United States Museums and Culture

The evening of April 14, 1865, has forever been marked with tragedy. On that night, our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, was assassinated in Ford’s Theatre by actor John Wilkes Booth. Just days after General Lee’s Confederate troops surrendered at Appomattox, VA, a time of hope and peace in Washington and around the country turned to a period of mourning that America had never seen before.

With bright colors and a building shaped like a castle, the Hands On Children's Museum opened it's doors in October 2000 , with generous community support. Funding is now provided by the Jacksonville community through admissions and sponsorships from individuals, small businesses and corporations.
By Summer 2008 the Hands On Children's Museum will have served over 275,000 visitors from all over. Including over 3500 school groups, with teachers from public and private schools in Duval, St. Johns, Nassau, Clay and surrounding counties enjoying all the interactive hands-on exhibits.

Since its founding in 1984, the Contemporary Jewish Museum has engaged audiences of all ages and backgrounds through dynamic exhibitions and programs that explore contemporary perspectives on Jewish culture, history, art, and ideas. Throughout its history, the Museum has distinguished itself as a welcoming place where visitors can connect with one another through dialogue and shared experiences with the arts.

Inspiring appreciation for and knowledge of the diverse native arts, histories, languages, and cultures of the Greater Southwest.

Located in Anchorage on 5th Avenue beneath the 5th Avenue Parking Garage, the Alaska Trooper Museum is operated by the Fraternal Order of Alaska State Troopers (F.O.A.S.T.) with the goal of sharing the history of the Alaska State Troopers. The museum tells the colorful story of a dedicated team of police officers who continue to bring law and order to one of the most unusual, rugged and far-flung jurisdictions in America.

Founded in 1879, History Colorado, the Colorado Historical Society brings the unique character of Colorado's past to more than a million people each year through historical museums and highway markers, exhibitions, manuscript and photograph collections, popular and scholarly publications, historical and archaeological preservation services, and educational programs for children and adults. In short, the Society collects, preserves, and interprets the history of Colorado for present and future generations.

A great place to celebrate your child's birthday party! Toddlers and preschoolers love the interactive, hands-on exhibits, including a real fire truck, a real helicopter, cool fossil/dinosaur cave, play ballet studio, kids' medieval castle, and much, much more. Ask about special party activities, special birthday favors, and fun birthday party themes!

Activities for Children
Children 0-5: Build with blocks; create art rubbings of saints, angels and nature; ring the bells; play dress up; and watch Bible stories under a tent.
Children 5-8: ring the bells; discover melody selections from Catholic hymnals; and create an electronic stained-glass window. Children 8 & up: participate in a scavenger hunt, available at the Admissions Desk.

Welcome to the National Museum of American Illustration, where artworks from the ‘Golden Age of American Illustration’ and from other eras are presented in the ‘Gilded Age’ architectural frame of Vernon Court (1898). Visitors can appreciate the American Imagist Collection as a medley of beautiful pictures, but also as a historical overview of a unique culture.

An Institute for the Future, in association with the Smithsonian Institution, is a comprehensive national American women's history museum. Located in Fair Park in Dallas, Texas, The Women's Museum's 70,000 square foot building provides a home for programs and exhibits where people can honor the past and explore the contributions of women throughout history.

Between two beautiful sculptures that tell the story of the Americas lies the entrance to the amazing architecture of the New York branch of the National Museum of the American Indian. A step inside and you will be astounded by the beautiful exhibits canvassed amid architecture that will keep you buzzing for years to come. Adjacent to Battery Park, this vast collection of years of artifacts, culture, and knowledge also boasts FREE admission! Of all the New York museums and cultural attractions, it is a great place to take your entire family. This is one of the Manhattan museums that features films for public viewing. It also provides great music and dance programs; talk about fun! For teachers, the museum even offers materials listed by region or tribe for use in the classroom. You really feel and experience the desire of the museum to reach out to everyone in an effort to get the huge collection of knowledge and information it contains out there. A good place for a field trip or a part of your family vacation that won’t break the bank, a visit to this museum really gives a sense of pride for the great land we call America.

Dozens of fun, hands-on interactive exhibits based on scientific principles challenge visitors' ideas about science and technology. Interactive exhibits show you how to create clouds, generate electricity with a bike, marvel at optical illusions, and build and control your own robot!
Natural history exhibits feature "Suzie," a 22,000 year-old mastodon found in Palm Beach County. Also, authentic and reproduction skeletons of whales, sharks and dinosaurs bring history to life.
Native and exotic sea life from warm waters around the world populate the museum's aquariums, while an acre of naturally landscaped outdoor trails features over a dozen original interactive exhibits. Exciting laser shows and star shows thrill young and old alike in the Marvin Dekelboum Planetarium.

