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Museum membership guide
Top 50 places in United States for Art
byShiry
Live update: Updated July 26, 2021Copy link
Copy link1. The California Museum
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:
ShiryThe California Museum educates visitors on the Golden State’s history and unique influence on the world through ideas, innovation, the arts and culture. Through interactive exhibits and engaging programs, the Museum inspires visitors to make their own mark on history
2. Pasadena Museum of History
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryThe Mission of the Museum is to promote an appreciation of history, culture, arts, and sciences relevant to Pasadena and adjoining communities.
3. Sonoma County Museum
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryThe Museum of Sonoma County engages and inspires our diverse community with art and history exhibitions, collections, and public programs that are inclusive, educational, and relevant.
4. The Columbus Museum
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryRecommended this place!
5. Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryYou won’t believe what’s here! “USA Today” named Vesterheim one of “ten great places in the nation to admire American folk art.” Showcasing world-class exhibitions, 12 historic buildings, and a folk-art school in scenic Decorah, Iowa, this national treasure houses the best in historic and contemporary Norwegian folk and fine arts, and explores the American immigrant experience. You’ll find a cabin made from a single tree, elaborate costumes, intricately carved butter molds, colorful paintings, silver wedding crowns, woven tapestries, and even a boat that sailed the Atlantic Ocean.
6. Maryland Historical Society
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryFounded in 1844, the Maryland Historical Society (MdHS) is the state’s premier institution for both Maryland and American history through our acclaimed museum, research library, press, and public programs.
7. Maturango Museum of the Indian Wells Valley
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryFounded in 1962, the Maturango Museum is an important educational and cultural resource in Ridgecrest, California. In addition to the exhibit galleries, which feature the natural and cultural history of the Upper Mojave Desert, the Museum sponsors many programs and tours, including tours to the world-famous Coso petroglyphs. The museum also has an art gallery that sponsors 6 shows throughout the year. The Museum is an information center for Death Valley, the Northern Mojave Desert, and the Highway 395 and 178 corridors. We are open every day 10-5, excluding major holidays.
8. Peoria Riverfront Museum ("IDs)
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryRecommended this place!
9. Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryThe Evansville Museum of Arts, History & Science, one of southern Indiana’s leading cultural institutions, is a general museum maintaining a permanent collection of more than 30,000 objects including fine and decorative arts with an emphasis on the 16th – 21st centuries. Of key importance are collections of late 19th – early 20th century Indiana landscapes and portraiture; contemporary American still life paintings; and fine art and crafts purchased from over six decades of the Museum’s prestigious annual juried competitions of Midwestern art.
10. Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryThe Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites is a statewide museum system with 12 locations, offering visitors a chance to engage with Indiana’s past and present and see how their actions help shape the future. At each location, visitors are invited to explore big questions and create lasting experiences that will resonate long after each visit ends. Whether interested in art or architecture, history or science, there’s something for everyone and every interest. The Indianapolis museum is located in White River State Park in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. The historic sites are located statewide, stretching from Rome City in northeastern Indiana to Angel Mounds in the southeast.
11. Minnetrista
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryMinnetrista is the home of the Ball jar — a legacy site and gathering place for residents and visitors to East Central Indiana. Minnetrista’s 40-acre campus features beautiful gardens, historic homes, a nature area, outdoor event spaces, and a museum facility that hosts an ever-changing menu of original and traveling art, history, and science exhibitions for visitors of all ages. Minnetrista is a destination for signature family-friendly festivals and events, free summer concerts, and the region’s most robust Farmer’s Market. The Minnetrista Heritage Collection preserves the cultural and industrial heritage of East Central Indiana.
12. Louisiana Art and Science Museum
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryThe Louisiana Art & Science Museum is defined by the belief that the disciplines of art and science shape and inform one another and that interdisciplinary experiences enhance the audience’s ability to make connections and discover new ways of seeing and thinking. The Art & Science Museum is located in a 1925 historic railway station, on the banks of the Mississippi River, in a thriving downtown area. The Louisiana Art & Science Museum seeks to enhance the understanding and appreciation of art and science for general audiences and students by presenting unique, educational and entertaining experiences that encourage discovery, inspire creativity, and foster the pursuit of knowledge.
13. Berkshire Museum
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryRecommended this place!
