United States Museums and Culture

Let your wild side reign free as you explore the many faces of some very unique creatures at this Brooklyn museum of life. Venture deep into the jungle as you see the animals up close. Dare to spend the day with the valor of a lion roaming with his pride. A family spending time together, appreciating nature in all its ferocious glory is what this NYC museum is all about. Take the children to the discovery center where they can try their hand at some basic veterinary skills while conducting check-ups on real live animals. Then, head over to the young naturalist camping area, cook food on a "campfire", and explore using field guides for animals that one might see on a camping trip. Feeling the urge to feed some of the animals’ springtime is the perfect time to head over and feed the sea lions - they just love the attention too. Weekends are an ideal time to visit as you can chat live with the zookeepers and learn how they care for the animals. Maybe even find out what your favorite animal does when you're not there. Overall, this taste of the wild offers a wide variety of things to do, see and learn. Spring/Summer 2012 is a great time to come see this gem.

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.

Embark on a memorable aviation journey - a tour of the Frontiers of Flight Museum. During your experience, you will bridge several lifetimes starting with the pioneers who realized their earliest dreams of flying; identifying with the aviators of the 20's and 30's, known as the "Golden Age of Flight"; understanding the sacrifices of the fliers of World War II; and progressing to the jet and rocket age of today. By virtue of these chronicles of time, you will also find a new appreciation for the role the Dallas/Fort Worth area (known today as the Aviation Capital of the World) has played in the unfolding global aviation story.

Dating back several centuries, Smith's Castle remains today a Rhode Island and American treasure.

The first new PHMC museum in twenty years, Erie Maritime Museum opened its doors May 21, 1998. As homeport of U.S. Brig Niagara, Erie Maritime Museum presents the story of Niagara as the reconstructed flagship of Pennsylvania and the warship that won the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812. Offering a wide range of multi-media and interactive exhibits and coupled with lively interpretive programs, Erie Maritime Museum vividly illustrates Niagara's history and the region's rich maritime heritage.

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.

The Ava Gardner Museum is an interpretive museum which describes her life, from growing up near Smithfield, NC, to her discovery by Hollywood, her progress as an actress, her loves, her friends and her travels. A film star of Hollywood’s Golden Era, she was acclaimed as the world’s most beautiful woman was sought by both famous photographers and filmmakers to grace their film.
The Ava Gardner Museum is home to an extensive collection of historic documents, scripts, photographs, costumes, clothing and paintings. Each object in the museum was either owned by Ava Gardner or her family, used in her films or had a special meaning or relationship to Ava.

The design for the new Natural History Museum, created by Polshek Partnership (now Ennead Architects), embodies the Museum's educational and scientific mission to inspire wonder and discovery of the natural world and the place of humans in it.

The African American Heritage Preservation Cultural Complex (AACC) originated in 1984,as a hobby, by Dr. and Mrs. E.B. Palmer, then opened in 1989 as the Black Heritage Park. The Palmers’ and George Barner incorporated AACC in 1994. The Palmers’ entered into a Lease Agreement in 1991 for $1.00 per year. The park occupies approximately 3 acres of the wooded land to the rear of the Palmer House at 119 Sunnybrook Road. The AACC was chartered and granted 501 (c)(3) tax status in October 1994. The AACC currently has 3Exhibit Houses located along a natural trail beside a creek, a Mini-Amphitheater, a Bird Sanctuary, Nature Preserve and a Picnic Area and Botanical Gardens. There is no admission fee, however, visitors and friends have donated small sums of money. Friends and organizations have also donated labor and artifacts.

It is located at a crossroads of activity in downtown Dallas – adjacent to the JFK Memorial and Dealey Plaza, a National Historic Landmark District, across the street from a replica of Dallas founder John Neely Bryan’s cabin and just a block from The Sixth Floor Museum and the historic West End of Dallas. The space is stimulating for any kind of visitor, including students, local Dallasites or anyone looking to learn more about the history of Dallas County. There is always something new to discover!

The American Military Museum in Charleston, S.C., offers a one-of-a-kind experience in military history for travelers and residents.
Located in Aquarium Wharf adjacent to the debarkation point for tours to historic Fort Sumter, the Museum is filled with authentic artifacts from 14 American conflicts from the Revolutionary War through the recent war in Iraq.

