hours ago, Larry Sellers said:


Museum of science and industry is great. Not sure about post COVID but it used to be very interactive. They have a German u boat as well. If you read the book The Devil in the White City it makes the museum even cooler. As I believe the science and industry museum is still the only building remaining from the Worlds fair in 1893.

Hell yes.

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Horn Draoi

Horn Draoi 256

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Great thread!  For close trips, try:

The Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg; I figured an hour visit-I was still in there 3.5 hours later

The Old Jail in Albany (Texas)- prepare to be blown away

The Panhandle Plains Historical Museum in Canyon-open all the drawers in the guns displays

strongly second the Kimbell, FtW MOMa, and the DMA; AI Chicago and the Met in NY are simply beyond compare, unless you wander in the Louvre and the Musee d’Orsay

reckon I’m a museum geek

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Billy Pilgrim

Billy Pilgrim 1984

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The Bush library in Dallas actually has a really good 9/11 exhibit. From what I can recall- the 9/11 memorial in NYC was a moving tribute to the victims but the Bush library seemed to have more artifacts.

Agree that the Art Institute in Chicago is the best art museum in the country followed by the MoMA.

Always enjoy the artifacts in the British Museum and Louvre, can’t wait to go back. The Met was a little disappointing after visiting the other two.

Also agree that the Holocaust Museum in DC was such an emotionally exhausting day. 

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PenelopeWitherspoon

PenelopeWitherspoon 19146

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Dallas Art Museum, Houston Art Museum, and the Kimbell are all great museums.  The Getty building is outstanding, but it's collection is rather meh in my opinion.

The Met is a world class museum on par with the greats in the world like the Louvre and the Hermitage.  The building itself is very interesting, with pieces of the original building on that location still visible.  Unlike the Louvre, the Met has a significant modern and contemporary art collection.  Further, the Met has the Cloisters (uptown and gorgeous) and the Costume Institute, which are really unique features.  I love being a Met member and whiling away a rainly weekend day in the galleries.  My favorite galleries are the decorative art galleries, the Impressionists galleries, and the American Art galleries.  

 

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Carl Spackler

Carl Spackler 3504

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If you get tired of gambling, drinking, eating, and consorting with escorts while in Vegas, check out the Mob Museum.  I found it very interesting, if a little cheesy in certain spots.  

International Spy Museum in Washington D.C. is an underrated gem in a city that is chock full of terrific museums.

Holocaust Museum in Los Angeles -- very sobering

It's currently closed due to COVID (my guess is it will reopen sometime soon), but if you're ever driving up the 395 in the Owens River Valley in CA, stop at the Manzanar National Historic Site between Lone Pine and Independence.  The visitor center includes a pretty good sized and well-curated museum.  You can also drive around on the grounds of the site.  Another sobering, educational experience. 

Speaking of Lone Pine, I can't say it's a great museum, but the Museum of Western Film History in that little town is pretty cool.  Understandably, it focuses mostly on the dozens of films that have shot in the nearby Alabama Hills and other adjacent locations. 

The Frick in NYC gets overshadowed by the Met and MOMA, but it's well worth a visit for art buffs. 

The Gene Autry Museum in L.A. is good (not great, IMO) for those who are interested in the history of the American western frontier.

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MAROON

MAROON 445

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The Frick in NYC gets overshadowed by the Met and MOMA, but it's well worth a visit for art buffs. 

was going to post this.  Other small museums of art worth seeing - The Barnes Collection in Philly, The Frick Pittsburgh, The Phillips Collection in DC, The Spy Museum in DC - not art but a cool museum.

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Horn Draoi

Horn Draoi 256

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7 hours ago, SimonBolivar said:

I saw the George W recommendation above. How are the Bush 1 and LBJ Libraries?

Bush 1 was interesting for the family history info, but I was so overwhelmed by the BCS gulag I was itching to get the hell out of town.  Been in the LBJ many times, good for a single major visit, then watch for their special exhibits: the one on Cronkite a few years ago was mind bottling good!

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Brisketexan

Brisketexan 105369

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If you get tired of gambling, drinking, eating, and consorting with escorts while in Vegas, check out the Mob Museum.  I found it very interesting, if a little cheesy in certain spots.  
International Spy Museum in Washington D.C. is an underrated gem in a city that is chock full of terrific museums.
Holocaust Museum in Los Angeles -- very sobering
It's currently closed due to COVID (my guess is it will reopen sometime soon), but if you're ever driving up the 395 in the Owens River Valley in CA, stop at the Manzanar National Historic Site between Lone Pine and Independence.  The visitor center includes a pretty good sized and well-curated museum.  You can also drive around on the grounds of the site.  Another sobering, educational experience. 
Speaking of Lone Pine, I can't say it's a great museum, but the Museum of Western Film History in that little town is pretty cool.  Understandably, it focuses mostly on the dozens of films that have shot in the nearby Alabama Hills and other adjacent locations. 
The Frick in NYC gets overshadowed by the Met and MOMA, but it's well worth a visit for art buffs. 
The Gene Autry Museum in L.A. is good (not great, IMO) for those who are interested in the history of the American western frontier.

Manzanar is powerful as hell.
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billfromlaketravis

billfromlaketravis 11524

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On 5/23/2021 at 11:34 AM, SimonBolivar said:

I saw the George W recommendation above. How are the Bush 1 and LBJ Libraries?

The H.W. Library is like visiting a mega church in Spring Texas. Pretty unremarkable building, and really cheaply made exhibits. I did like the portion of the museum dedicated to H.W.'s time in Midland, and his pursuits as an oilman. 

The LBJ Ranch is a better tour than the LBJ Library. 