14. Springfield Museums Corporation
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryLocated in the heart of downtown Springfield, Massachusetts, the Springfield Museums offers access to four world-class museums and the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden all under a single admission.
15. Farmington Museum
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryThe Farmington Museum offers a wide variety of exhibits relating to the diverse history of the area’s cultures, traveling exhibits, and art shows. Lecture series, performances, workshops, and special demonstrations are offered year-round. The Museum store, “Currents,” features exhibit-related merchandise, books on local and regional interests, toys, and educational materials.
16. The Works: Ohio Center for History, Art and Technology
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryThe Works®–central Ohio’s only destination for hands-on exploration in history, art, science, and glassblowing–all under one roof. Visiting The Works® is a great family day trip, school field trip, or creative center for adults and kids of all ages.
17. Children’s Museum of Virginia
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryRecommended this place!
18. Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center ("IDs)
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryA regional museum preserving and exhibiting history, arts and culture with activities for all ages.
19. Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences of West Virginia ("IDs)
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryRecommended this place!
20. Vernon Public Art Gallery
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryVernon Public Art Gallery (VPAG) presents exhibitions featuring emerging, mid-career and established artists working in a variety of media, including paintings, sculpture, video and installation art. VPAG is the largest public gallery in the North Okanagan and offers approximately 20 exhibitions per year for public viewing.
21. Maine Historical Society
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryOur one–acre campus, which is open year round, is situated in downtown Portland, across from Monument Square. The Maine Historical Society strives to serve the entire state through its education and outreach programs and through the digital museum, Maine Memory Network. MHS is comprised of the Wadsworth–Longfellow House, the childhood home of poet Henry Wadsworth-Longfellow, Longfellow Garden, the Maine Historical Society Museum who’s original and provocative exhibitions feature art, artifacts and documents that vividly bring Maine history to life, the online digital archive of Maine Memory Network, and the Brown Research Library, the state’s most comprehensive resource for the study of Maine and New England history.
22. Bowdoin College Museum of Art
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryThe Bowdoin College Museum of Art is one of Maine's oldest museums, and one of the earliest collegiate art collections in the nation. Founded in 1811 through a bequest of James Bowdoin III, it presents world-class exhibitions year-round, in addition to displaying its own renowned collection. The Museum of Art is free and open to the public, and encourages visitors to browse, get curious, ask questions, or even just settle into a quiet place to study.
23. Farnsworth Art Museum
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryCelebrating Maine’s Role in American Art, the Farnsworth Art Museum offers a nationally recognized collection of works from many of America’s greatest artists. With 20,000 square feet of gallery space and over 10,000 works in the collection, there is always something new on view at the Farnsworth. The museum has one of the nation’s largest collections of works by sculptor Louise Nevelson. Its Wyeth Center features works of Andrew, N.C. and Jamie Wyeth. The Farnsworth’s library is also housed in its Rockland, ME, campus. Two historic buildings, the Farnsworth Homestead and the Olson House, and Julia’s Gallery for Young Artists complete the museum complex.
24. Portland Museum of Art
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryWith an extensive collection and nationally renowned exhibitions, the Portland Museum of Art is the cultural heart of Portland, Maine. The PMA boasts significant holdings of American, European, and contemporary art, as well as iconic works from Maine—highlighting the rich artistic tradition of the state and its artists. The museum brings it all to life with unparalleled programming. From special events, family activities, and community conversations to PMA Films, curator talks, and tours of the Winslow Homer Studio—it’s all happening at the PMA.
25. Zillman Art Museum – University of Maine
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryThe Linda G. and Donald N. Zillman Art Museum– University of Maine is a cultural resource of the state and the University of Maine, promotes an understanding of, and engagement with, visual art through its diverse contemporary exhibitions, permanent collection focusing on works of art since 1945, and educational programming.
26. AVA Gallery and Art Center
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryAVA Gallery and Art Center (Alliance for the Visual Arts) is dedicated to promoting the visual arts through exhibitions and educational programs that nurture, support and challenge New England artists, and to providing art classes for children, teens and adults of all levels and abilities. AVA’s programs—including special events that foster interaction among artists, patrons of the arts and the community, and which emphasize sustainability—are dedicated to recognizing the ways in which art enriches our lives.
