10457 Best Sights in USA

Visually and conceptually, the National Museum of the American Indian stands apart from the other cultural institutions on the Mall. The exterior, clad in Minnesota limestone, evokes a sense that wind and water carved the building. Inside, four floors of galleries cover 10,000 years of history of the western hemisphere's indigenous tribes. Nevertheless, only a small portion of the museum's holdings are on display at any time. Live music, dance, theater, and storytelling are central to experiencing this museum. Tribal groups stage performances in the Rasmuson Theater and sunlit Potomac atrium. Americans, a permanent exhibition, reveals how Native Americans exist in unexpected ways in the history, pop culture, and identity of the United States. Other rotating exhibits explore the many indigenous groups throughout the Americas.

Visit between 11 and 2 on a sunny day to see the Potomac atrium awash in rainbows created by the light refracted through the southern wall's prisms, which are aligned to show the passage of time with specific patterns marking the equinoxes and solstices. The museum's family-friendly imagiNATIONS Activity Center includes hands-on activities throughout the year. For those looking for a quick bite, check out their award-winning restaurant, whose menu takes you from Canada to South America, exploring the diverse cuisine of the indigenous groups. It's a favorite lunch spot for many locals working in the area.

The glassy atrium of this 120,000-square-foot homage to the military's finest soars into the sky next to the Marine Corps Base Quantico. The design was inspired by the iconic photograph of marines lifting the American flag on Iwo Jima. Inside the museum, visitors can experience the life of a marine. The museum is an interactive experience and has a staggering collection of tanks, aircraft, rocket launchers, and other weapons. There is even a rifle range simulator, where guests of all ages can learn how to hold a laser rifle and practice hitting targets. Service animals are welcome inside the museum, and pets are permitted on the grounds (look for designated relief areas).

Dedicated solely to telling the story of the Pacific battles of World War II, this museum is the only one of its kind in the nation, making it a popular attraction for history buffs and veterans alike. Opened in 1967, the museum was originally named the Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Memorial Naval Museum, after the admiral famous for successfully halting the Japanese advances following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Today, the museum has been expanded to include an Admiral Nimitz Gallery and a George H. W. Bush Gallery in addition to a number of memorials, and it also houses the Center for Pacific War Studies. In its more than 45,000 square feet of exhibit space, the museum exhibits both Allied and Japanese airplanes, tanks, and guns among its numerous displays.

See an impressive collection of wildlife art—most of it devoted to North American species—in 14 galleries displaying the work of artists that include Georgia O'Keeffe, John James Audubon, John Clymer, Robert Kuhn, and Carl Rungius. A deck looks out on the National Elk Refuge, where you can see wildlife in a natural habitat. An elaborate ¾-mile outdoor sculpture trail includes a monumental herd of bronze bison by Richard Loffler trudging across the butte.

In addition to being where the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron Blue Angels launches its practice flights, the Pensacola Naval Air Station (NAS) is home to a 300,000-square-foot museum with more than 140 aircraft representing more than 100 years of naval aviation. Currently, however, access to the NAS is not available to the general public unless they're accompanied by someone who holds a Department of Defense ID card (e.g., active or retired military personnel or a member of their families). If you don't have someone to accompany you, it's worth calling ahead or checking online to see if this requirement has changed, and, if so, make time for a visit.

On display are the NC-4, which, in 1919, became the first plane to cross the Atlantic; the famous F-6 Hellcat World War II fighter; the Skylab Command Module; an atomic bomb (it's defused, we promise); and the restored Cubi Bar Café, a very cool airmen's club transplanted here from the Philippines. The museum also offers a giant-screen theater showing Magic of Flight, Aircraft Carrier, and other educational films.

If you're feeling more adventurous, the MaxFlight Simulator—featuring interactive, 360-degree, pitch-and-roll technology—offers the chance to experience air-to-air combat or stunt flying. Alternatively, you can see what it's like to fly with the Blue Angels or take off from an aircraft carrier and do battle in the Iraqi desert in an HD Motion-Based Simulator. If you'd rather reach for the stars, opt for the Apollo 11 VR Experience.

Dozens of strikingly ornate neon signs designed from the late-19th through the mid-20th centuries are displayed in this restored 20,000-square-foot former Elks Club building. The museum's owner, David Benko, often personally leads visitors through the two floors of exhibits. In addition to recognizable vintage neon signs for Shell Oil, Buster Brown Shoes, and Coca-Cola, you'll see countless signs from diners, shops, and other independently owned businesses. There's also a cache of photos, documents, and other historical materials that trace how neon signage influenced American culture and commercial design through the midcentury.

