17 American Cities With Incredible Museums (2024)

Lovers of all things related to art, science, history, fashion, and all odds and ends in between could plan a trip touring the US with just a focus on museums. With some of the top museums in the world, the United States' houses a host of cities home to impressive establishments that document everything from science and history to the wonders of space and the universe.

The cities on the list below have a ton of great things to do as a tourist, but the museums in these spots are too amazing to miss out on. Take a look at these American cities with the best museums worth exploring and satiate all curiosities for art, history, nature, and the wonders of space!

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17 Detroit, Michigan

Popular museum: Detroit Institute of Arts

The Detroit Institute of Art in Detroit, Michigan, USA

Detroit is one of the many US cities with amazing museums; in particular, the Detroit Institute of Arts deserves the first shoutout, home to one of the best art collections in the US (and one of the largest). Visitors can explore more than 65,000 artworks dating from the earliest civilizations to the present day.

Additionally, The Motown Museum in Detroit is another establishment worthy of attention; the city is the home of Motown Records, which draws throngs of music lovers each year. Atypical of the typical experience, the museum's façade gives visitors the sense that it belongs on a residential block. Exhibitions shift, sometimes twice a year, but they always explore the artistic audacity that lies behind this renowned label.

Not only is Detroit one of the cities with the best museums in America but it's also famed for being the birthplace of the American auto industry. At the iconic Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, visitors can explore the nation's automotive history in addition to developments in aviation, rail, and manufacturing.

• Other excellent museums in Detroit: Detroit Historical Museum, The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit

16 Minneapolis, Minnesota

Popular museum: Minneapolis Institute of Art

Facade of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts at night, Minnesota, USA

Fun fact: There are over 50 museums in the largest city in Minnesota's metropolitan region, making it one of the cities with the most museums in the US. In summary, travelers to Minneapolis seeking entertainment and cultural education will have an abundance of options.

The Museum of Russian Art, situated in a structure that resembles a cathedral, has expanded over the course of 20 years from a small collection of a few paintings to thousands of pieces that span the range of artistic mediums used throughout the Russian Empire. As for the Minneapolis Institute of Art's exhibitions, they are incredibly diverse, featuring anything from bronze objects used in Chinese rites to creative depictions of the night from all across Africa.

The Weisman Art Museum bears the indelible mark of American architect Frank Gehry, whose unique curving steel exterior renders the structure as visually arresting on the outside as the shows within.

• Other excellent museums in Minneapolis: Mill City Museum, The Bakken Museum

15 New York City, New York

Popular museum: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City at Night

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There is so much to explore in New York City; still, museums need to be on a typical travel itinerary. A popular NYC museum is Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), which is famous for being one of the largest and finest art museums in the world with a collection spanning 5,000 years of world culture from every part of the globe, all the way back from prehistory to the present day.

Overall, NYC is easily one of the best museum cities in the US and is likely to have a museum that covers the interests of just about anyone, from the arts to history and much more.

• Other excellent museums in NYC: American Museum of Natural History, Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), Guggenheim Museum, 9/11 Memorial

14 Washington DC

Popular museum: National Gallery of Art

Hall of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C, USA

The USA's capital has an incredible score of museums to visit, and history lovers and visitors can plan entire trips based solely on museum stops.

A number of the most famous museums in the US are in Washington DC, like the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of Natural History.

• Other excellent museums in Washington DC: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, National Gallery of Art, National Museum of African American History and Culture

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13 Chicago, Illinois

Popular museum: The Art Institute of Chicago

TheArt Institute of Chicago exterior, Chicago, Illinois, USA

There are many great museums in Chicago, including many family friendly ones. The Art Institute of Chicago is among the most notable establishments in the cityl founded in 1879, Chicago's Art Institute is home to over 300,000 art pieces and boasts the largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artworks in the world outside of Paris' Louvre.

In addition, one particular Chicago museum kids and adults will love is The Field Museum of Natural History, which is one of the best dinosaur museums in the world. Visitors can even see Sue, the largest Tyrannosaurus Rex ever discovered, at this museum. The skeleton "greets visitors" walking in, and it’s an awesome sight.

