United States Museums and Culture

The New Jersey Historical Society is a state-wide, private, non profit historical museum, library, and archives dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting the rich and intricate political, social, cultural and economic history of New Jersey to the broadest possible audiences. Founded in 1845, it is the oldest cultural institution in the state. Through exhibitions, publications, and programming, it examine what it means to live and work in New Jersey, what contributes to New Jersey's distinct identity, and the unique contributions New Jerseyans make to the region and the country.

Designed by architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe in 1818 for America's greatest 19th century naval hero, Decatur House was occupied by many of our nation's most important political leaders. As witness to the exciting events of the 19th and early 20th century, Decatur House has a unique and fascinating story to tell.

Located in the historic district of Goldsboro, the Wayne County Museum strives to educate and entertain people of all ages by offering varied and diverse exhibits. The aim of the museum is to collect, preserve, study, and exhibit objects illustrating the history, science and cultural heritage of Wayne County and Central Eastern North Carolina.
The Wayne County Museum was founded in 1986 when the Goldsboro Woman’s Club graciously donated its classical Jeffersonian style building to the Wayne County Historical Association. The building constructed in 1927, and the home of the U.S.O. in the 1940’s, is filled with the rich history of Wayne County. The museum officially opened in 1988 and sponsors several special exhibits each year.

The T Rex Museum Gift & Activity Center has fossils, replicas, science, art, astronomy, and hands on exhibits that take you through 13.7 billion years of history including 570 Million years of interesting prehistoric life in only 10 minutes with a real paleontologist guide. Bring all your questions for a real professional answer! And one of the largest selection of dinosaur related gifts, books, and such in America.
Every child has the chance to dig up real fossils, gems, minerals, semi-precious stones, arrowheads, and even real gold in our Dig Pit or Fossil Sluice. And they get to keep what they find!
During a visit to the T Rex Museum Activity Center kids get an education in science, history, and art while having so much fun they don’t even realize they are learning.

Located in the heart of the historic village of Cherry Valley, the museum houses some of the finest examples of Early Americana in the state. A complete collection of Victorian furniture, housewares, toys and clothing. Revolutionary war artifacts from the Cherry Valley Massacre of 1778. Historic portraits, a Civil War Flag made by Cherry Valley women for the volunteer militia and carried by the NYS 76th Volunteers in 1862. There are also early Fire pumpers and equipment and a bible pierced by an arrow from the massacre. These are just a few of the items you will see as you tour this museum.

Manhattan has the distinction of being home to some of the most wonderful museum experiences in the world. One of these stands out from the rest, as it grasps the simple idea of presenting a solitary moment for its visitors. The International Center of Photography gives its patrons an opportunity to gaze at frozen moments in time and bring public attention to outstanding achievements in photography. Inside the enormous glass windows that make up the entrance lies some of the most dynamic exhibitions ever presented in the New York Museum scene. Current exhibits include works by Weegee, dealing with New York crime and news events and the first American presentation of Christer Stromholm’s “Les Amies de Place Blanche.” On top of the already vast selection of pictures and exhibits, Spring and Summer 2012 will have the museum partnered up with several instructors to provide hands-on classes for the aspiring photographers of tomorrow. This museum also houses the only library dedicated to photography, which presents even more opportunities for visitors to engulf themselves in this culture. In the simplest terms, the International Center of Photography is a life changing experience that will leave its crowds speechless and give everyone a chance to experience New York like never before.

The mission of the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History is to inspire in visitors of all ages understanding and a sense of wonder, discovery, respect and responsibility for our natural and cultural worlds through exhibits, programs and collections, as well as through links with UI research and activities.

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.

Explore exhibits of antique locomotives, rail cars, automobiles and more. Take a train ride around the N.C. Transportation Museum's historic 57-acre site, enjoy the many family-friendly special events, and learn about how transportation progress helped build North Carolina.

USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park's mission is to restore and preserve the World War II submarine USS Bowfin (SS-287), and submarine-related artifacts on our grounds and in the Museum. Bowfin Park's parent organization, the Pacific Fleet Submarine Memorial Association (PFSMA), is a non-profit group that receives no state or federal funding.

