You could road trip for the food or the national parks, but if you’re looking for something a little more cerebral (and no less jaw-dropping), the country’s best museums have a lot to show. From hidden gems in small towns to art powerhouses in major cities, these are the destinations where history, culture, and imagination collide.
Whether you’re into fossils or funk, rockets or rock ‘n’ roll, there’s a museum out there waiting to blow your mind. To that effect, here are 10 of the best museums in the U.S. to add to your list, ranked for their collection, experiences, architecture, and unforgettable ‘wow’ factor.
1. The Getty Center – Los Angeles, California
If the views don’t get you, the art will. Perched high above LA with 360-degree vistas, The Getty is where marble meets modernity. Inside are Van Gogh’s Irises, ancient Roman sculptures, rare illuminated manuscripts—the works. The gardens, designed by Robert Irwin, are as meditative as the galleries, which makes this a full-sensory experience.
Designed by Richard Meier and opened in 1997 at a cost of $1.3 billion, The Getty Center draws approximately 1.3-1.8 million visitors annually.
2. American Museum of Natural History – New York, New York
Spanning four city blocks, this museum is like a living encyclopedia. Expect dinosaurs (the T-Rex, of course), a life-size blue whale, cutting-edge insectariums, and now, the new Gilder Center designed by Studio Gang (which opened in 2023) with its otherworldly architecture, insectarium, and butterfly vivarium. Be sure to bring your walking shoes whenever you decide to visit!
3. The National WWII Museum – New Orleans, Louisiana
You don’t just read about the war here, you feel it. With oral histories, immersive exhibits, massive reconstructions, and archival film, the storytelling is visceral. From D-Day landings to the Pacific Theater, it’s the kind of museum that leaves a mark.
Originally founded as the D-Day Museum, it expanded to cover the Pacific Theater (e.g., Road to Tokyo gallery) and broader WWII narratives. Exhibits also include artifacts like Higgins boats and aircraft.
4. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art – Bentonville, Arkansas
Surrounded by Ozarks forest, this museum is part nature retreat, part American art temple. Founded in 2011 by Walmart heiress Alice Walton (via the Walton Family Foundation), it features iconic works by Rothko, Warhol, Donald Judd and Kusama installations, which are all nestled into trails and sculpture gardens you can explore for free.
The museum’s architecture, designed by Moshe Safdie, integrates nature with pavilions and bridges over spring-fed ponds. Outdoor trails—accredited as a Level I Arboretum since April 2024—wind through native flora and showcase 33 sculptures, including the relocated Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Bachman-Wilson House.
5. Kennedy Space Center – Merritt Island, Florida
Space nerd or not, this place will move you. Walk beneath the Saturn V rocket, meet the Atlantis orbiter displayed in a dramatic 43.21° angle with its payload bay open, and strap in for a shuttle launch simulator, which offers a simulated ascent into orbit.
The complex emphasizes NASA’s achievements in space exploration, with exhibits like Heroes and Legends honoring astronauts, including tributes to astronauts lost in the Challenger and Columbia disasters via the “Forever Remembered” exhibit. All in all, this museum is essentially a celebration of human possibility.
6. Glenstone Museum – Potomac, Maryland
Less a gallery and more a pilgrimage for the senses, Glenstone’s 230 acres fuses monumental architecture, serene landscapes, and transformative works by icons like Rothko, Pollock, Koons, and Duchamp. You get to experience art in contemplative silence—indoor photography is restricted to preserve the atmosphere, but outdoor shots of the striking pavilions and meadows are encouraged. It’s meditative, modern, and deeply memorable.
Essentially, this free-admission destination invites reflection through curated encounters with modern masterpieces, seamlessly integrated into Thomas Phifer’s minimalist designs and sustainable native ecosystems.
7. The Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) – Seattle, Washington
If you ever loved a band, a superhero, or a sci-fi franchise, this Frank Gehry-designed icon featuring a striking exterior of 21,000 curved stainless steel and aluminum shingles has something for you.
From Nirvana retrospectives showcasing rare artifacts, oral histories, and multimedia elements that chronicle the band’s rise and cultural impact to Marvel universes with over 300 artifacts, including costumes from films like Black Panther and Iron Man, original comic art, and interactive installations, MoPOP makes pop culture feel like fine art.
8. Musical Instrument Museum – Phoenix, Arizona
This museum, which usually flies under the radar, boasts 15,000+ instruments from nearly 200 countries (with approximately 6,000–7,000 on display at any time) — you basically get to walk the world in sound. Wireless headsets play music as you approach each display for an immersive, audio-rich journey.
The museum’s Geographic Galleries divide exhibits into five global regions and feature rare instruments and video performances. Its Artist Gallery displays instruments and memorabilia from icons like Elvis Presley and John Lennon, while the acoustically optimized Music Theater hosts live performances by global artists.
Bonus: kids (and adults) can try instruments in the Experience Gallery.
9. The Mob Museum – Las Vegas, Nevada
Located in a former courthouse (the restored 1933 Las Vegas Post Office and Courthouse), The Mob Museum chronicles the rise and fall of organized crime in America. Exhibits cover the history of the mob, law enforcement efforts, and artifacts.
You get to see weapons, wiretapping equipment, interactive crime lab exhibits, and an actual St. Valentine’s Day Massacre wall with visible bullet holes. It’s gritty, gripping, and surprisingly educational. Don’t skip the basement speakeasy and distillery featuring a Prohibition-era speakeasy with craft cocktails (accessible via a daily password) and a working distillery producing 100-proof moonshine, available for tastings.
10. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – Cleveland, Ohio
A shrine to the legends is always well worth a visit. With exhibits spanning from grunge and hip-hop featuring artifacts from pioneers like DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, and Salt-N-Pepa to the Beatles with their handwritten lyrics and artifacts highlighted in the Ahmet M. Ertegun Exhibition Hall — this museum is a mix of rare artifacts, performance footage, and interactive displays.
Areas like The Garage allow visitors to play instruments, and exhibits include films, kiosks, and listening stations. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is loud, proud, and hits all the right notes.
Honorable Mentions: The Eiteljorg (IN), the National Museum of African American History and Culture (DC), the Milwaukee Art Museum (WI), and Ellis Island (NJ) are all worth the trip—and then some.