North America Museums and Culture

    Seashore Trolley Museum, United States

  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.
    Guggenheim Museum, United States
  1071 5th Avenue - New York, NY              
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Thannhauser Collection - February 1, 2011 – January 25, 2013 Justin K. Thannhauser was the son of renowned art dealer Heinrich Thannhauser, who founded the Galerie Moderne in Munich in 1909. From an early age, Thannhauser worked with his father, building an impressive program of exhibitions of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism and the art of the contemporary French and German avant-gardes. The Thannhausers’ commitment to promoting artistic progress paralleled the vision of Solomon R. Guggenheim. In recognition of this shared spirit, Justin Thannhauser ultimately bequest a significant portion of his art collection—including masterpieces by Cézanne, Gauguin, Manet, Monet, Picasso, Pissarro, Renoir, and Van Gogh—which is on view in a dedicated gallery, to the Guggenheim Museum.
The mission of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation is to promote the understanding and appreciation of art, architecture, and other manifestations of modern and contemporary visual culture; to collect, preserve, and research art objects; and to make them accessible to scholars and an increasingly diverse audience through its network of museums, programs, educational initiatives, and publications.
    Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block, United States
  140 North Main Avenue - Tucson, AZ           
The Tucson Museum of Art connects art to life, inspiring discovery, creativity, and cultural understanding through meaningful, engaging experiences.
    The Cloisters Museum, United States
  Ft. Tryon Park - New York, NY           
Medieval Europe in New York? This implausible statement is very much a reality as you approach the Cloisters Museum branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This section of the museum has been built to resemble the architectural elements of the middle ages and takes you back in time. The museum itself is devoted to the art of the time period and offers a traditional museum experience by shares the faith of all the artists and artisans with work on display. The Cloisters is highly dedicated to maintaining its religious roots with the restoration of the Fuentiduena Chapel, featuring the most magnificent stain glass and hand crafted religious artifacts. The Cloisters has also been known to have a feel of a mini-city with their own restaurant and botanical garden designed to enhance the visiting pleasure. Summer 2012 continues with the traditions of bringing Europe to the masses, as more exhibits are on tap to make their way through the hallowed greatness that is the museum. If you are looking for a nice escape from city life and desire to feel transported into the world of yesteryear, then a trip to the Cloisters is highly recommended.
    Workers' Heritage Museum, Canada
  306 Cyr Avenue - Ottawa, ON           
Beneath its identity as the nation’s capital and a tourist destination, Ottawa is a working class town. From its early days as Bytown to the amalgamated City, Ottawa has always been home to working class people and their families – people who created our city as we know it today. Their stories – about ordinary people like stonemasons, teachers, nurses, carpenters, and government workers – are often those forgotten by history books and museums.
The Workers’ Heritage Centre (WHC) museum will fill that gap in Ottawa’s museum network. As a museum and interpretation centre it will recognize, honour, preserve and interpret the experiences and contributions of working people – their work, home life, and their cultural and political contributions to our city. These are the stories of majority of the city’s population at any given time, and for the first time they will be heard in a museum of their own.
    Hawaii Army Museum, United States
  P.O. Box 8064 - Honolulu, HI           
Helicopters, tanks, guns now silenced, and vacant bunkers welcome you to the U.S. Army Museum of Hawai'i. Once a bastion built to protect Hawai'i from invading forces, the structure now houses a Museum that tells the military story of Hawai'i, from ancient times to the Gulf War and the War in Iraq. Each of these hostilities is covered graphically in separate displays with photographs and sound effect creating a real "you were there" experience.
    National Sports Museum, United States
  26 Broadway - New York, NY           
Nothing has shaped the world quite the same as sports. On the heart of Broadway in Manhattan sits the illustrious National Sports Museum which is dedicated to featuring the celebration of sports and the impact it has had on our culture and our lives. Inside this technologically advanced structure is an amazing assortment of interactive exhibitions, in-depth retail areas and some of the finest dining in all of New York. The center attraction begins with the immersion theater which is a 360-degree display that shows a presentation on the history and progression of sports. As visitors continue on, they will find themselves in a variety of different exhibits dealing with every major sport imaginable. You will get to see a historical timeline of the individual sports as well as video presentations on what makes that sport so great. Another feature of the National Sports Museum is the exploration of the perfect athlete. The museum presents the mental, physical and psychological preparation that goes into becoming a great athlete. Through the science, the presentation and the sheer charisma that this building produces, the National Sports Museum is a landmark in New York and one of the single best experiences available to sports fans today.