• Other excellent museums in Chicago: The Chicago History Museum, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Museum of Science and Industry, Museum of Contemporary Art

12 Los Angeles, California

Popular museum: The Getty Center

Robert Irwin’s Central Garden at the Los Angeles Getty Center with the Getty Museum in the background, LA, California, CA, USA

Another one of the US cities with the best museums, is, unsurprisingly, the City of Angels. There are many incredible museums in LA, many of which add to its celebrity for performance arts. Among the most famous museums in Los Angeles is the Getty Center, which houses the J. Paul Getty Museum. Here, visitors can marvel at various art forms, including European paintings, drawings, sculptures, decorative arts, illuminated manuscripts, and photography.

In addition, another must-see museum in Los Angeles that rank the city among tis the iconic Griffith Observatory; this is the ultimate place for space fans and stargazing lovers, as visitors can see not only stunning views of the city and the Hollywood sign but also gaze at the cosmos through telescopes. Guests can also explore the exhibits and catch live shows in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium.

• Other excellent museums in Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, California Science Center, La Brea Tar Pits-Ice Age excavation pits

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11 Seattle, Washington

Popular museum: Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum

Colorful glass sculptures at the Chihuly Garden and Glass museum in Seattle, Washington, USA

Seattle's museums are as interesting as the rest of the city. The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) is the choice museum for pop culture lovers; this museum has exhibits for Minecraft, Prince, and Pearl Jam, among other displays.

Other Seattle museums are the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum, famous for its stunning glass sculpture-filled gardens, and the Museum of History and Industry. Moreover, at the Seattle Pinball Museum, visitors can buy tickets to play any of the games for as long as they like.

• Other excellent museums in Seattle: Frye Art Museum, Pacific Science Center, The Museum of Flight

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10 New Orleans, Louisiana

Popular museum: The National World War II Museum

The National World War II Museum, formerly the D-Day Museum, in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

New Orleans is steeped in history and culture, and its museums reflect this. The National World War II Museum archives the history of that war through exhibited artifacts and multimedia programs, as well as presentations.

Meanwhile, for something truly festive and culturally enriching, visitors can check out the New Orleans Mardi Gras World Museum (this is a great option since NOLA is famous for its Mardi Gras celebrations!). Here, over 80% of the floats that grace the streets of New Orleans during Carnival are designed and made.

• Other excellent museums in New Orleans: Backstreet Cultural Museum, New Orleans Museum of Art, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans Pharmacy Museum

9 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Popular museum: Philadelphia Museum of Art

Philadelphia Museum of Art, main entrance

Philadelphia has many superb museums that exhibit artifacts covering diverse historical subjects as well as the arts. One particularly famous museum is the Philadelphia Museum of Art, famed for its huge collections of art from across the world and throughout the ages; visitors can explore Renaissance, Impressionist American, East and South Asian, and also contemporary masterpieces in this establishment.

Also, one of the other Philadelphia museums to visit is The Barnes Foundation; it houses an incredible collection of Renoir, Matisse, and Cezanne arts, and fans of impressionist and early modernist painters won’t be disappointed. Meanwhile, The Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site has the ruins of what was once the most expensive and famous prison in the world.

• Other excellent museums in Philadelphia: Museum of the American Revolution, Rodin Museum, the Mutter Museum and its exhibits

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8 Boston, Massachusetts

Popular museum: USS Constitution Museum

USS Constitution in Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Boston has museums on land and at sea. At the USS Constitution Museum, visitors can scrub the deck or fire a cannon. Plus, they can tour the USS Constitution Warship itself!

Another museum in the Boston area is the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, which has an impressive art collection and a scenic flower-filled courtyard. Other Boston museum stops are the Boston Tea Party Ships the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Museum of Science.

• Other excellent museums in Boston: Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston Children's Museum

7 Baltimore, Maryland

Popular museum: The Walters Art Museum

Art at The Walters Art Museum, North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD, USA

The Baltimore Museum circuit covers the bases for art lovers, baseball fans, or history buffs. At the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, there is memorabilia that includes Ruth’s bat from his 1927 season.

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum has exhibits of historic railroad equipment, while the Walters Art Museum and the Baltimore Museum of Art archive art collections from around the world.

• Other excellent museums in Baltimore: Reginald F. Lewis Museum, Port Discovery Children's Museum

6 San Francisco, California

Popular museum: The Walt Disney Family Museum

The Walt Disney family museum from the Walt Disney Family Foundation in Presidio Park, San Francisco, California, USA

VIsitors can find tons of amazing museums in San Francisco, but one super a fun museum that is too interesting to miss is The Walt Disney Family Museum, which archives Walt Disney's history, including how he founded this entertainment behemoth.