The National Solar Observatory–Sacramento Peak, 20 miles south of Cloudcroft on the Sunspot Highway at an elevation of 9,200 feet, is designated for observations of the Sun. The observatory, established in 1947, has four telescopes, including a 329-foot Vacuum Tower that resembles a pyramid. One observation point has a majestic view of White Sands and the Tularosa Basin. During the day you can inspect the telescopes on a self-guided tour and watch live, filtered television views of the Sun. Interactive displays at the visitor center allow you to, among other activities, make infrared fingerprints. The community of Sunspot, home of the observatory, is an actual working community of scientists—not a tourist attraction—so you should stay within areas designated for visitors.

The center's exhibits document the life of Pulitzer- and Nobel-prize winner John Steinbeck and the history of the nearby communities that inspired novels such as East of Eden. Highlights include reproductions of the green pickup-camper from Travels with Charley and the bunk room from Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck House, the author's Victorian birthplace, is two blocks from the center at 132 Central Avenue. Now a popular (lunch-only) restaurant and gift shop with docent-led tours, it also displays memorabilia.

Tucked away in Lawai Valley, this collection of gardens includes lands and a cottage once used by Hawaii's Queen Emma (1836–85) for a summer retreat. Trams depart frequently to transport people from the visitor center to the gardens. The rambling 252-acre McBryde Garden has exhibits and easy trails to help visitors learn about biodiversity and plants collected throughout the tropics, including a Canoe Garden that features plants introduced to Hawaii by early Polynesian voyagers.  The biodiversity path in McBryde is accessible for people with mobility issues. The 100-acre Allerton Garden, which can be visited only on a guided tour, artfully displays statues and water features originally developed as part of a private estate. A famous scene in Jurassic Park was filmed here.

Reservations and closed-toe shoes are required for all tours. The visitor center has a high-quality gift shop and grab-and-go refreshments. Besides propagating rare and endangered plants from Hawaii and elsewhere, NTBG functions as a scientific research and education center. The organization also operates gardens in Limahuli, on Kauai's North Shore; in Hana, on Maui's East Shore; and in Florida.

Located in Portage Park, this museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and exhibiting art inspired by combat and created by veterans. Founded in 1981, its goal is to serve as a space for civilians, veterans, and current military alike to share an open dialogue on the lasting impacts of warfare. The museum houses over two thousand works of art from those who have served in conflicts from WWII through the Global War on Terror. 

Recognized as the largest horological collection in North America, this museum is home to thousands of timepieces and time-related items. The museum's location isn't random: Columbia has had a long clockmaking and watchmaking tradition. In the museum, you'll see early sundials and water clocks; a German Black Forest organ clock with 94 pipes; moon-phase wristwatches; and other timekeeping devices from around the world.

Formed over millions of years by wind, water, and chemical erosion, this 85-foot-tall, rusty-orange arch formation—one of several rock arches in the park—is an essential photo op from one of the more popular overlooks on the park's scenic drive. Beyond the parking lot lies a rare stand of aspen trees, their leaves twinkling in the wind. Watch out for distracted drivers at this stunning viewpoint.

As natural daylight recedes, a self-guided, paved trail twists and turns downward from the yawning mouth of the main cavern, about 100 yards east of the visitor center. The route is winding and sometimes slick from water seepage aboveground. A steep descent of about 750 feet, much of it secured by hand rails, takes you about a mile through the main corridor and past dramatic features such as the Bat Cave and the Boneyard. (Despite its eerie name, the formations here don't look much like femurs and fibulae; they're more like spongy bone insides.) Iceberg Rock is a massive boulder that dropped from the cave ceiling millennia ago. After about a mile, you'll link up underground with the Big Room Trail and can return to the surface via elevator or by hiking back out (starting your ascent no later than 2:30). Footware with a good grip is recommended.

Stop and admire the sleek copper and granite form of this contemporary museum on the University of Utah campus before stepping inside to learn about the formation of the region's incredible landscape of parks, mountain ranges, lakes, and basins. Immerse yourself in prehistoric Utah, home to prolific research on dinosaurs and some of the most famous fossil recoveries in history. Superb rotating exhibits, which can touch on anything from environmental themes to the ancient cultures of Asia and Africa, typically take place once or twice a year.

Part of the New Jersey Audubon Society, the center has tours, art exhibits, aquaria, themed gardens, and a viewing deck and tower for spotting harriers, seabirds, and other winged creatures. Educational activities take place throughout Cape May and within the center's 18 acres of beach, meadow, and marsh habitat that border the man-made harbor.

