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There are more than 35,000 museums in the United States, according to a figure released by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. That means there’s twice as many museums in our country as there are Starbucks – a staggering figure.
10Best wanted to narrow down the field to the best museums in Canada and the U.S. across eight categories, so we asked our readers to vote for their favorites.
Click on each category below to see the full list of winners.
Best Art Museum: Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, Georgia
Winning museum celebrates the art of the American West — Photo courtesy of Booth Western Art Museum
The Booth Western Art Museum maintains the world’s largest permanent exhibition space for Western art, while the building itself was designed to resemble a pueblo. The collection of paintings, sculpture, artifacts and photography focus on themes of the Civil War and American West, with works by American legends like Frederic Remington, Charles Russell and Andy Warhol.
Full list of winners: Best Art Museum »
Best Children’s Museum: The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis in Indiana
This Indianapolis museum is the world’s largest for kids — Photo courtesy of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
A favorite Indy attraction, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is the largest museum of its kind in the world, encompassing 29 acres of fun-filled exhibits. Kids can star in their own circus, slide down a river of chocolate, fly over the Great Wall of China, snap a selfie with a T-rex or explore outer space through the lens of NASA’s Project Mercury.
Full list of winners: Best Children’s Museum »
Best Free Museum: National Infantry Museum & Soldier Center in Columbus, Georgia
Learn about the history of the U.S. soldier at this winning museum — Photo courtesy of Jay Rosenblatt / National Infantry Museum & Soldier Center
Free immersive exhibits at the National Infantry Museum & Soldier Center in Columbus take visitors through 240 years of U.S. history through the lens of what it means to be a U.S. soldier. It’s one of the world’s top military museums and one of the top-rated attractions in Columbus.
Full list of winners: Best Free Museum »
Best History Museum: National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia
Explore 240 years of marine corps history at this Virginia museum — Photo courtesy of National Museum of the Marine Corps
This 135-acre museum site chronicles the history and heritage of the United States Marine Corps. The structure itself is meant to resemble the image of raising the flag at Iwo Jima, while the collection within includes artifacts from 240 years of corps history – uniforms, weapons, medals, flags, aircraft, vehicles and works of art.
Full list of winners: Best History Museum »
Best Music Museum: Patsy Cline Museum in Nashville, Tennessee
Visitors to this winning museum get a glimpse inside the life of a country music legend — Photo courtesy of Patsy Cline Museum
Patsy Cline died young – she was only 30 years old – but she left a big mark on the American country music industry. This Nashville museum explores her life and work through artifacts, personal belongings, video and audio recordings and costumes.
Full list of winners: Best Music Museum »
Best New Museum: National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York
Winning museum was also named one of the nation’s best new attractions — Photo courtesy of National Comedy Center
Situated in Jamestown, New York, the National Comedy Center is the first museum in the world dedicated to the art of comedy in the United States. More than 50 interactive exhibits and an extensive collection bring to life the voices of comedy greats, from Charlie Chaplin to Dave Chappelle.
Full list of winners: Best New Museum »
Best Religious Museum: Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky
This winning museum invites guests aboard a replica of Noah’s Ark — Photo courtesy of Ark Encounter
This museum sits within a full-size replica of Noah’s Ark, based on dimensions given in the Bible. Inside, exhibits highlight one of the most famous stories in Christianity by showing what life might have been like for Noah and his family.
Full list of winners: Best Religious Museum »
Best Science Museum: Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus, Ohio
Among the exhibits at this winning museum is Ohio’s largest planetarium — Photo courtesy of Robb McCormick Photography
Visitors can turn into astronauts with a snap of the finger at this Columbus, Ohio museum by riding in a mock space shuttle. COSI offers a wide array of permanent exhibits and hosts a few traveling ones, too.
If space isn’t of interest, check out the American Museum of Natural History Dinosaur Gallery and Ohio’s largest planetarium, or maybe take a tour of the ancient stories of the sea hosted by Poseidon himself. You can even lift a 2,437-pound car with the help of a lever in the outdoor Big Science park.
Full list of winners: Best Science Museum »
Congratulations to all our winning museums. Remember to visit 10Best daily to vote in other Readers’ Choice Award categories.