27. Currier Museum of Art
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryVisit the Currier to see American and European art from the 12th century to current day including painting, sculpture, glass, and ceramics. Galleries showcase the collection of over 11,000 objects, including works by Picasso, Matisse, Monet, O'Keeffe, and Warhol. Enjoy engaging exhibitions, dynamic programs for all ages, a complete schedule of studio art classes at the Art Center, and tours of the galleries. Make reservations to tour the Zimmerman House, the only Frank Lloyd Wright Designed home in New England that is open for public tours. Stay for lunch in the light-filled Winter Garden Cafe and after your visit stop by the shop for a great selection of art-related merchandise and items from local artists. Children 12 and under are free. Free to New Hampshire residents every Saturday 10 a.m. - noon.
28. Museum of the White Mountains
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryThe Museum of the White Mountains (MWM) is Plymouth State University’s (PSU) only teaching museum. Presenting six exhibitions per year in the Museum’s Main Gallery, the MWM Exhibition Program also presents five exhibitions in PSU’s Silver Center for the Arts Lobby Gallery. The Museum opened in 2013 as a free admission, public, year-round museum and has served since then to explore and present the White Mountains’ rich history, arts, culture, and promising future via a variety of exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and educational activities for all ages.
29. Portsmouth Historical Society
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryThe mission of Portsmouth Historical Society is to, “Champion the history, arts and culture of the Portsmouth Region through acquisitions, preservation, museum exhibitions, programs and publications.” The Portsmouth Historical Society, which celebrated its centennial in 2017, administers two facilities in the west end of the heart of downtown, including Discover Portsmouth—a large historic structure featuring exhibition galleries, a museum shop, and a welcome center, and the historic 1758 John Paul Jones House (pictured) and Garden, a National Historic Landmark that was saved from demolition in 1917, and houses exhibitions of the Society’s permanent collections including Portsmouth memorabilia, furniture, textiles and other material culture. The Society also hosts two other nonprofits under its banner: Portsmouth Advocates, the city’s architectural preservation group; and Portsmouth Marine Society Press, our nonprofit publishing arm which has 38 titles to date.
30. Fleming Museum of Art - University of Vermont
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryA cultural treasure prized by Vermonters and visitors for more than 80 years, the Fleming Museum is located on the campus of the University of Vermont, which, chartered in 1791, is one of the nation's oldest universities. When the Museum opened in 1931, it was hailed as "a practical place of learning — a vibrant, ongoing educational institution for both children and adults." Today, the Museum houses Vermont's most comprehensive collection of art and anthropological artifacts. It presents innovative exhibitions of contemporary and historic art from around the world, complemented by year-round programming for all ages.
31. Bennington Museum
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryBennington Museum is home to the largest collection of Grandma Moses paintings in the world, the great 20th-century folk artist who painted scenes of rural life embodying a sense of an idyllic bygone America. Anna Mary Robertson “Grandma” Moses (1860-1961) started painting in her seventies and within years was one of America’s most famous artists. A selection of her works is always on view. With the museum’s introduction of “Creative Collisions,” visitors discover works by Grandma Moses side-by-side with galleries of Military History which focuses on the Revolutionary War battle named after the town of Bennington. The Battle of Bennington was one of the pivotal early battles of the Revolutionary War. Named after the town of Bennington, the museum maintains a strong collection of objects and documents relating to the battle and has many on view.
32. Shelburne Museum
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryShelburne Museum is an unparalleled and unique experience of American history, art, and design. Designed to allow visitors the pleasure of discovery and exploration, the Museum includes thirty-nine distinct structures on forty-five acres, each filled with beautiful, fascinating, and whimsical objects. Come play in our gardens and open our many doors. You are welcome here.
33. Vermont Center for Photography
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryNow celebrating its 22nd year of hosting some of the regions finest photographers in our gallery in downtown Brattleboro, the Vermont Center for Photography continues to flourish as one of the most popular gallery destinations in the region. In addition to hosting a new feature exhibition each month, VCP offers ongoing workshops, public B/W darkroom rental, professional printing & scanning services, exhibiting artist talks, as well as monthly portfolio critiques, among other regularly scheduled events.
34. Brattleboro Museum & Art Center
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryThe Brattleboro Museum & Art Center is an independent, non-collecting museum whose mission is to present art and ideas in ways that inspire, educate, and engage audiences of all ages.