The Berkshire cottage of Joseph Choate (1832–1917), an influential New York City lawyer and the ambassador to Great Britain during President William McKinley's administration, provides a glimpse into the Gilded Age lifestyle. The 44-room gabled mansion, designed by Stanford White and completed in 1887, sits atop Prospect Hill. Its many original furnishings and artworks span three centuries; the collection of Chinese porcelain is particularly noteworthy. The meticulously kept 8 acres of formal gardens, a three-decade project of Choate's daughter, Mabel, and landscape designer Fletcher Steele, alone make this site worth a visit. Creative use of the property now includes a Winter Lights display, with over 200,000 twinkling LED lights; a Halloween-inspired pumpkin trail and haunted house; live music nights with picnics; and a springtime Daffodil Festival.

Two unoccupied 13th-century cliff pueblos, Betatakin and Keet Seel, stand under the overhanging cliffs of Tsegi Canyon. The largest ancient dwellings in Arizona, these stone-and-mortar complexes were built by Ancestral Puebloans, obviously for permanent occupancy, but abandoned after less than half a century.

The well-preserved, 135-room Betatakin (Navajo for "ledge house") is a cluster of cliff dwellings from AD 1250 that seem to hang in midair before a sheer sandstone wall. When discovered in 1907 by a passing American rancher, the apartments were full of baskets, pottery, and preserved grains and ears of corn—as if the occupants had been chased away in the middle of a meal. For an impressive view of Betatakin, walk to the rim overlook about ½ mile from the visitor center. Ranger-led tours on either a 3- or 5-mile trail take between three and five hours to complete and require a 700-foot descent into the canyon. These trips leave at 7 am on weekends from late May to early September. No reservations are accepted; a signup sheet will be posted in the visitor center for interested hikers on a first-come-first-serve basis. 

Keet Seel (Navajo for "broken pottery") is also in good condition in a serene location, with 160 rooms and 5 kivas dating from AD 950. Explorations of Keet Seel, which lies at an elevation of 7,000 feet and is 8½ miles from the visitor center on foot, are currently not offered.

One of the Southwest's premier galleries, Matteucci Galleries exhibits works by California regionalists, members of the early Taos and Santa Fe schools, and masters of American impressionism and modernism. Spanish-colonial furniture, Indian antiquities, and a fantastic sculpture garden are other draws of this well-respected establishment. Visitors can also find jewelry, pottery, and books. The old adobe building that the gallery is in is a beautifully preserved example of Santa Fe–style architecture. Matteucci also owns Morning Star Gallery around the corner at  513 Canyon Road.

Housed in a building that once printed Confederate money, Neema is the city's only gallery space dedicated exclusively to Black artists from the South. The rotating collection of artwork features large-scale prints, jewelry, and ceramics from a range of local and award-winning artists. Classes and workshops are regularly offered.

Two blocks east of the Plaza is the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, known for its outstanding Asian-art collection and the Henry Moore Sculpture Garden on the south grounds. The new Bloch Building expansion, the brainchild of architect Steven Holl, spans the equivalent of a 67-story building lying on its side. It houses the museum's collections of contemporary and African art, as well as a research library and galleries for rotating photography exhibits.

 Early-20th-century German and Austrian art and design are the focus here, with works by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Egon Schiele, and designers from the Wiener Werkstätte. It's perhaps best known for having Gustav Klimt's portrait, Adele Bloch-Bauer I or Woman in Gold, a painting with a story almost as compelling as the art. The gallery sits Inside a 1914 mansion created by architects Carrère and Hastings, who also created the New York Public Library. Once the home of Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt III, the Neue Galerie was founded by the late art dealer Serge Sabarsky and cosmetics heir and art collector Ronald S. Lauder. The first-floor Café Sabarsky is popular for its elegant Viennese coffeehouse setting and menu. If busy, try the lower-key and smaller Café Fledermaus, which has much the same offerings. 

The biggest attraction in Ely draws train aficionados from near and far. During the mining boom, the Nevada Northern Railroad connected East Ely, Ruth, and McGill to the transcontinental rail line in the northeast corner of the state. The whole operation is now a museum open year-round and watched over by its famed cat mascot, Dirt, who receives food and gifts from fans across the country. You can tour the depot, offices, warehouses, yard, engine houses, and repair shops. Catch a ride on one of the vintage locomotives, and get history lessons from enthusiastic guides along the way (check website for times). You can even stay overnight in a caboose or bunkhouse.

