Besides all of the above...The Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum. Fabulous place!

I'm so pleased when I read a thread like this one and realize I've actually been to a majority of the museums mentioned at some time or another. <BR> <BR>Now, here's my nomination for a small, regional museum that is always full of surprizes. It't the Museum of Our National Heritage in Lexington, Mass. It's a beautiful, modern building owned and operated by the Masons (always free admission). They have at least two permanant exhibits, one of local history (i.e. Lexington/Concord) and one on the history of fraternal organizations (not just the Masons). Two other galleries are always filled with shows of such variety that they always amaze me. Right now one show is of Civil War photographs which were discovered in the attic of a town's historical society where they'd been stored for decades (can't remember which town in MA, sorry). They have had such varied exhibits as the history of the American diner, quilts, smoking, Moxie (the beverage), items left at the Vietnam memorial. It's always a pleasure to drop in and see what's being offered there. It shouldn't be missed by anyone who comes to this area and does the Lex/Concord thing.

Debbie, <BR> <BR>I did not see it mentioned previously but as for sheer volume of incredible Impressionism in the absolutely most quirky setting, one should not miss the Barnes Museum which is located in a Main Line suburb of Philadelphia...I think it is Merion or Meridian or something like that. We were lucky enough to see it before it became enmeshed in controversy and my understanding is that they have now severely restricted the open hours and number of visitors. The history of the Barnes collection is fascinating and should be part of your pre-museum reading if you can spend some time on it. <BR> <BR>In a nutshell, Dr. Barnes, who has some very interesting and unorthodox ideas about art amassed a veritable treasure of paintings (especially impressionism) along with lots of other funny objects (quirky metal hinges, masks, etc...) and then grouped them all together in a beautiful mansion in a residential neighborhood and formed an art school to promote his ideas. There was scandal in a variety of forms and then his untimely death in an auto accident threw the whole thing into the management of a local university...I can't remember all the details but it is definitely worth understanding before you see the collection as it continues to be displayed exactly as it was at his death. <BR> <BR>My understanding is that the works are now labelled and there maybe a catalog, but when we saw it it was the biggest most oddly displayed (walls are covered with mustard covered burlap!!!!) of the most amazing artwork (half of it was hung 10 feet over viewers heads) with not a single label or guide or explanation. Things got even more mysterious when we tried to enquire about why the art was so displayed and some very severe, serious elderly ladies (devotees of Dr. Barnes who still worked there) got very upset that we had any questions at all even though not a single work was labelled... <BR> <BR>The whole expereince still qualifies as one of our most inscrutable art adventures!!! We'd love to go back and see how things have (or have not!!!) changed. <BR> <BR>Maria

How about the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum in Los Angeles!

Perhaps this ought to be an entirely new thread, but for a museum that's not really a museum: Something half-way between Disney-esque "infotainment" and sheer propaganda is the Newseum in Arlington VA. For example, out front there are "artefacts" of important moments in news history that turn out to be fabricated facsimiles of the real thing. Inside, there's studio where they make you think you're in a "real" broadcast of some show only it's just an internal feed to their website. A few bits of true education sneak in between the massive self-promotion of big media, articularly those owned by Gannett/"Freedom Forum" conglomerates. If you want to know where the money came from, just look up at the most prominent building you see from the entrance to the museum. <BR> <BR>For news, media, etc., I much prefer the Smithsonian's version -- have yet to sample NY's offering.

Maria, you're absolutely right, the Barnes Foundation is one of the most amazing art collections ever. I can't believe I didn't think of it earlier. It's a collection that no one who likes impressionism and the post-impressionists should miss. It has more Cezanes (how do you spell this?) than in Paris, with amazing examples of work by Seurat, Van Gogh, Renoir, Matisse, Monet, Modigliani and others. It's always been surrounded by controversy because of Barnes' obstreperous personality and efforts to keep people out except on his own terms. It has a once-deserved reputation for being hard to get into, but by the early 1980s it was actually easy to visit on the days that it was open. Since the early '90s the controversy has reignited because of efforts to revise Barnes' will and a resulting backlash, but I visited in '95 and didn't have any trouble. And now the paintings are labeled and there's even a gift shop (which must have the old boy spinning!!). Things may have gotten a little stiffer again - - their recording at 610 667-0290 says reservations are required. But I promise you its worth going to a little trouble.

Clark Museum, Williamstown, MA.

Allen Art Museum, Oberlin, OH.

Off the beaten path, but jewels!

I've visited many, live close to DC and while it has many fine museums my vote goes to the Getty AND to the new DIA in Detroit!!!

I didn't see the National World War II museum in New Orleans mentioned yet. It should definitely be on the list.

I would also add the Buffalo Bill Center in Cody, WY to the list. We were there this fall and greatly enjoyed our visit.

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History is excellent and has the largest collection of bones in the world (though most used for research and are not necessarily on display).

The museum is walkable from the Cleveland Museum of Art--one of the best collections in the world. Also, excellent is the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The Guggenheim is another great collection.

Music--the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland is said to be wonderful, with many well done exhibits. I haven't been to this museum but everyone I've talked to that's been there loved it.

The Conspiracy museum in Dallas is also good, that examines the assassination of JFK.

&quot;<i>I didn't see the National World War II museum in New Orleans mentioned</i>&quot;

Understandable since this thread is two years older than the WWII museum. (how DOES one find a nine year old thread to top? )

6 very good ones we saw this year in Oklahoma. Each is excellent in its own way

Muskogee - Five Civilized Tribes Museum.

Claremore - WIll Rogers Museum.

Tulsa - Gilcrease Museum. (art, mainly western)

Railroad Museum of Oklahoma - Enid

Oklahoma City -
45th Infantry Division Museum. one of the best military museums - Bill Mauldin cartoon collection

National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.

I didn't even know this forum EXISTED nine years ago! But as long as its been topped.....my favorite US museum is the Smithsonian's Museum of American History. I just love the artifacts of our history. (I have my favorite art and other museums, too, but that's my number one favorite).

I went to the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum a couple of years ago. Fascinating. Definitely worth a vist if you are in Oklahoma.

OOps pressed enter too soon. We met an old cowboy there who had actually worked on the chuck wagon on display. It was great to talk to him and hear all about his life as a cowboy. Growing up watching &quot;cowies&quot; on the telly it was wonderful to meet the real thing!

My top 5 in alphabetic order:

Getty Museum - Los Angeles, CA
Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village - Dearborn, MI
Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center - Hutchinson, KS
Metropolitan Museum of Art - NYC
South Street Seaport Museum - NYC

Keith

Overall #1 the Met - without a doubt

Most meaningful - Ellis Island Immigration Museum

Best group - the Smithsonian

For kids: the American Museum of Natural History

Thanks Keith - I was sad to see that the Henry Ford in Dearborn hadn't made it to the list yet. It's a great museum with displays such as the Rosa Parks bus and the chair that Lincoln was shot in.

Aside from the obvious NY and DC museums --

The Haggin Museum in Stockton, CA (of all places) is a gem.

The Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, CA has a fabulous collection of early California art.

The Winterthur Museum and Gardens in Wilmington, DE is the best for early American decorative arts.