Museum destination?

[zmanjz]

Now that I finally have some free time, I've come to the conclusion that I should visit a Museum... (Just something to do... and Hershey Park's not open yet)

But I've been to the Maryland Science Center, Wittaker Center Smithsonian, and the like... So anyone know any good Mid-Atlantic region museums that are interesting and worth visiting?

Factory? History? Science? Other? Whatever! So long as it's interesting.

(I'm not real big on Art Museums though. While I enjoy Architecture, and the Philladelphia Museum of Art has a collection of beautiful Swords and Armor, my artistic interests lie generally outside the realm of Canvas and Statuary.)

[solarflere]

Now that I finally have some free time, I've come to the conclusion that I should visit a Museum... (Just something to do... and Hershey Park's not open yet)

But I've been to the Maryland Science Center, Wittaker Center Smithsonian, and the like... So anyone know any good Mid-Atlantic region museums that are interesting and worth visiting?

Factory? History? Science? Other? Whatever! So long as it's interesting.

(I'm not real big on Art Museums though. While I enjoy Architecture, and the Philladelphia Museum of Art has a collection of beautiful Swords and Armor, my artistic interests lie generally outside the realm of Canvas and Statuary.)

If you are ever in New York, American Museum Of Natural History. It has everyting, from a Space center, to genetics, to archaeology, to anthropology. And if you want an "inside" look, look me up, I will give you a tour, I used to work there and know the place very well.

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,

"Mid Atlantic" is kinda big. Can you narrow down the realistic geographic band you're talking about?

However, I agree with solarflere that seeking out Natural History museums is always cool. They have the dinosaurs! In general, any kind of science museum can have some interesting exhibits that will also make you Smart.

There's also the Air & Space Museum in DC, which is totally awesome. I think they still have an SR-71 Blackbird on display there.

Being mid-Atlantic, you may also be able to hit a few of the Civil War battlefield museums, or possibly even Revolutionary War battlefield museums.

There's a museum in Philly which is pretty much filled with Gross Stuff. I'm forgetting the name, but it's got things like tumors in jars and mummies and other crazy stuff. Sarah Vowell mentioned it in her Assassination Vacation book.

I'd also say that an art museum can be fun if you step off the beaten path of the paintings and statuary. Go seek out the Egyptian section for some wild and crazy stuff, or start exploring cultures that you're not familiar with. If you've still got a student ID, you can probably get in for kinda free.

-- Ed/Ace

[solarflere]

I have been to the Air & Space Museum in DC, it sucked compater with the Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum. Its a real decommisioned Aircraft Carrier, that houses a lot of different aircrafts, exibits, simulators a small theater and other good things. As a part of the museum, it also has an SR-71 Blackbird, a Concord Airplane you can go into, a Submarine you can go in to as well. its very nice.

[zmanjz]

Howdy,

"Mid Atlantic" is kinda big. Can you narrow down the realistic geographic band you're talking about?

Between New York City and The top of North Carolina

[solarflere]

Between New York City and The top of North Carolina

Let me just say this, NYC alone has so many museums, it will satisfy your hunger for atleast a year. With the recent NYC Science center, Madame Tussauds Wax museum, Transit museum (old trains and stuff), Brooklyn Museum (great Egyptian exibit), and pleanty more.

[Discloner]

If you a big Star Wars ner...er...fan. You could go to the Boston Museum of Science. They've got a "Magic meets Imagination" exhibit running that features a lot of Star Wars props and connects them with developing/developed technologies being made today (I.e. Darth Vader's suit is matched up with Artificial hearts/limbs/etc.).

Its a pretty neat set-up that my friends and I went to back in January. They've even got a naboo fighter hanging in the museum's exhibit hall (admission to the star wars exhibit will get you into the museum's exhibit hall too). I believe they've got a bunch of Star Wars themed Planetarium shows and a Special Effects IMAX presentation with some star wars stuff in it. They've even got a full scale replica of the Millennium falcon cockpit that you can sit in and watch an audio presentation in (its rather lame but you get a free pin so woo).

Once you're done ogling the Land-speeder and Yoda, you can head over to the regular exhibit halls and check out a bunch of neat stuff over there. They've got a huge indoor electric show that's rather a rather neat find, and they've got monkeys or something somewhere in there as well. The whole museum is rather interactive, so it might be geared a bit more towards younger audiences, but IMO its still a rather fun visit.

Might not be worth the trip to Boston (though you could certainly make a weekend out of a trip to Boston), but just thought I'd throw it out there. Some SW fans will span the globe to attend certain events.

