Educational Displays - Museums in the United States

To a child, going to a museum can be such an exciting new experience! Unlike the dull, dusty museums of the past, exhibits today are designed to be educational, entertaining and sometimes even interactive. Many museums help to reinforce lessons taught in class or introduce students to new ideas. By seeing an exhibit in person, students form a visual link of the concept and it helps them to better understand the material. Moreover, they form an emotional link with the subject matter. For example, learning about a famous person and their significant achievements from a book is far different from seeing actual articles or documents that belonged to the person. Museums bring history to life!

Art Museums

• National Gallery of Art – Visit via a web tour or head over in person to explore a number of visual art collections from the 13^th century onwards.
• Philadelphia Museum of Art – The PMA frequently features new additions to their collections and offers tours of historic art collected from around the world.
• Museum of Fine Arts (Boston) – Learn about history through magnificent works of art that span the last several centuries.
• Princeton University Art Museum – With over 72,000 pieces of world art, this museum is counted among the foremost art museums in the U.S. It is available for public viewing and offers free admission.
• The Guggenheim Museum – At one of the best-known museums in the world, visitors can browse the collections and take in a number of educational multimedia presentations, tours and classes.
• Museum of Modern Art – The MoMA focuses on different mediums of contemporary artwork from the late 1800s to the present day.
• The J. Paul Getty Museum – Based in Los Angeles, the Getty Museum showcases thousands of pieces of art that date as far back as the Ancient Greeks and Romans.
• The Los Angeles County Museum of Art – Known as the largest museum for art on the U.S. west coast, the LACMA spans seven buildings with plenty to see and do.
• Dallas Museum of Art – The DMA offers a number of collections that teach about both historic and contemporary art trends and styles.
• The Museum of Fine Arts (Houston) – The Houston MFA offers plenty of educational experiences for young students, including art activities, special exhibits, presentations and events.

Military and War Museums

• American Military Museum, SC – The AMM, located in Charleston, South Carolina, exhibits a vast amount of equipment, uniforms, and weapons used by the U.S. military during the last few hundred years.
• Virginia War Museum – There are several educational programs available here that allow children and students to experience life as an American soldier through different eras.
• The Armed Forces Military Museum – The AFMM provides field trip programs for teachers and student groups to explore the history of the U.S. military.
• The Military Museum of Southern New England – Explore the history of the U.S. military through thousands of rare and notable artifacts and vehicles.
• National Museum of American Jewish Military History – At the NMAJMH, students can participate in several tours to learn about the contributions of American Jewish veterans.
• The California State Military Museum – With a focus on California’s military participation, the CSMM offers virtual tours as well as on-site educational programs.
• American Military Museum, California – Browse through over a hundred historic military vehicles and find out how they were once used.
• U.S. Army Heritage & Education Center – Teachers and students have a chance to browse numerous exhibits, visit a World War II barracks and even talk to historic re-enactors to learn about a soldier’s life during the war.
• The National WWII Museum – Learn about American contributions to one of the most significant wars in our history.
• The Civil War Naval Museum – Get a taste of life on the high seas with a number of historic exhibits and presentations on the Navy during the Civil War.

Natural History Museums

• American Museum of Natural History – The AMNH offers a treasure trove of educational activities for kids, with a special kids-only website, mentorship programs and more!
• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History – Learn about our early ancestors and other ancient specimens of natural history.
• Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia – Students can prepare for their trip to the museum by exploring the online lesson plans and guides before heading off for a real life field trip.
• San Diego Natural History Museum – Students of all ages have a chance to learn, play and explore through a variety of multimedia presentations and programs.
• Natural History Museum of Los Angeles – Explore the world of fossils and the evolution of various plant and animal species from around the world.
• Carnegie Museum of Natural History – The CMNE is one of the largest natural history museums in the U.S. and offers several special educational events for students as well as programs for educators.
• The Field Museum – With a full, real T-Rex fossil as well as several others, this Illinois museum is packed with educational and interactive programs for kids.
• Harvard Museum of Natural History – Students can attend a series of fun classes at the museum, visit after school or attend various programs and visits to learn more about natural history.
• New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science – Learn about natural history dating back to millions of years ago with special exhibits and presentations.
• Berkeley Natural History Museums – The BNHM is comprised of six museums, all dedicated to different areas of natural history.

Science Museums

• Boston Museum of Science – An IMAX theater, simulator and 3-D digital cinema bring presentations to life at the Museum of Science in Boston.
• Science Museum of Minnesota – The SMM features several permanent galleries as well as temporary ones focused on the physicals sciences, biology, paleontology and cultures.
• California Science Center – Visitors can enjoy free admission to the exhibits at the Science Center to learn about various science fields through different eras and locations.
• American Museum of Radio and Electricity – Learn about famous inventions that helped to change the way we live today.
• Detroit Science Center – From dinosaurs to mummies and space exploration, kids will have a blast while learning key lessons at this science center.
• American Museum of Science and Energy – Students get a chance to investigate history through a scientific perspective through fun educational activities.
• Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose – Dedicated especially to children, the CDM is a one-of-a-kind museum with tons of interactive displays and educational opportunities.
• Morehead Planetarium and Science Center – There are plenty of programs for student groups and families to explore the wonders of space and other science areas.
• MIT Museum – Technology and noteworthy innovations are celebrated and explored at this science and technology museum.

Other Museums

• The International Spy Museum – Discover the thrilling world of espionage and find out what it really entails.
• National Museum of the American Indian – Learn all about native culture and history from past to present.

• Brooklyn Children’s Museum – The BCM is known as the oldest museum dedicated solely to children. It hosts a number of events, parties and camps to help kids learn and discover.
• Museum of Jewish Heritage – Learn about what life was like for people caught in the Holocaust.
• National Museum of Dance – Explore different styles of dance with videos, images and archived costumes and artifacts.
• American Clock & Watch Museum – Learn about various clocks, watches and other timepieces and how they all work.
• New York Museum of Transportation – Take a trip back in time as you explore actual trolleys, trams and other old vehicles.
• Fire Museum of Maryland – See how fire fighters have worked over the past century by viewing vintage equipment and vehicles.
• Museum of African American History – Learn about notable African-Americans, their struggles and achievements throughout history.
• California Museum of Photography – Browse through a number of stunning exhibits from the birth of photography to present.
• Mississippi Entomological Museum – Get a macro view of the world through an intense look at bugs, insects and other creepy crawlies.
• Farm and Ranch Museum – Kids can learn about agriculture and life on a farm through the past century.
• Museum of Early Trades and Crafts – Learn about American culture and history through a study of different trades and crafts from the past.
• Bicycle Museum of America – At this unique museum, visitors trace the invention of the bicycle and its gradual timeline.
• Ohio Railway Museum – Ride an old train and revisit the days of steam engines and more at the Railway Museum.