35. Middlebury College Museum of Art
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryLocation: 72 Porter Field Road Middlebury, Middlebury, VT 05753, United States. For more details: http://museum.middlebury.edu , 802-362-1788
36. Southern Vermont Arts Center
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryLocation: 930 Southern Vermont Arts Center Drive, Manchester, VT 05254, United States. For more details: http://www.svac.org , 802-362-1405
37. Vermont Granite Museum
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryLocated within a century old granite manufacturing plant, the Vermont Granite Museum contains exhibits on the science, technology, history, and art of Vermont’s unique granite heritage. With a dozen interactive stations, including a bouldering wall, visitors can create their own artwork and experiment with processes used to make granite monuments. The Museum also is home to the Stone Arts School, a facility used to teach methods such as sandblasting, sculpting, and stonewall construction.
38. Albright-Knox Art Gallery
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryLocation: 1285 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222, United States. For more details: http://www.albrightknox.org , 716-882-8700
39. Arnot Art Museum
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryLocation: 235 Lake Street, Elmira, NY 14901, United States. For more details: http://www.arnotartmuseum.org , 607-734-3697
40. Bard Graduate Center
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryBard Graduate Center is devoted to the study of decorative arts, design history, and material culture through research, advanced degrees, exhibitions, publications, and events. At Bard Graduate Center, we study the human past through its material traces. We study objects—from those created for obvious aesthetic value to the ordinary things that are part of everyday life. Learning is what Bard Graduate Center is all about. Our accomplished faculty inspire students to strive for excellence, knowing that this will prepare them for the intellectual and professional rigors of careers in academia, in museums, and in the private sector. This high standard is equally the hallmark of the Gallery’s acclaimed exhibitions and related public programs.
41. Burchfield Penney Art Center at Buffalo State College
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryLocation: 1300 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14222, United States. For more details: http://www.burchfield-penney.org , 716-878-6011
42. Fenimore Art Museum & The Farmers’ Museum
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryFenimore Art Museum is dedicated to welcoming and connecting people to our shared cultural heritage through exhibitions and programs that engage, delight and inspire.
43. Frederic Remington Art Museum
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryFrederic Remington (b. 1861 in Canton, NY d. 1909 Ridgefield, CT) was one of the most famous artists of his time. He brought images of the Old West to the public on the pages of magazines and later in bronze. The Museum’s collection also includes Remington’s look at Northern New York and his beloved norther wilderness with oils and sketches. Remington enjoyed his time in the North Country. So, in May of 1900, Frederic and Eva Remington purchased a summer home at Ingleneuk. Ingleneuk is an island in the St. Lawrence River in New York. Across from Ingleneuk is Singer Castle, which Remington painted in 1907. Remington produced over 3,000 signed paintings and drawings and 22 different subjects in bronze. It was in 1895 that Remington produced his first bronze, The Broncho Buster.
44. Guild Hall of East Hampton
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryGuild Hall, one of the first multidisciplinary centers in the country to combine a museum, theater, and education space under one roof, was established in 1931 as a gathering place for community where an appreciation for the arts would serve to encourage greater civic participation. For nearly nine decades, Guild Hall has embraced this open-minded vision and provided a welcoming environment for the public to engage with art exhibitions, performances, and educational offerings. Art and artists have long been the engine of Guild Hall’s activities and the institution continues to find innovative ways to support creativity in everyone.
45. Hofstra University Museum of Art
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryRecommended this place!
46. Katonah Museum of Art
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryRecommended this place!
47. Memorial Art Gallery
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryRecommended this place!
48. Nassau County Museum of Art
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryVisit us to enjoy a day filled with beauty, from the top-tier art in the galleries and sculptures on the grounds to the natural beauty of the gardens and walking trails on our 145-acre nature preserve.
49. Planting Fields Foundation
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryLocated in Oyster Bay, New York and originally landscaped by the Olmstead Brothers of Brookline, Massachusetts, the Arboretum grounds feature 409 acres of greenhouses, rolling lawns, formal gardens, woodland paths and outstanding plant collections. The original historic estate buildings remain intact including Coe Hall, a 65-room Tudor Revival mansion designed by Walker & Gillette. The interior of the house is a showcase of artistry and craftsmanship and features a distinctly American aesthetic through original ironwork commissions by Samuel Yellin and murals painted by artists Robert W. Chanler and Everett Shinn.
50. Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art of SUNY at New Paltz
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:ShiryRecommended this place!
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