One of the largest private, regional history museums in the country, recognized for excellence in programming and management by the Florida Department of State and national museum services organizations. The HIstorical Museum has been accredited by the American Association of Museums since 1979.

At the South Carolina Cotton Museum, we currently offer educational programs that both entertain and inform. Our programs are interactive: the student becomes involved!
Our educational programs are geared to various age levels. Teachers may also select from our library of video presentations to enhance the educational experience. Our younger visitors participate in the "From Seeds to Shirts" program, in which our staff describes how a cotton seed is magically transformed into a t-shirt.

A scientific, educational, and cultural resource center dedicated to improving the public's understanding of science and technology. OMSI makes science exciting and relevant through exhibits, programs, and experiences that are presented in an entertaining and participatory fashion

The Valdez Museum & Historical Archive's mission is to safeguard our community's valuable heritage materials; foster broad public understanding and appreciation of our unique heritage; celebrate our community's past accomplishments and provide context for future plans and programs; enhance the sense of community pride; and enhance the quality of life by fostering and supporting cultural programs

Zeum is a non-profit multimedia and technology museum with a mission to provide multimedia tools for families of all communities to think and act creatively. By providing hands-on experiences in four core creative processes (animation, sound and video production, live performance and visual arts), we encourage youth to share their stories, build their voices, and use multimedia tools for creative self-expression.

The only museum in the state of Hawaii devoted exclusively to contemporary art. TCM provides an accessible forum for provocative, dynamic forms of visual art, offering interaction with art and artists in a unique Island environment. TCM presents its innovative exhibition and educational programs at two venues: in residential Honolulu at the historic Cooke-Spalding house, and downtown at First Hawaiian Center.

Located next to the Old Penitentiary in Idaho’s Historical District, the Idaho Museum of Mining and Geology (IMMG) offers exhibits and educational programs about Idaho’s fascinating geologic history and rich mining heritage.

The spirit and energy of San Francisco is manifested in the history of one of its most popular landmarks - The Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf. Bedecked by colorful waving flags and surrounded by a complex of gifts shops and entertainment sites, the museum welcomes guests to one of the world's most visited spots. Three generations of the Fong family have kept the Wax Museum a vital and changing San Francisco attraction.
As one of the world's largest wax museums, the fully restored San Francisco attraction continues to show all aspects of life from the ignoble Chamber of Horrors to the inspiring Hall of Religion, including the historic Library of U.S. Presidents, the spectacular Recreation of King Tut's Tomb and the unique Palace of Living Art, where the world's most famous masters, and their masterpieces come to life through the magic of wax artistry.

As one of the world's most innovative museums of modern and contemporary art, SFMOMA has had an active Web presence for over nine years (a very long time, when measured in Internet time). During this period we have redesigned our site twice, always with the idea that a museum such as ours should continually strive to improve the ways in which it serves a diverse public. And, as our collective understanding of emerging digital technologies has increased, we felt that perhaps it was time to use the Web to explore our understanding of the museum itself.

The Museum’s permanent collection of over 5,000 cataloged items includes paintings, sculpture, and works on paper by over 100 distinguished artists ranging from early American Tribes through contemporary masters. The Museum’s permanent and temporary exhibitions are augmented with innovative educational and scholarly programs emphasizing art appreciation, art history, natural science, creative writing, and American history.
The Museum has become an important educational center and meeting place for the Jackson Hole region. In 1994, the National Museum of Wildlife Art received the Wyoming Humanities Award for exemplary efforts in fostering the humanities in Wyoming. More than 76,000 people visit every year, and over 10,000 children visit the Museum each year, often as part of their school curricula.

The Oklahoma City Museum of Art is located in the heart of Downtown Oklahoma City's Arts District. Accredited by the American Association of Museums, the Museum serves 170,000 visitors annually from all fifty states and over forty foreign countries and hosts special exhibitions drawn from throughout the world. The Museum is home to an extensive permanent collection of European and American art, including the most comprehensive collection of Dale Chihuly glass in the world, and the Midwest's premiere repertoire cinema, which presents the finest international, independent, and classic films. Amenities include the Museum's Library Resource Center, Museum Store, and Museum School, which offers classes for students of all ages as well as fall, winter, and summer camps for youths. The Museum is also home to the Museum Cafe, whose French-fusion cuisine is complemented by a full-service bar complete with cocktails, specialty coffees, and afternoon tea.

