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Northeast USA Museums and Culture

    National Great Blacks in Wax, Maryland

  1601-03 East North Avenue - Baltimore, MD             
The National Great Blacks In Wax Museum is among the nations most dynamic cultural and educational institutions. Because it is a wax museum committed solely to the study and preservation of African American history, it is also among the most unique. Primarily, the presentation of life-size, life-like wax figures highlighting historical and contemporary personalities of African ancestry defines its uniqueness.
    Museum of American Finance, New York State
  48 Wall Street - New York, NY             
Money - to think of America and New York City, is to think of money. No other single object has been such a driving force for power and prestige than money. The Museum of American Finance houses a collaborative history celebrating money and the American free-enterprise system. Walking into the brass and concrete entrance you will see several displays focused on the growth of American commerce and the spirit of entrepreneurship. Visitors have the opportunity to look at many of the economic issues that have faced America, including exhibits dedicated to the history of money and the stock market. Spring 2012 brings two new exhibits to the museum. “Checks & Balances” focuses on the presidential side of economic security and the issues each president has faced. The second exhibit is the credit crisis which focuses on the bottoming of the stock market in 2007 and displays the vast change that resulted in the American financial institution over the last few years. The Museum of American Finance, Manhattan, is a unique perspective into a hub of the United States. If you wish to understand more about money and the desire to better the economy, then definitely make a stop in here.
    Conference House, New York State
  7455 Hylan Boulevard - Staten Island, NY            
Known for being the first house museum on Staten Island, this New York City museum is rich in history on many levels. Its name lies in honor for the peace conference of 1776, a commemoration. Constructed circa 1680 by Captain Christopher Billopp, this 2 story rubble-stone masonry masterpiece has been restored over the years, as needed for structural integrity. Its steep gable roof gives the essence of the period. By 1934, much work had been completed including the Colonial Rose Garden and planting 13 trees to represent the original colonies. House tours are offered Friday-Sunday at 1 pm. In the midst of a collection of artifacts from the era, it is almost like stepping back to the time when our great country was still forming. The beauty and serenity overpower you while walking the grounds. Spring and summer bring the vivid colors of the trees to life. Why not stop for a minute to quite literally “smell the roses”? When the sun is descending, gaze over to the waterfront to enjoy the unparalleled sunset that exudes tangerine hues amid a backdrop of amber with scattered tones of violet entice you to just stand in awe of the beauty that is happening right before your eyes.
    Socrates Sculpture Park, New York State
  Broadway at Vermont Blvd. - Queens - Long Island City, NY           
Large Scale Exhibits! Multi-Media installations! A unique outdoor environment! The Socrates Sculpture Park offers one of the most unique and amazing artistic experiences in NYC. Located in Queens and occupying what was once an illegal dump site, this picturesque park has been transformed from a lowly and dirty area into one of the most beautiful artistic displays known to man. Artists in the park are encouraged to utilize their unique and sprawling designs to capture the masses and produce a unique form of creative expression. The Park not only displays these amazing works, but also offers a variety of hands-on experiences and guest lecturers to give the newly aspiring artists the motivation to break through society’s norms and create their own legacy. Coming up in Summer 2012, the Park will be offering several unique workshops focusing on giving back to the community and utilizing one’s talents for the greater good of society. These workshops will include demonstrations on personal wellbeing, ways to volunteer and give back to the community, and the benefits of green technology. The Socrates Sculpture Park has raised the bar on what a museum experience should be and continues to benefit not only New York City but also the world.
    Northlandz, New Jersey
  495 U.S. 202 - Flemington, NJ           
Northlandz is a 16 acre world class attraction developed by Bruce and his wife Jean. Included in this complex is a doll museum, La Peep Doll House, a 2,000 pipe theater pipe organ (which Bruce plays) and art galleries throughout. The building is reflective of the couples lifelong commitment to art, expression, and creativity.
    RISD Museum, Rhode Island
  224 Benefit Street - Providence, RI           
The Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, also known as the RISD Museum, is Rhode Island’s leading museum of fine and decorative art, housing a collection of 84,000 objects of international significance. It is southeastern New England’s only comprehensive art museum and is accredited by the American Association of Museums. The RISD Museum strives to be a vital cultural resource by educating and inspiring a wide variety of audiences: families and individuals, scholars and researchers, artists and designers, and students of all ages. The Museum maintains an active program of exhibitions, lectures, tours, workshops and publications dedicated to the interpretation of art and design from diverse cultures ranging from ancient times to the present.
