Museums can be a majorly fun thing to visit while on vacation. There are so many different types, from art to history to science, so it’s easy to find something everyone will enjoy. Whether you’re traveling with family or just love learning on your own, be sure to add these museums to your itinerary the next time you’re planning a vacation.
1. Learning and Play for Kids
When you’re traveling with children, it’s important to give them lasting, positive memories and let them learn through play. There’s no better place for that than the Discovery Museum, where hands-on exhibits will offer both fun and educational experiences. This beautiful 4.5-mile campus is full of incredible, accessible exhibits both indoors and outdoors.
Inside the museum, kids can explore the properties of air, water, sound, math, light, and more through a plethora of cool exhibits! There are intimate, immersive experiments and experiences even the youngest of learners can benefit from. All of the exhibits are hands-on, low-tech, and interactive, perfectly blending fun and learning.
Outside are the Discovery Woods, where kids can explore nature and expand their imaginations as they learn. They can play in the treehouse, on playgrounds that double as physics experiments, and so much more! They may not even realize they’re learning, but they’ll remember the lessons for years to come.
2. Merrimack’s Incredible History
Like many New England towns, Concord, MA is full of history, and the Concord Museum puts it on display for both locals and visitors from outside of the Greater Merrimack Valley. Here you’ll see an amazing collection of early American treasures, from one of the lanterns that alerted Paul Revere to the arrival of the British army, to Revolutionary War artifacts, to the very desk Henry David Thoreau wrote Walden on.
3. Beautiful Textiles
If you appreciate textiles, then you can’t miss the New England Quilt Museum. Experience world-class, changing gallery exhibitions that show off the best of quilt-making from the past to the present. They range from highlighting the most significant and beautifully preserved antique quilts in America to contemporary and modern shows that feature the innovative works of today’s quilters from around the globe. Be sure to check the calendar for gallery talks, group tours, and workshops you won’t want to miss out on. When you’re done, be sure to visit the museum store for a quilt of your own or other unique, handcrafted items to bring home.
4. 25,000 Works of Art
It doesn’t matter what medium you prefer your artwork in; Addison Gallery of American Art has it all. Their collection numbers in the thousands, and the museum is full of ever-changing exhibits that display works of American artists from the 18th century to now. You’ll see statues, textiles, oil and watercolor paintings, etchings, photography, and so much more as you explore the galleries and discover just how diverse American artwork can be.
This summer, take a break from the heat and stop by a museum to learn something new. You may just find yourself fascinated and engaged enough to make museum-hopping a new hobby.