A trip to the Sparks Heritage Museum is a fun filled learning adventure, focused on the culture and history of Sparks and the Truckee Meadows. Designed with the entire family in mind, several interactive and lifelike displays compliment the collections. The diverse artifacts range from arrowheads, quilts, and antique furniture to agricultural implements, mining tools, railroad items, and casino paraphernalia. Over 3,000 vintage photographs are currently digitized. Photographic copies are available for purchase. The research library contains collections of family memoirs, oral histories and local area reference materials.

The cultural epicenter of the Beat Generation. The museum features a large collection of photos, letters and first editions. Hundreds of people have already passed through the Beat Museum, and locals are adding more to the collection.

The Museum of Idaho is Idaho's premier national traveling exhibit museum and is dedicated to preserving and showcasing the natural and cultural history of Idaho and the Intermountain West. The museum does this by developing regional educational programs in the sciences and humanities, and by hosting nationally acclaimed exhibitions including "A T. Rex Named Sue", "Discovering Idaho: The World of Lewis & Clark", "Space Journey", "Savage Seas", "Guns & Hooks", "Ink & Blood", and "World of the Pharaohs". The Museum offers traveling and permanent displays, presentations, educational programs, and a reading and reference library.

The museum is an important component of The University of Tennessee, and participates in the implementation of the University's mission. The University of Tennessee is committed to the development of individuals and society as a whole through the cultivation and enrichment of the human mind and spirit. This is to be accomplished through teaching, scholarship, artistic creation, public service, and professional practice.
The complementary mission of the Frank H. McClung Museum is to advance understanding and appreciation of the earth and its peoples through the collection, preservation, study, interpretation, and exhibition of objects and data. The Museum is dedicated to the support of the academic programs of The University and to the attraction and education of the broadest spectrum of participants.

This 80,000 square foot Museum opened in August 2003 with main galleries featuring contemporary Western American art. Other galleries feature Civil War art, Presidential portraits and letters, Western movie posters, and Western illustration. Sagebrush Ranch is an interactive gallery where children of all ages can learn about art and Western America. The Museum’s Special Exhibit Gallery hosts three to five temporary exhibits per year.
The Museum Store offers books on art and the West, as well as prints and other items featuring Western American art images. The Café offers light lunches to guests and members visiting the Museum. A multimedia theatre, with seating for 60, shows the orientation film “The American West” every 20 minutes.

The Ackland Art Museum was founded through the bequest of William Hayes Ackland (1855-1940) to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Ackland Trust provided the funds to construct the museum building, and that trust continues to provide for the purchase of works of art.

The Mission Houses Museum, a National Historic Landmark, is the primary program of the Hawaiian Mission Children's Society, a non-profit educational institution and genealogical society. The Museum interprets the "missionary period" of Hawaiian history, 1820-1863, which is fundamental to an understanding of contemporary Hawaii.

Texas Memorial Museum is the exhibit hall of the Texas Natural Science Center. It is located at 2400 Trinity Street, on The University of Texas at Austin campus, in Austin, Texas.

The IMA fosters interconnections between itself and the community-at-large, between art and nature, and among its three complementary parts: the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park, and Oldfields-Lilly House & Gardens. IMA invites all visitors to explore and understand the connections between art and themselves.
The Indianapolis Museum of Art has a collection of over 50,000 works of art. At the Museum, you will find art from a variety of cultures and periods in art history. The Museum also features national and international traveling exhibitions throughout the year.

Inside the Priest Lake Museum are vignettes of yesterday, historic exhibits and videos of Priest Lake, history that include interviews with local pioneers' first hand accounting of events. Unique books (including the recently published "Pioneer Voices of Priest Lake") and DVDs, focused on the region's colorful history, available for sale.
The Museum, located at 38 Priest Lake Museum Road, just north of the junction of Luby Bay Road with West Lakeshore Road, is operated totally by volunteers. It is scheduled to be open 10AM to 4PM on Memorial Day weekend, then daily starting the follwing Sataurday through Labor Day. The Museum is closed Mondays except for holiday Mondays.
The Priest Lake Museum Association was formed by a handful of volunteers to provide visitors and residents with an awareness of the area's rich past. The Association was formed in 1979, incorporated in 1980 and received its 501c3 tax-exempt status in 1981. The Museum opened its doors to the public in 1990. The Museum Association depends on in-kind contribution, monetary donations, membership and volunteers for its ongoing operations. http://thepriestlakemuseum.com/

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.