All of the buildings, track, locomotives and cars were assembled here at Union on what was once farmland. Our main line trackage was laid on the vacant right-of-way of the Elgin & Belvidere Electric railway. Why would rational adults freely contribute so much of their time and treasure to creating this repository of railroad history?
To answer this question, we must remember that at one time in our nation's past the railroad industry was the largest private employer. With so many families supported by one enterprise, the widespread interest in that industry is understandable....manifesting itself in special interest groups devoted to various activities such as taking railroad pictures or publishing books on railroads, building railroad models or just "riding the rails," The Illinois Railway Museum is probably the ultimate railroad historian special interest group. Originally formed to preserve one important piece of rolling stock, it has evolved into an educational and historic preservation organization recreating possibly the largest operating demonstration railroad showcase on the North American continent.

Four floors of over forty galleries of art are rotated regularly with works from antiquity to the present in the Museum's far-reaching Collection. Included in the Collection are 15th- to 20th-century European and 17th- to 20th-century American paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, decorative arts, photographs, and folk and self-taught art. Among the best in the nation are the Museum’s holding of American decorative arts, German Expressionism, folk and Haitian art, and American art after 1960. The Museum also holds one of the largest collections of works by Wisconsin native Georgia O’Keeffe.

A volunteer run, non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve Indiana's railroad history, educate the public in the history of the railroad, and provide our visitors with an opportunity to experience railroad travel as it used to be. We operate on 38 miles of track once known as the Indianapolis & Peru, and more recently, as the Nickel Plate Road.
The Museum and restoration facilities are located in Noblesville, Indiana, only 20 miles north of downtown Indianapolis. The Museum is located in Forest Park which is less than 1 mile north of State Route 32 on State Route 19, North and West of downtown Noblesville. Enter at the South entrance and follow the main road to the Museum.

Learn about Cordova's colorful and fascinating history at The Cordova Historical Museum.

The mission of the Cleveland Museum of Art is to fulfill its dual roles as one of the world's most distinguished comprehensive art museums and as one of northeastern Ohio's principal civic and cultural institutions. The museum, established in 1913 seeks to bring the pleasure and meaning of art to the broadest possible audience in accordance with the highest aesthetic, intellectual and professional standards. Toward this end the museum augments, preserves, exhibits and fosters understanding of the outstanding collections of world art it holds in trust for the public and presents complementary exhibitions and programs. The Cleveland Museum of Art embraces its leadership role in collecting, scholarship, education and community service.

Mission: "To Preserve and Perpetuate the History of Oklahoma and its people by collecting, interpreting and disseminating knowledge of Oklahoma and the Southwest."
For over 100 years the Oklahoma Historical Society has strived to protect, chronicle and share the history of our great state. The Oklahoma Historical Society maintains over 20 museums & historic sites and five affiliates located throughout Oklahoma. Intriguing destinations including historic homes, military sites, and museums offer a unique glimpse into Oklahoma's past.

The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza contains nearly 400 historic photographs, six documentary films, an audio tour and a range of artifacts and interpretive displays to document the life, times, death and legacy of President John F. Kennedy. The 9,000 square-foot museum recreates the social and political context of the early l960s, chronicles the events of November 22, l963, and analyzes Kennedy's lasting impact on American culture.

One of the largest science museums in the world, is home to more than 35,000 artifacts and nearly 14 acres of hands-on exhibits designed to spark scientific inquiry and creativity. We have welcomed more than 175 million guests in our 75 years, and our ongoing mission has been to inspire the inventive genius in all of them with world-class, permanent exhibits such the U-505 Submarine, the only German U-boat in the United States; or world-premiere temporary exhibits such as 2008's Smart Home: Green + Wired.
Even bigger than our mission is our vision, which is to inspire and motivate our children to achieve their full potential in the fields of science, technology, engineering and medicine. In addition to our fun and interactive exhibits, the Museum's Center for the Advancement of Science Education is continually developing and facilitating student learning labs, after-school science clubs, teen volunteer programs, teacher development classes and community outreach—all ways in which the Museum's seek to make science come alive for children of all ages.