Once the site of a Chinese fishing village, New Brighton is now a popular surfing and camping spot. Its Pacific Migrations Visitor Center traces the history of the Chinese and other peoples who settled around Monterey Bay. It also documents the migratory patterns of the area's wildlife, such as monarch butterflies and gray whales. Leashed dogs are allowed in the park. New Brighton connects with Seacliff Beach, and at low tide you can walk or run along this scenic stretch of sand for nearly 16 miles south (though you might have to wade through a few creeks).  The 1½-mile stroll from New Brighton to Seacliff's concrete ship is a local favorite. Amenities: parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

An important stop for art lovers, this 100-year-old museum's collection of more than 8,500 works, from 1740 to the present, focuses solely on American art. Among its treasures are paintings by John Singer Sargent, Winslow Homer, and Georgia O'Keeffe, as well as sculpture by Isamu Noguchi. Of particular note is the selection of Impressionist artists, including Mary Cassatt, William Merritt Chase, Childe Hassam, and John Henry Twachtman, as well as Thomas Hart Benton's five-panel mural The Arts of Life in America. The museum also has a café, a large shop, and a library of art books.

The NCM blends contemporary art with unstructured play to create an environment that appeals to children as well as adults. The 50,000-square-foot structure was constructed from recycled building materials, operates on solar energy, and is convection-cooled by an elevator shaft. It also features a gift shop, a nutritious and eco-conscious café, and as of 2024, 8,600 additional square feet of new gallery space, an Education Commons area, and an expanded art studio.

Interactive exhibits include designated areas for toddlers and teens, as well as plenty of activities for the entire family. Several art workshops are offered each day, as well as hands-on studios where visitors are encouraged to create their own art. The studio projects change frequently and NCM regularly hosts events such as author visits, workshops, and a variety of other activities. The adjoining 1-acre park and playground is across from the convention center trolley stop and limited underground parking is available for $20.

The more than 100 aircraft at this museum include gliders and helicopters, a World War II–era P-47 Thunderbolt, and a B-29 Superfortress, along with other vintage fighters and bombers—and an extensive collection of engines, instruments, parts, uniforms, and personal memorabilia. There's even a fighter-jet simulator. Next to Bradley International Airport, the museum also frequently holds open-cockpit days, allowing both young and old to play pilot.

As interesting and exciting as it is educational, this aquarium is a must for those who are curious about what lives in and around the sea. The building's glass-and-steel exterior is constructed to mimic fish scales, and seals bark and swim in the outdoor tank. Inside the main facility, more than 30,000 animals of 800 different species frolic in simulated habitats. Visitors can get up close to a variety of species of sharks and rays at the Shark and Ray Touch Tank.

In the semienclosed outdoor space of the New Balance Foundation Marine Mammal Center, visitors can enjoy the antics of northern fur seals and sea lions while gazing out at Boston Harbor. The real showstopper, though, is the four-story, 200,000-gallon ocean-reef tank. Ramps winding around the tank lead to the top level and allow you to view the inhabitants from many vantage points. Up top, the Yawkey Coral Reef Center features a seven-tank exhibit gallery that gives a close-up look at animals that might not be easily seen on the reef. Don't miss the five-times-a-day feedings; each lasts nearly an hour and takes divers 24 feet into the tank.

Add on to the day at the aquarium's IMAX theater, which takes you on virtual journeys from the bottom of the sea to the depths of outer space in 3D films.  Planning to see an IMAX film or go whale-watching in addition to visiting the New England Aquarium? Ask about combo tickets to save some money.

Set in a 1950s quonset hut–style former dance hall near Lake Wentworth, this small but fascinating museum and boat-building center celebrates New Hampshire's maritime legacy with displays of vintage wooden boats, models, antique engines, racing photography, trophies, and vintage marina signs. You can also attend workshops on boat building and restoration, take sailing lessons, and go on 45-minute narrated rides on Lake Winnipesaukee in the Millie B., a reproduction 1928 triple-cockpit Hacker-Craft.

This handsomely designed museum east of town, near the Organ Mountains, documents 3,000 years of agriculture in New Mexico and the Southwest. Visit a re-creation of a 1,200-year-old Mogollon farmhouse, based on styles built by some of the first nonnomadic people to live in what is now New Mexico. Longhorn cattle, Churro sheep, and dairy cows are among the heritage breeds—descendants of animals the Spanish brought from Mexico—raised at the museum. At milking times, you can learn about the history of dairy farming in New Mexico, or take a look in the "beef barn" where six different breeds of beef cattle are housed. A span of the historic Green Bridge, which used to span the Hondo River, has been reassembled over the arroyo on the grounds. Chuck-wagon cooking demonstrations are offered during special events.