Confederate veterans of Louisiana founded Memorial Hall, also known as the Confederate Museum, in New Orleans in 1891 as a repository for their memorabilia from the War Between the States. These veterans and their families have donated more than 90% of the artifacts preserved and now exhibited in Memorial Hall. Ninety thousand of their war-related documents are housed on permanent loan at Tulane University and are available for research purposes. Thanks to the foresight of these men, their valuable relics and stories have been preserved for more than a century in our historic museum.

The Warhawk Air Museum is a not for profit organization funded entirely by individual donations and private foundations. The mission of the museum is to teach and preserve World War II history from the home front to the war front and aviation history from the advent of flight through the space age. The Warhawk Air Museum encourages an educational experience about the technology, culture, and social changes that have occurred in North America since World War II.
The Warhawk Air Museum welcomes the opportunity to serve the community by allowing special-event use of the museum. The museum's Facility Use Policy must be adhered to at every event.

The origin of the National Railroad Museum dates to 1956, when local individuals advanced the concept of a national museum dedicated to the American rail road history. Two years later, a joint resolution of Congress recognized the Museum as the National Railroad Museum. Since then, the Museum has operated as a privately funded 501 (c) (3) educational organization with a mission to foster an understanding of railroading and its significance to American Life. What began as an effort to acquire a single steam locomotive for a city park has grown into one of the largest rail museums in the nation. It now serves over 75,000 visitors annually. Today, a professional staff of 12 and over 100 unpaid staff members welcome visitors from all over the world. http://www.nationalrrmuseum.org/

The Exhibit Museum of Natural History is a dynamic, evolving organization committed to promoting the understanding and appreciation of the natural world and our place in it. We accomplish this through creative educational programs and exhibits for the benefit of the University community, school groups, and the general public. The Museum provides a window onto the research in Natural Sciences conducted at the University of Michigan.
Approximately 20,000 school children visit the Museum annually. Most students participate in guided tours and educational programs. The Museum uses inquiry-based styles of teaching, in which children are invited to look, touch, and question. Tours are led by a corps of 50-60 University student docents extensively trained by Museum staff.

It sits on the front steps of historic Churchill Downs. Graciously welcoming over 200,000 guests through the doors each year and giving them a first hand look at the event for which Louisville, Kentucky is known worldwide. The Museum aims to provide a lasting impression of tradition, hospitality and pride to our many visitors.
The Kentucky Derby Museum, in addition to being the guardian of the Kentucky Derby, offers so much more to our community. Through our Education Department, we offer a free kids program to all public and parochial schools within the states of Indiana and Kentucky.

Since opening, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum has attracted more than 11,000 visitors per month. Over 3,000 objects are on display in a very modern exhibit environment. Continued growth in visitorship is anticipated, particularly as an outreach effort is underway to advertise the facility. The unique characteristics of the old museum-its legislatively established mission to recognize the role of Wisconsin citizen-soldiers in the Civil War and “any subsequent war,” its fortuitous administrative position as part of a dynamic state agency, its programmatic link to some of the important events of history, its impressive and long established collection of historical materials, the emotional association with Wisconsin’s tradition of service to the nation, and the high regard accorded to veterans by a grateful citizenry continue to be embodied in this living memorial.

The past meets the present at the Alutiiq Museum, Kodiak's Alaska Native culture center where visitors explore 7,500 years of Alutiiq heritage. See ancient artifacts, discover history, and learn how traditions continue. Cama' i - Hello. Welcome.

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.

The Ogden Museum of Southern Art, home to the largest and most comprehensive collection of Southern art in the world, and a unique and innovative destination to "See the South."