    Nova Jersey Children's Museum, New Jersey
  599 Valley Health Plaza - Paramus, NJ           
A great place to celebrate your child's birthday party! Toddlers and preschoolers love the interactive, hands-on exhibits, including a real fire truck, a real helicopter, cool fossil/dinosaur cave, play ballet studio, kids' medieval castle, and much, much more. Ask about special party activities, special birthday favors, and fun birthday party themes!
    The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Connecticut
  600 Main St. - Hartford, CT             
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"We’re more than just the first public art institution in the United States. We were the first museum in America to begin collecting contemporary American art – resulting in our world renowned Hudson River School collection. We staged the first retrospective of Pablo Picasso in America; we were the first museum to both exhibit and purchase works by Surrealist artists – today almost every exhibition about Surrealism includes works borrowed from our collection. We were the first art museum to also have a theater – and we were the first to show Gertrude Stein’s Four Saints & 3 Acts – which we also produced."
    Jewish Heritage Museum, New Jersey
  310 Mounts Corner Drive - Freehold, NJ           
Dedicated to celebrating, preserving, exploring, and illustrating the rich and unique history of the Jewish residents of Monmouth County.
Located in the early 19th century Levi Solomon Barn.
    Rhode Island Historical Society, Rhode Island
  110 Benevolent Street - Providence, RI           
Founded in 1822, the RIHS is the fourth-oldest historical society in the United States and is Rhode Island’s largest and oldest historical organization. In Providence, the RIHS owns and operates the John Brown House and Museum, a designated National Historic Landmark, built in 1788; the Aldrich House, built in 1822 and used for administration and public programs; and the Library of Rhode Island History, where archival, book and image collections are housed. In Woonsocket the RIHS manages the Museum of Work and Culture, a community museum examining the industrial history of northern Rhode Island and of the workers and settlers, especially French-Canadians, who made it one of the state’s most distinctive areas.
    Virginia Museum of Natural History, Virginia
  21 Starling Avenue - Martinsville, VA             
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The Virginia Museum of Natural History’s innovative Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education programs reach students, teachers, and the general public statewide and throughout the region. From "at-the-museum" programs to outreach education programs that bring the museum to locations across the Commonwealth, the museum's education programs are correlated directly to the Virginia Standards of Learning and the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. VMNH educators are leaders in the field of informal science education throughout the state, providing a vital link between the museum's important research and collections programs and all citizens of Virginia and beyond.
    Newseum, Washington DC
  555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW - Washington, DC             
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Find out for yourself why everyone is calling the Newseum the best experience Washington, D.C. has to offer. Each of the seven levels in this magnificent building is packed with interactive exhibits that explore how news affects our shared experience of historic moments. Whether you have just a few hours or want to spend all day, you’ll find something for everyone in the family in the Newseum's 15 theaters and 15 galleries.
    Woodmere Art Museum, Pennsylvania
  9201 Germantown Avenue - Philadelphia, PA           
Celebrate Philadelphia's Artistic legacy. The legacy of Philadelphia's art can be seen through Woodmere's Permanent Art Collection, our Art Classes, the Edward M. David Art Research Library, and Woodmere's Art Tours & Excursions. Enjoy Philadelphia, its art, and its artists through Woodmere Art Museum.
    Peabody Museum of Natural History, Connecticut
  170 Whitney Avenue - New Haven, CT             
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The mission of the Peabody Museum is to serve Yale University by advancing our understanding of earth’s history through geological, biological, and anthropological research, and by communicating the results of this research to the widest possible audience through publication, exhibition, and educational programs.
Fundamental to this mission is stewardship of the Museum’s rich collections, which provide a remarkable record of the history of the earth, its life, and its cultures. Conservation, augmentation and use of these collections become increasingly urgent as modern threats to the diversity of life and culture continue to intensify.
    Varnum Memorial Armory, Rhode Island
  6 Main St. - East Greenwich, RI           
From July 1918 to January 1996, the Varnum Armory in East Greenwich, RI, housed units from the Rhode Island State and National Guard. Built in 1913 and completed in 1914, the Varnum Continentals had the Armory built in the Medieval architectural style. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places and contains an extensive Military & Naval Museum.
    National Postal Museum, Washington DC
   - Washington, DC            
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The National Postal Museum, a Smithsonian Institution museum, is located in the old Post Office building next to Union Station in Washington, D.C. The Museum was created by an agreement between the Smithsonian Institution and the United States Postal Service in 1990 and opened to the public in 1993.