The San Diego Art Institute mission is to maintain a center for emerging artists and the visual arts in San Diego.
SDAI's most visible activity focuses on showcasing the work of San Diego emerging area visual artists through a program of over 30 juried shows a year, (regular show, "One-Foot" show, special outreach shows, youth art & others). Different art professionals are selected as jurors for each show assuring exhibitions of high quality and great variety. Jurors' Choice and Honorable Mention certificates are awarded at monthly public receptions.

The Palmer Visitor Information Center is your contact point for questions and information on the Palmer area. Palmer is located in the scenic Matanuska River valley, with the Chugach and Talkeetna mountain ranges ringing the valley.

From the first run in 1873 to the present. Learn about the inventor, technologies, builders, rapid expansion, near loss and the ongoing efforts to save and rebuild the cable cars of San Francisco.
Houses a collection of historic cable cars, photographs, mechanical displays and gift shop run by the Friends of the Cable Car Museum - a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of cable car history.

The Rowan Museum, Inc. was founded in 1953.
The purpose of the Rowan Museum, Inc. is to collect, preserve, research, exhibit, and educate the public about the history of Rowan County and piedmont North Carolina through the use of its properties, programs and collections.

"The NEW World of Coca­Cola is the only place where visitors can explore the complete story—past, present and future—of the world's best-known brand! For over 120 years, we've been putting our secret formula into bottles. Now, we've put it all in one amazing place—the NEW World of Coca­Cola.
With 62,000 square feet of guest areas, the NEW World of Coca­Cola is approximately twice the size of the previous World of Coca­Cola.
We will feature more than 1,200 artifacts from around the world that have never been displayed to the public before. In fact, only about 50 artifacts from the previous World of Coca­Cola will be showcased at the NEW World of Coca­Cola.
A visit of the entire facility lasts an average of 90 minutes."

Nestled in picturesque Orlando Loch Haven Park, the Orlando Museum of Art (OMA) is one of Florida's cultural gems and a popular destination for visitors from all over the world. The collection focuses on American art from the 19th century to the present, African art and art of the ancient Americas. Outstanding temporary exhibitions are drawn from private collections and those of the world's great museums.

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.

Voted "Best Railroad Museum" in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Cowcatcher Roundup 2009 Gold Rail Awards

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.

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.

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/

Established in 1968, the Clausen Museum is dedicated to preserving the history and telling the story of those who have lived and worked in Petersburg and the surrounding area.

The Missouri Historical Society seeks to deepen the understanding of past choices, present circumstances, and future possibilities; strengthen the bonds of the community; and facilitate solutions to common problems.

The Gem County Historical Society was started in 1972 and through dedications and efforts the Society was able to start the historical museum the following year. The Society today still oversees all aspects of the museum including the day to day operations. With the help of Memorials and other donations the museum has expanded to a Village which includes several other buildings all adjacent to one another.

The MMAA was founded as an art school in 1927, when it formally incorporated as The Saint Paul School of Art. Collecting works of art, for instructional purposes, began in the late 1930’s. Over time, the acquisition of additional paintings, works on paper, sculpture, and studio crafts expanded the School’s collection and, in 1969, the then Saint Paul Art Center was renamed the Minnesota Museum of Art. By the early 1980’s, the institution’s primary emphasis had shifted to exhibitions and research while still providing popular education programs.

The leading museum of modern art in Northeast Ohio. The origins of the Akron Art Museum go back to February 1, 1922, when the museum, then called Akron Art Institute, opened in two rooms on the ground floor of the Akron Public Library on East Market Street.

These last few months following Hurricane Katrina’s impact on New Orleans and the Gulf Coast have left us all ready to enjoy the normal and healthy activities of playing with our children. At the Louisiana Children's Museum, we suffered wind damage, roof damage and water intrusion throughout the building. Our staff has shrunk from 40 to 4, and we are desperately trying to rebuild, repair and get ready for company again. If you are interested in helping us on a volunteer basis, we would greatly appreciate the support!

A large regional science museum located on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown St. Paul. The Science Museum's programs combine research and collection facilities, a public science education center, extensive teacher education and school outreach programs, and an Imax Convertible Dome Omnitheater to provide science education to our audience of more than a million people per year.