Or you could be cheap and just look at my vast collection of photographs from when I went: http://anxtoonami.com/temp/

EDIT: Man it'd help if I included a link to the museum eh? http://museumofscience.org/

[solarflere]

Might not be worth the trip to Boston (though you could certainly make a weekend out of a trip to Boston), but just thought I'd throw it out there. Some SW fans will span the globe to attend certain events.

I have been to Boston, There is no better tour of the city than the Duck Tours, its an amphibious machine that takes you on a tour through the streets and the water as well. But a warmer temperatures are recomended.

[Zubby]

The Mutter Museum in Philadelphia is a must see. It's a museum of medical oddities. Way cooler than their web page lets on. http://www.collphyphil.org/muttpg1.shtml

The American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore is also really great, and not as stuffy as other art museums. It's all art made by non-profesionally trained artists.
http://www.avam.org/

The Cloisters is an extension of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. Located at the far north end of Manhattan, it's all medevial art.
http://www.metmuseum.org/Works_of_Ar...ment.asp?dep=7

The Museum of American History is the coolest of all the Smithsonian museums in Washingon, DC. Definately worth seeing.
http://americanhistory.si.edu/

And, I've not been there myself, but I've heard the Museum of Sex in New York City is interesting.
http://www.museumofsex.com/

[Discloner]

I have been to Boston, There is no better tour of the city than the Duck Tours, its an amphibious machine that takes you on a tour through the streets and the water as well. But a warmer temperatures are recomended.

Ah yes. The Ducktours are a must if you're going to boston. I'm not sure if they're running right now, but it wouldn't suprise me if they were considering how warm it's been (the bay probably isn't at all frozen over). I've been on it a few times as a kid, even got to drive it around the bay once or twice.

Boston definetly has plenty to do. Museums aside (there's a rather famous computer museum, there's an art musuem, there's a rather nice aquarium) there are plenty of other tourist spots like....uh....the Cheers restaurant!

[Kagetsu]

I've been to most of the museums in Washington DC. Air and Space and Natural history being my favorite. Some of the smaller museums like National Geographic are good if you can find them.

Traveling. My favorite places here in the east, Frank Lloyd Wright "Falling Waters" house in Pennsylvania, Longwood Gardens in Pennsyvania (seasonal, but with a lot of conservatories ), Airforce Museum in Ohio, Henry Ford museum in Michigan (a must see, makes the National History Museum look small) Biltmore (I forget the state) Strasburg rairoad mueum in Pa.

The Dupont Gunpowder Museum in Delaware was nice, also seasonal. Almost all of these you want good outside weather.

I could probably think of more. If it's in Pa, Md, or Va,,, I've likely been there.

[guinaevere]

Of the Science Museums I've been to around the country, the Boston Museum of Science is by far the best, as is their IMAX theatre. But that's beyond NYC.

For NYC, I'd plunk for the American Museum of Natural History and you can pretend you're Aya Brea and kill a big dinosaur as it comes to life.

To be serious, as you're not for traditional art, I'm gonna second Ace's suggestion of the Smithsonians in DC. Natural History (ROOOOAR!!!! big dinosaurs!!! way too cool) and Air & Space are two I'm dying to get to. The American History museum had a lot of pop culture shtick when I went, and quite honestly, while I love the fact that there's a picture of George Reeves from The Adventures of Superman, that wasn't what I wanted to see in my countries Historical museum. =\

Also the DC zoo is groovy, as are their gardens.

So are you driving or flying? The reason I ask, is that if you're driving, depending how far you go, you'll see billboards for battlegrounds and other sites (historical and natural). If you have that much time, check 'em out. I've had the opportunity to wander without tour guide or groups of other tourists through homesites of several presidents. These are great opportunities and experiences that I recommend to anyone. =)

[Czar Gato]

The Int'l Spy Museum is supposed to be awesome. I've been meaning to plan a trip there for some time, but my schedule never seems to free up.

The Smithsonian museums are fun, too. A word of caution, though: Don't go to the Air and Space Museum if you're like me and are deathly afraid of heights. Open staircases and escalators galore there.

Even if you don't like looking at paintings a whole lot, I'd check the National Gallery of Art out; they usually have cool and interesting visiting exhibits. Last time I went there was an Ancient Egypt exhibit with some amazing artifacts.

When it gets warmer, I'd also recommend visiting a Civil War battlefield- Lord knows there's tons of them in this area.

[guinaevere]

The Int'l Spy Museum is supposed to be awesome. I've been meaning to plan a trip there for some time, but my schedule never seems to free up.

ARGH! I knew I was forgetting something big.