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PenelopeWitherspoon

PenelopeWitherspoon 19146

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On 5/21/2021 at 4:42 PM, Carl Spackler said:

If you get tired of gambling, drinking, eating, and consorting with escorts while in Vegas, check out the Mob Museum.  I found it very interesting, if a little cheesy in certain spots.  

International Spy Museum in Washington D.C. is an underrated gem in a city that is chock full of terrific museums.

Holocaust Museum in Los Angeles -- very sobering

It's currently closed due to COVID (my guess is it will reopen sometime soon), but if you're ever driving up the 395 in the Owens River Valley in CA, stop at the Manzanar National Historic Site between Lone Pine and Independence.  The visitor center includes a pretty good sized and well-curated museum.  You can also drive around on the grounds of the site.  Another sobering, educational experience. 

Speaking of Lone Pine, I can't say it's a great museum, but the Museum of Western Film History in that little town is pretty cool.  Understandably, it focuses mostly on the dozens of films that have shot in the nearby Alabama Hills and other adjacent locations. 

The Frick in NYC gets overshadowed by the Met and MOMA, but it's well worth a visit for art buffs. 

The Gene Autry Museum in L.A. is good (not great, IMO) for those who are interested in the history of the American western frontier.

The cool thing about the Frick is that it is in the mansion so you see the paintings in a different setting vs. a museum, or it was.  But currently, it is in the old Met Breuer space while the house is being renovated.  Will return there in 2023.  In the interim, it is on Madison.  

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tchookem

tchookem 3918

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Newseum in DC - took a group of 8th graders on a tour before it opened so not everything was available. It was still really impressive and the kids enjoyed it. That was over 10 years ago. I assume it's gotten better since.

Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia - I really appreciated the whole experience. Tells the story very well as you progress through thre museum.

Valley Forge NHP - They were working on the visitor center when we were there, so we missed a lot, but the replicas are great and allow for interaction for the kids (and adults)

Jamestowne NHS - great reconstruction right on the water. Rangers were great story tellers. Still a working archaeology dig so that's neat to watch

Very Underrated...

Palo Alto Battlefield NHS in Brownsville - they do a great job interpreting a complicated topic. Battlefield is a nice walk and very informative. They do a great job despite not getting nearly the financial support that other sites get.

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ScottS

ScottS 1075

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41 minutes ago, 0xdeadbeef said:

A hammer museum? Gonna pass on that one.

DiscreteImmaculateCoot-size_restricted.g

NTTAWWT

Well, then, can I interest you in the Devil's Rope Museum (and Route 66 Museum) in McLean, TX?  It has everything you want to know about barbed wire and fencing tools.

https://www.barbwiremuseum.com/

Not to be confused with the Kansas Barbed Wire Museum in La Crosse, KS.  Or the exhibit of 1,300 strands and collection of 8,000 strands of barbed wire at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, OK.

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ScottS

ScottS 1075

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13 minutes ago, RollLeft said:

Sounds like you are a Cawker City, Kansas type of guy.

I cannot imagine any reason I would ever be in the middle of nowhere north central Kansas, but if I was dropped there by a tornado or something, then, yeah, I probably would stop and check out the world's largest ball of twine.  Why not?

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The Ace of Aces

The Ace of Aces 5194

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14 hours ago, tchookem said:

Newseum in DC - took a group of 8th graders on a tour before it opened so not everything was available. It was still really impressive and the kids enjoyed it. That was over 10 years ago. I assume it's gotten better since.

Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia - I really appreciated the whole experience. Tells the story very well as you progress through thre museum.

Valley Forge NHP - They were working on the visitor center when we were there, so we missed a lot, but the replicas are great and allow for interaction for the kids (and adults)

Jamestowne NHS - great reconstruction right on the water. Rangers were great story tellers. Still a working archaeology dig so that's neat to watch

Very Underrated...

Palo Alto Battlefield NHS in Brownsville - they do a great job interpreting a complicated topic. Battlefield is a nice walk and very informative. They do a great job despite not getting nearly the financial support that other sites get.

Yeaaaaa, Newseum closed before Covid unfortunately. 

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Brisketexan

Brisketexan 105369

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I've actually been to this one -- the Big Well museum in Greensburg Kansas (although I went to the old version...which got wiped out by the giant tornado a few years ago.  They rebuilt it): 

Quote

The Big Well is a marvel of pioneer engineering that was completed in 1888 as the towns original water supply. At 109 feet deep and 32 feet in diameter, this is a breathtaking sight to see. This new museum opened in May 2012 and once again allows visitors to descend a spiral staircase into the Big Well and view exhibits that feature Greensburg’s history, the tornado, and our rebuilding as a sustainable community.

The Big Well Museum & Visitors Center

315 S. Sycamore

Greensburg, KS 67054

Under the Water Tower

620.723.4102

https://www.bigwell.org/

 

Also on site is the World's Largest Pallasite Meteorite.  It is truly a wonder.  Worth your time if....you're driving through Asscrack Nowhere, Kansas.

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Mdhorn

Mdhorn 5987

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On 5/26/2021 at 10:38 PM, dcbc said:

Next week, we're road tripping to DC and hitting up the American History Museum, Spy Museum, and Udvar Air and Space.  Not sure if the National Archives are open.

I'd book tickets online now, if you haven't already.  

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Mdhorn

Mdhorn 5987

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Just bought a ticket for June to the Tenement Museum--really looking forward to it.  I love several others like the American Museum of Natural History so seeing that again as well.  Trying to schedule the Neue Galerie, Museum for German and Austrian Art which is nice but small and seeing Alice Neel at the Met--which is a favorite.  

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