Museums are some of the greatest attractions to visit when you’re on vacation. They’re fun, beautiful and you get to learn something too! If you’re headed to the east coast anytime soon, here are some great museums to check out while you’re there.
Check Out These 9 Interesting Museums On The East Coast
1. Museum Of Science, Boston, MA
The Museum of Science has a mixture of rotating exhibits and permanent ones to explore, including tons of hands-on stuff. There’s also a planetarium, IMAX theater and a simulator that imitates a roller coaster ride or a flight over the city of Boston. The museum is right on the water with parks surrounding it and the USS Constitution close by. That way, you can make a whole day of it!
See vacation rentals in Boston, Massachusetts
2. Metropolitan Museum Of Art, New York, NY
The Met is basically the ultimate when it comes to art museums. It’s absolutely massive and to really see and experience everything could take you days. The Met houses thousands of pieces and some of the greatest works of all time. If you take the elevator to the top, you get a gorgeous view of Central Park and the rest of Manhattan from the rooftop.
See vacation rentals in New York, New York
3. American Museum Of Natural History, New York, NY
While many kids know it for being the setting of the Night At The Museum movies, this is one truly amazing place. There are over 32 million specimens here and the vastness of the collection really has to be seen in person to truly experience it. NYC seems to have a tendency for giant museums, and like The Met, this could take at least a full day to really see everything. It’s well worth it and perfect for pretty much every age.
See vacation rentals in New York, New York
4. Jamestown Settlement, Williamsburg, VA
This is more than just a museum. It’s a full-on experience. There are traditional galleries and films like in most museums, but this offers a lot more. They have re-creations of the ships that sailed to Virginia in 1607 as well as re-creations of the colonists’ fort and a Powhatan village. The outdoor areas offer people re-creating life as it was in the 17th century.
If you want more history, head down to the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. It’s not far from the Jamestown Settlement and just had its spectacular grand opening. It boasts the same style as Jamestown with its combination of galleries and living history.
See vacation rentals in Williamsburg, Virginia
5. Smithsonian National Postal Museum, Washington D.C.
All of the Smithsonian museums are great to visit, but this is one of the lesser-known gems. It is the largest postal museum in the United States and it’s not just for stamp collectors. Stamps can help you learn a lot about the time period they’re from based on what’s on them. The National Stamp Collection that’s within the National Stamp Salon combines 4,000 pieces of mail and stamps that tell the story of the United States.
See vacation rentals in Washington, D.C.
6. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, D.C.
While not for young children, this museum is an important place to visit if you’re in D.C. It’s haunting, but a necessary place to visit. The director of the FBI requires agents to visit it so they realize why restrictions on law and freedom of the press are necessary. It’s an event that should never be forgotten and it’s important to see why and how it happened.
See vacation rentals in Washington, D.C.
7. Mütter Museum, Philadelphia, PA
One of the oddest museums out there, the home page of their website asks, “Are you ready to be disturbingly informed?” This museum is a collection of medical history and helps people appreciate both the human body and treatment of diseases. It features medical instruments, anatomical specimens and other interesting medical displays. While it may not be for weak stomachs, it’s definitely something you can’t find anywhere else.
See vacation rentals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
8. Museum Of Life And Science, Durham, NC
Located five miles from downtown Durham, this museum basically combines an indoor interactive science museum, playground and zoo. There are plenty of hands-on activities for kids, including a play to learn exhibit. Outdoors, there are various animals to see, a dinosaur trail and a train to ride. They have a huge butterfly house and insectarium for lovers of all things bug.
See vacation rentals in Durham, North Carolina
9. International Civil Rights Center & Museum, Greensboro, NC
Another important museum to visit, this museum is located where the nonviolent Greensboro sit-in protests took place in 1960. You can take a journey through the civil rights movement, relive the March on Washington and see the featured changing exhibit. A prominent moment on U.S. history, this museum lets you really learn about the people that fought for equal rights and what they had to go through to get them.
Immerse yourself in these museums on your next trip! Whether you want a full-day experience or just a few hours of fun, you’re sure to find something that world for your group.
See vacation rentals in Greensboro, North Carolina
Kacey is a lifestyle blogger for The Drifter Collective, an eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Kacey graduated with a degree in Communications while working for a lifestyle magazine. She has been able to fully embrace herself with the knowledge of nature, the power of exploring other locations and cultures, all while portraying her love for the world around her through her visually pleasing, culturally embracing and inspiring posts. You can follow her on Twitter or on Instagram.