    Varnum House Museum, United States
  57 Pierce St. - East. Greenwich, RI           
This mansion was built in 1773 by James Mitchell Varnum, a lawyer who entered the Revolutionary War and served as one of General George Washington's Continental Army Brigadier Generals. Varnum was later Major General in command of the entire Rhode Island Militia. The museum is furnished with period furniture and features many historic artifacts.
    Idaho Military History Museum, United States
  4748 Lindbergh St., Bld 924 - Boise, ID           
The Idaho Military History Museum has been established for the purpose of "preservation, display and interpretation of military history and artifacts that have a geographical tie to the history of the people and state of Idaho".
The Idaho Military History Museum was opened in 1995 by the Idaho Military Historical Society.
    Ritz Theatre & LaVilla Museum, United States
  829 N. Davis Street - Jacksonville, FL           
The Ritz Theatre & LaVilla Museum Celebrates the rich legacy of the African-American community that thrived in LaVilla for more than 100 years. The theatre and museum are revered as the premiere cultural institution in Jacksonville, Florida, showcasing art, music, drama, poetry, and African American history.
The stories and legends of LaVilla, known as the "Harlem of the South," live on within the walls of the refurbished museum and theatre. Ritz Theatre & LaVilla Museum is committed to reclaiming the past, celebrating the present, and embracing the future.
    China Institute, United States
  125 East 65th Street - New York, NY           
In today’s society, it is very hard not to see the influence of Chinese culture and how it has shaped everything from medicine to our economy. The China Institute in Manhattan gives a deeper understanding of China through their programs in education, culture, business and art, and gives a strengthening of the global community by enhancing the knowledge of East and West. Inside the building, visitors will find more than your traditional artwork and instead find an education hub dedicated to all forms of communication and education supporting the understanding of China. While there, one has the opportunity to explore performing arts programs, lecture series, short courses, symposia, film screenings and workshops all revolving around China. Spring 2012 has a special focus on Chinese architecture and features a book signing for the novel “Chinese Architecture and the Beaux-Arts.” This event includes an in-depth lecture on this fascinating subject and is to be used as a catalyst to better understanding the development of Chinese architecture. The China Institute is one of New York’s best and only links to our neighbor to the east and should be a destination of anyone looking to expand their minds and better their understanding of the Chinese people.
    Erie Maritime Museum, United States
  150 East Front Street - Erie, PA            
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.
    Museum Strathroy-Caradoc, Canada
  34 Frank Street - Strathroy, ON           
Museum Strathroy-Caradoc is located in the heart of beautiful Downtown Strathroy, Ontario. The Museum is part of a unique shared facility that includes the Strathroy Public Library and Art Gallery. Restaurants, shops, and parkland are located nearby. The Museum offers free on-site parking and is fully accessible.
    Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Canada
  1040 Moss Street - Victoria, BC            
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A public art museum dedicated to the celebration of art. With vision, leadership and scholarship, we will engage and inspire diverse audiences through exhibition, interpretation and stewardship of the collection.
    Canada Agriculture Museum, Canada
  P.O. Box 9724, Station T - Ottawa, ON             
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The Canada Agriculture Museum is living proof of the "Green Capital". In fact, Ottawa is the only world Capital that has a working farm at its heart. Canada's unique agricultural heritage is featured at the Canada Agriculture Museum, where you can explore the sights and sounds of typical farm life.
Visit the animal barns and special exhibitions at the largest urban working farm and research station in Canada. Discover the many breeds of dairy cattle and see a modern dairy barn in operation. In the Small Animal Barn you can meet sheep and lambs, pigs and piglets, chickens, rabbits and goats. In our Horse and Cattle Barn, you can see the Clydesdale horses and seven breeds of beef cattle. Wander through the Dominion Arboretum and the ornamental gardens right next door.
    The Winnipeg Railway Museum, Canada
  123 Main Street - VIA Rail Station - Winnipeg, MB           
You are welcome to visit the only museum in Winnipeg dedicated to the preservation of Manitoba's rail heritage. See where it all began. View the first steam locomotive on the Canadian Prairies, The Countess of Dufferin. Continue on and view an early-generation diesel locomotive just like the ones still used today.
    Glenbow Museum, Canada
  130 - 9th Avenue S.E. - Calgary - Alberta, CA           
At the Glenbow Museum, intriguing stories from Western Canada connect with extraordinary art and artifacts from around the world. Combining a museum, art gallery, library and archives all under one roof, Glenbow boasts over a million artifacts and some 28,000 works of art in its vast collections and is one of the largest museums in Canada. Through a variety of dynamic programs and changing exhibitions and programs, and a broad collection of art, artifacts and historical documents, Glenbow Museum builds on a commitment to preserve our cultural and western heritage while simultaneously providing visitors with a glimpse of the world beyond.