    Please Touch Museums, Pennsylvania
  210 North 21st Street - Philadelphia, PA            
Please Touch Museum, the children’s museum of Philadelphia. Please Touch is designed for families with young children and since 1976, has dedicated itself to enriching the lives of children by creating learning opportunities through play.
Let your child be your guide as they interact with our museum exhibits, take part in museum activities or enjoy one of our interactive theater performances.
    Phillips Collections, The, Washington DC
   - Washington, DC           
The Phillips Collection, opened in 1921, is America’s first museum of modern art. Featuring a renowned permanent collection of nearly 2,500 works by American and European impressionist and modern artists, the Phillips is internationally recognized for both its incomparable art and its intimate atmosphere.
    Submarine Force Museum, Connecticut
  1 Crystal Lake Rd - Groton, CT           
The Submarine Force Museum, located on the Thames River in Groton, Connecticut, maintains the world's finest collection of submarine artifacts. It is the only submarine museum operated by the United States Navy, and as such is the primary repository for artifacts, documents and photographs relating to U.S. Submarine Force history. The museum traces the development of the "Silent Service" from David Bushnell's Turtle, used in the Revolutionary War, to the Ohio and Virginia class submarines.
The museum's collections include more than 33,000 artifacts, 20,000 significant documents and 30,000 photographs. With so many holdings, the displays change frequently and a return visit will be a new experience. The 6,000 volume reference and research library is a world-renowned collection relative to the history of U.S. submarines and is open to anyone looking for information on submarines or submarine history.
    Seashore Trolley Museum, Maine
  195 Log Cabin Road - Kennebunkport, ME            
Founded in 1939 with one open trolley car, No. 31 from the Biddeford & Saco Railroad Company. Over the years thousands of members have followed the founding fathers by helping the Museum grow to be the premier electric railway museum in the world. Today, our collection contains over 250 transit vehicles, most of them trolleys, from all over the United States, Canada, and many other countries. We are the oldest, and largest electric railway museum in the world.
The mission of the Museum is to present a living history of public transportation relevant to North American life through community-related educational programs. The Museum shall collect, restore, preserve, exhibit and demonstrate the operation of significant transit vehicles with emphasis upon traditional streetcar and interurban service, including rapid transit, trackless trolley and bus service with select world wide comparative representation. The Museum shall provide a repository for artifacts and information of an educational and historic nature relating to the origin and development of the transit industry and its contribution to modern society.
    Mütter Museum, Pennsylvania
  19 South 22nd Street - Philadelphia, PA             
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The Mütter Museum was founded to educate future doctors about anatomy and human medical anomalies. Today, it serves as a valuable resource for educating and enlightening the public about our medical past and telling important stories about what it means to be human. The Mütter Museum embodies The College of Physicians of Philadelphia 's mission to advance the cause of health, and uphold the ideals and heritage of medicine.
    African Art Museum of Maryland, Maryland
  5430 Vantage Point Road - P.O. Box 1105 - Columbia, MD           
African Art Museum of Maryland encourages an understanding of African art and culture. The Museum accomplishes this educational objective through numerous activities including exhibits, lectures, workshops, tours to Africa and the development and execution of a vigorous in-museum and outreach program for the public and private primary and secondary schools. The museum's audiences consist of the community at large to include youth, seniors, the disabled and the underserved segments of the population. African art exhibited by the African Art Museum of Maryland includes masks, sculptured figures, textiles, basketry, jewelry, household items, and musical instruments. The Museum is located in Historic Oakland, a restored nineteenth century manor in Columbia, Md. Oakland is owned by the Columbia Association and is operated as a community and social center. Support for AAMM is derived from individual and corporate donations, memberships, various foundations, and grants from government agencies.
    The Brick Store Museum, Maine
  117 Main Street - Kennebunk, ME           
The mission of The Brick Store Museum is to preserve the rich heritage of the Kennebunks for year-round residents, seasonal visitors and future generations through the collection, preservation, interpretation and exhibition of its material culture.
History - William Lord was born at Kennebunk Landing in 1799, the third son of Tobias Lord and Hephzibah Conant Lord. As a merchant and ship owner, Lord became one of Kennebunk’s most important patriarchs and citizens. In 1820 he married Sarah Cleaves of Biddeford, and they lived in what was then the Jonas Clark house at 20 Summer Street. It sits high on the hill and is now known as the William Lord Mansion, a private residence. It was here that Lord and his wife raised their large family of 10 children.