Also, the Exploratorium is another must-see museum in San Francisco; it's a science museum with 600 interactive exhibits that visitors can experiment and play with. Given how fun and family-friendly they are, these establishments are easily some of the best museums in the US for kids and adults alike.

• Other excellent museums in San Francisco: Legion of Honor, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

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5 Santa Fe, New Mexico

Popular museum: Georgia O'Keeffe Museum

Panoramic view of Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe, the state capital of New Mexico, has a rich history, and the ancient sites here are a testament to it. There are also many museums in Santa Fe that archive the historical past of this city with a rich artistic heritage.

One particular museum loved by locals and visitors alike is the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, which first opened in July 1997, 11 years after the famous artist passed away. At this artistic establishment, visitors can learn about her creative processes and the landscape that inspired her, as well as explore her works.

Other excellent museums in Santa Fe

• The Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian exhibits artifacts of historic and contemporary Native American art.
• The New Mexico Museum of Space History is the cradle of vaunted America's space exploration program.
• The Museum of International Folk Art has an art collection that represents a diverse collection of international folk art in the world.
• Museum of Spanish Colonial Art has 3000 collections of complete Spanish Colonial art.

4 Charleston, South Carolina

Popular museum: Nathaniel Russell House

The historic downtown area of Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Spending a weekend in Charleston in South Carolina, the capital city of Charleston County, is an incredible choice for history buffs; it is one of the best cities for museums in the US in terms of historic establisments.

A favorite is the Nathaniel Russell House, which was built at the turn of the 19th century by wealthy Southern merchant Nathaniel Russell. Now a preserved historic home, it's famous for for its spiraling staircase, highly detailed furnishings, and beautifully landscaped gardens.

Other excellent museums in Charleston

• Gibbes Museum of Art hosts American art that chronicles the history of Charleston and the region's artistic past.
• The Old Slave Mart Museum is the first African-American slave museum, and the staffers here can trace their history to past Charleston slaves.
• The Museum at Market Hall has exhibits of the finest Civil War artifacts collections since 1899.
• Heyward-Washington House was built in 1772 by Thomas Heyward, Jr, one of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence. This museum has among the finest American-made colonial furniture.

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3 Las Vegas, Nevada

Popular museum: The Mob Museum

Exterior view of The Mob Museum, Las Vegas

Las Vegas is one of the top vacation destinations in the United States; while most people go to Vegas for its vice and gaming, it also has a great selection of museums to choose from.

Not only does the city have a great history, but so does the surrounding region, which many of the Las Vegas museums showcase. For example, The Mob Museum in Las Vegas delves into the criminal history of Sin City and the country at large. As for the Lost City Museum, it is located outside of Las Vegas and showcases a Native American village that was flooded by Lake Mead.

• Other excellent museums in Las Vegas: Shelby American Inc., The Atomic Museum, Pinball Hall of Fame

2 Huntsville, Alabama

Popular museum: U.S. Space & Rocket Center

U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, seen from the highway

This unlikely city in Alabama gets on the list on account of one very impressive museum. The otherwise forgotten city of Huntsville is particularly notable for having what is sometimes termed the largest space museum in the world, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.

This establishment has a truly impressive collection of exhibits detailing America's space program and space exploration in great detail. Here, people can see everything from the history of the Air Force to a full-stack Space Shuttle.

• Other excellent museums in Huntsville: EarlyWorks Children's Museum, North Alabama Railroad Museum, U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum

1 Bodie, California

Popular museum: Bodie itself is an open-air museum and ghost city

The forgotten town of Bodie, California

Bodie is a bit of a cheat, but it is a very remarkable outdoor museum and gets on the list as a special entry. It's a former city and one of California's most stunning outdoor museums. There's plenty to do and see in Bodie, which stands today as a gold-mining ghost town; preserved by California State Parks, visitors can walk down the ghost town's deserted streets, which once housed over 2,000 structures and a population of around 8,000 residents.

Today, the streets look almost the same as they once did; the old weathered buildings have been preserved, not restored, maintaining their authentic 1880s appearance. Bodie was also once one of the largest cities in California, but today, it is among the most famous and impressive ghost towns in the US. This ghost town and open-air museum is located in an isolated part of California near the border with Nevada, in the high desert.

• Other excellent museums in Bodie: Gold Rush, Miners' Union Hall and Museum