    Chateau Ramezay Museum, Canada
  280, rue Notre-Dame Est - Montréal, QC           
At the heart of Montréal life for more than 300 years, the Château Ramezay has been conserving and presenting our heritage since 1895. Whether you are a Montrealer or a visitor passing through, whatever your age, the doors to history are open to you. The Museum offers you the opportunity to relive history through its permanent exhibition and its garden, and it also organises many educational and cultural activities linked to the life of our community.
    Victoria Children's Museum, Canada
  Box 8220 - Victoria, BC             
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The Victoria Children's Museum, a registered charity with a board of committed community members, has begun developing plans and started fund-raising for the first children's museum in BC. The Victoria Children's Museum's mission is to inspire children to explore and discover their world in a creative, safe, hands-on environment, where fun and play magically transform into learning.
    The MZTV Museum of Television, Canada
  550 Queen Street East - Toronto, ON           
The MSTV Museum and Archive seeks to protect, preserve and promote the Receiving Instruments and History. Whereas other North Amercan Museums of Broadcasting feature Programs, ours is unique in its focus on the History of the Technology, as well as the Sets Themselves.
    Campbell House Museum, Canada
  160 Queen Street West - Toronto, ON           
he Sir William Campbell Foundation is a non-profit organization charged with the preservation and interpretation of Campbell House and related histories. Campbell House, built in 1822, is the oldest remaining building from the original town of York. It is a classical example of Georgian architecture, a rare find in Toronto. The Foundation maintains the house and operates a museum within the building for the purposes of educating the local and tourist community, including thousands of school children annually. The museum endeavours to make history come alive through the use of innovative hands-on approaches to history while still preserving important artefacts from Toronto's early heritage.
    Musée d'art Contemporain de Montréal, Canada
  185, Sainte-Catherine Ouest - Montréal, QC           
A major Canadian institution dedicated exclusively to contemporary art, the Musée offers a varied program ranging from presentations of its Permanent Collection to exhibitions of works by Québec, Canadian and international artists. The Permanent Collection comprises some 7,000 works, including the largest collection of art by Paul-Émile Borduas. Through Education and Documentation Department, the museum presents a host of educational activities further to connect the general public with contemporary art. The Musée also stages numerous multimedia events, including performance, new dance, experimental theatre, contemporary music, video and film.
    Sisimiut Museum, Greenland
  Jukkorsuup aqq. 9 - Sisimiut, GL           
The old town quarter is characterized by its colonial age buildings. As most of the towns in Greenland, Sisimiut has been spared of large fires. Consequently, a great deal of the colony administration buildings has been preserved. The greater part of these buildings belongs to Sisimiut Museum...
    Greenland National Museum, Greenland
  Hans Egedevej 8 - 3900 Nuuk, GL           
Museet blev startet i midten af 1960`erne som det første museum i Grønland. Samlingerne er siden udvidet gennem indsamling, fra udgravninger og med tilbageført materiale fra Danmarks Nationalmuseum. Museet har landsdækkende arbejdsopgaver indenfor arkæologi, nyere tids historie, kunst og kunsthåndværk. Museet rummer de centrale registre om fredede bygninger og fortidsminder og varetager fredningslovens bestemmelser om fredning af fortidsminder og bygninger samt deltager i naturfredning og byplanlægning.
    Durham Mining Museum
   - Greenland, GL           
"Two different accounts of the history of coal mining in County Durham are presented.
The first comes from The Victoria History of the Counties of England - Durham, published in three volumes in 1907. It contains a large section on the history of coal mining in the county. This work focuses on the detailed history and does not cover the social or practical side of the industry. We have reproduced the text up to the start of the nineteenth century.
The second comes from The History, Topography, and Directory of the County Palatine of Durham by Francis Whellan, second edition, published in 1894. Once again there is a large section of the history of coal mining in the county, however, it concentrates on the nineteenth century, but the major part covers the practical and the social side of mining during the nineteenth century.
The two works complement each other, and together present an overall history of the coal industry in County Durham. The history is nor complete without coverage of the twentieth century and the eventual demise of the industry - this topic is too large and complex to cover here and is best left to the many books on the subject. We do however, provide some information for the twentieth century in the individual pages on each colliery."