    John Brown Wax Museum, West Virginia
  168 High St. - Harpers Ferry, WV            
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Sunday, October 16, 1859, Brown, accompanied by about 20 men, all fully armed, crossed the Potomac into Virginia (now West Virginia) at Harper's Ferry. They overpowered the watchmen at the following locations: the Baltimore & Ohio railroad bridge, the United States armory and arsenal, and the rifle factory above the town on the Shenandoah. They placed guards at those points and at the street corners of the town. Brown established himself in the thick-walled brick building at the armory gate, one room of which was the quarters of the watchman and the other contained a fire-engine. He then sent six men, to seize the principal citizens in the neighborhood and incite those of African decent to rise and join in the insurrection.
    The Marine Museum, Massachusetts
  70 Water Street - Fall River, MA           
Here you will see one of the world's largest TITANIC exhibit. A 28 foot detailed model is the centerpiece in the collection of artifacts and memorabilia. The famous R. M. S. Titanic, so carefully designed to be called "unsinkable", on her maiden voyage took 1500 people with her to a watery grave on April 14, 1912. The museum's collection includes photographs taken by the Wood's Hole Oceanographic Institution, a recorded account of the tragedy by a Titanic survivor, and a video tape of the vessel's discovery. The Marine Museum's newest exhibit, The Andrea Dora, is now open. This exhibit includes photographs, videos, artifacts and a model of the Italian liner which sank off the coast of Nantucket in the summer of 1956.
    Reginald F. Lewis Museum, Maryland
  830 E. Pratt Street - Baltimore, MD            
Mission: To be the premier experience and best resource for information and inspiration about the lives of African American Marylanders. The museum seeks to realize its mission by collecting, preserving, interpreting, documenting and exhibiting the rich contributions of African American Marylanders from the state’s earliest history to the present and the future.
    WV Museum of American Glass, West Virginia
  230 Main Avenue - Weston, WV            
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Imagine a museum dedicated to the region and nation's rich glass heritage. A place where examples of thousands of products can be viewed and compared and where the stories of people and processes come to life! The MAGWV provides this and much, much more.
    National Firearms Museum, Virginia
  11250 Waples Mill Road - Fairfax, VA            
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The mission of the National Firearms Museum is to develop and manage educational programs that promote appreciation, understanding, and participation in gun collecting, and the preservation of the heritage of firearms through collection, conservation, exhibition and research as part of a nationally recognized museum in America.
    The Bennington Museum, Vermont
  West Main Street - Bennington, VT            
The mission of the Bennington Museum is to celebrate the history and heritage of the southern Vermont region, as well as serve as a venue for visual and performing arts that enrich our community and our world. Incorporated in 1852 as the Bennington Historical Association, the Bennington Museum is one of only a few accredited museums in the state of Vermont. The Association was founded to commemorate the pivotal 1777 Revolutionary War battle fought near the town. Following the dedication of the 306-foot-tall Bennington Battle Monument in 1891, the Association turned its attention to a more comprehensive preservation of history, art and material culture in southern Vermont and nearby areas.
After years of searching for a permanent home, the Association in 1923 acquired the beautiful, native stone structure that had served as the first St Francis De Sales Catholic Church from 1855 to 1892. Following some functional renovations, the museum opened to the public in 1928 as the Bennington Historical Museum.
    Delaware Art Museum, Delaware
  800 South Madison Street - Wilmington, DE             
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It might seem that an institution like a museum is carved in stone, but since its founding in 1912, the Delaware Art Museum has actually changed a great deal. Our Centennial Timeline, installed in the Museum’s Orientation Hallway, is a look at how things were and how they have changed, both here at the Museum and in the community that we serve. To put the Museum’s historical achievements in context, the Timeline mirrors notable Museum milestones with important local and world events.
A century ago, the Museum started life with an original purchase of approximately 100 Howard Pyle paintings. That collection has grown to include 12,000 works of art by great American masters such as Winslow Homer, artists of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, and well-known American illustrators. The Museum’s name and physical space have also changed considerably. Originally called the Wilmington Society of the Fine Arts, and then the Delaware Art Center, the Museum officially became the Delaware Art Museum in the early 1970s. And although we spent decades traveling around—with no permanent gallery space—the Museum now encompasses 80,000 square feet of exhibition and administrative space, four studio art classrooms, and a sprawling 9-acre sculpture park—the first of its kind in the region.