[solarflere]

NYC is the only place you need to go. I'll porve it.
There is no better air and space Museum than the Aircraft Carier Intrepid: Sea Air Space Museum (Manhattan). It also has a submarine Growler that you can tour inside. It also has an SR71 Backbird, Concord you can go inside as well. It has a lot of different aircraft from many different countries and from ages, and other exibits inclidung a piece of the Berlin Wall, A Soviet Tank and a U.S. A1 Abrams Tank.
American Museum Of Natural History (Manhattan), is the best place to see...well, everything. A brand new Darwin exibit, an IMAX Theater, A Butterfly Conservatory Exibit just opened, its a controlled tropical environment, that has butterlies flying all around you. A Space Show in the Rose Center for Earth and Space. Its a giant spherical motion theater, with a circular ceiling screen that is just amizing.
Madame Tussauds Wax Museum (Manhattan),
Jewish Heritage Museum (Manhattan),
South Street Seaport Museum (Manhattan) has three amaizing sailships,
Metropolitan Museum Of Art (Manhattan),
Guggenheim Museum (Manhattan) Art museum,
Top Of The Rock Rockefeller Center observitory (Manhattan),
Empire State Building Observatory (Manhattan)
The Museum Of Television And Radio (Manhattan),
Museum Of Sex (Manhattan),
Brooklyn Museum (Brooklyn) has a great Egyptian Exibit,
right next to it is the Brooklyn Botanical Garden (Brooklyn) is a place where you can spend the entire day,
Transit Museum (Brooklyn) has old subway trains,
New Yrok Aquarium (Brooklyn) that has the exclusive Beluga whale and lots of sharks,
a newly opened New York Hall Of Science (Queens),
Queens Museum Of Art (Queens),
Worlds Greatest Zoo, the Bronx Zoo (Bronx) where animals are not in their cages but are in their natural habitats,
Liberty Island visit the Statue Of Liberty,
Ellis Island visit the oldest imigration center
That and a lot more that I am forgetting.

[sun]

I haven't been to that small burb near the Atlantic in a long time...... has a statue of some kind in a harbor (seem to remember) since 83..Solarflere's list kinda gets me to a thinken...Do they speak English there, or some kinda New Yorkese?
..Got a friend who has dared me to go there..would even put me up in a place called, New Jersey ? Is there such a place.?
///.Those of us from the Midwest don't know about that stuff..anyway..That transit museum, looks like a lot of fun..remember taking a boat to some sort of Island, staten or something like that ..Not a bad burb as they say, any plays or theater there?...time to go back no doubt...Zman,, you got a great responce here. Lots of great ideas..for both of us... ps. If I recall, my grandfather stoped at that Ellis Island place for a few weeks in l910...Guess that is why I am here.You know, that little city could be a great adventure,,they say it costs a lot to stay there though.. Oh well, maybe that guy from Jersey will come thru.

[Viper]

Solaflere forgot a couple of others: in downtown Manhattan, there's also museums devoted to NYC's police & fire departments. I believe they still give tours of City Hall as well.

As for the rest of the country, I hear Baltimore has some interesting stuff. Besides the submarines, I understand they have a Museum of Dentistry!

[solarflere]

Solaflere forgot a couple of others: in downtown Manhattan, there's also museums devoted to NYC's police & fire departments. I believe they still give tours of City Hall as well.

As for the rest of the country, I hear Baltimore has some interesting stuff. Besides the submarines, I understand they have a Museum of Dentistry!

Hey, a felow New Yorker, interesting. I beliave that those are only interesting for New Yorkers themselves. I just returned today from a outing in Manhattan, visited the two museums from my list (posted above) that I never been to but always wanted to go: Guggenheim Museum and Museum of Television and Radio. The nex museum I would want to go is the Museum of Sex, I heard that its pretty interesting there. I will go to the Queens Museum of Art as soon as they update their Panorama of the city (a miniature scale of the entire city of New York) with the new World Trade Center Bulding.
All the others on my list I have been to.

[ThePeterNetwork]

(I'm not real big on Art Museums though. While I enjoy Architecture, and the Philladelphia Museum of Art has a collection of beautiful Swords and Armor, my artistic interests lie generally outside the realm of Canvas and Statuary.)

I know you said this, but you shouldn't pass up the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art. It feels like a gallery, but MoCCA has alot more to offer than just art, especially if you are a fan of comics and comics-related materials

Check out its website to see what they have to offer: http://www.moccany.org

[solarflere]

I know you said this, but you shouldn't pass up the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art. It feels like a gallery, but MoCCA has alot more to offer than just art, especially if you are a fan of comics and comics-related materials

Check out its website to see what they have to offer: http://www.moccany.org

That is so weird, I have been looking into that museum today, but I desided to pass it up, because it occupies only 1 floor (4th) of a building in Manhattan. Its worth going there if you have some spare time, but don't dedicate a day (or half a day) for it.