USA TODAY 10Best
Learn from the past: 10 best history museums in the US
Best History Museum (2023)
Whether you’re interested in American history or millennia of human history, you can learn a lot about the past with a visit to one of these incredible history museums, voted by readers as 10 the best in the United States for 2023.
- The National WWII Museum - New Orleans, Louisiana
- Buffalo Bill Center of the West - Cody, Wyoming
- El Paso Museum of History - El Paso, Texas
- Fruitlands Museum - Harvard, Massachusetts
- Museum of the American Revolution - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Cincinnati History Museum - Cincinnati, Ohio
- Mill City Museum - Minneapolis, Minnesota
- National Infantry Museum & Soldier Center - Columbus, Georgia
- Heinz History Center - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- National Underground Railroad Freedom Center - Cincinnati, Ohio
Photo courtesy of The National WWII Museum
No. 10:
The extensive and often interactive exhibits at The National WWII Museum bring to life the events of the latest World War and its aftermath. The collection includes vintage propaganda posters, oral histories from more than 9,000 military personnel, a 4D theater and a collection of wartime aircraft.
Photo courtesy of The Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Cody, Wyoming, USA
No. 9:
The Buffalo Bill Center of the West comprises five smaller museums, each covering a facet of the American West: the Draper National History Museum, Plains Indian Museum, Buffalo Bill Museum, Whitney Western Art Museum and Cody Firearms Museum.
Photo courtesy of iStock / Sean Pavone
No. 8:
The El Paso Museum of History educates visitors about the multicultural and multinational history of the border region known as El Paso del Norte (The Pass of the North) through exhibits and a collection of artifacts. It's also home to DIGIE, an interactive digital wall that's 35 feet in length. It's the only wall of its kind in the entire U.S. and hosts images and videos that let you explore El Paso’s past and present.
Photo courtesy of Courtesy of The Trustees
No. 7:
The Fruitlands Museum preserves the story of an 1843 Transcendentalist experiment in subsistence farming and self-reliance inspired by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Although the community lasted only seven months, today, the 210-acre property includes an original farmhouse, the Shaker Museum, the Native American Museum and an art museum.
Photo courtesy of Courtesy of the Museum of the American Revolution
No. 6:
Any visit to Independence Hall in Philadelphia isn't complete without a stop at the Museum of American Revolution, located steps away. The museum offers immersive galleries, a vast collection of period objects, and programs to help visitors gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the forming of this nation and its ongoing commitment to liberty and equality.
Photo courtesy of Cincinnati Museum Center
No. 5:
From early settlers to present day, explore the story of Cincinnati at the Cincinnati History Museum. Visitors can step back in time to the 1850s with a recreation of a riverside street and market, as well as learn about traditions found only in Cincinnati, such as Cincinnati chili.
Photo courtesy of John Cross / Minnesota Historical Society
No. 4:
The Mill City Museum on the Mississippi riverfront was built within what's left of Washburn A Mill, a National Historic Landmark. It was once the largest and most advanced flour mill on the planet, turning Minneapolis into the flour milling capital of the world from 1880 to 1930. Now, visitors can learn all about that period of history through tours and hands-on exhibits.
Photo courtesy of Jay Rosenblatt / National Infantry Museum & Soldier Center
No. 3:
Visitors to the National Infantry Museum & Soldier Center in Columbus are guided through the last 240 years of U.S. military history with a collection of more than 70,000 artifacts. It's one of the world's top military museums and one of the top-rated attractions in Columbus.
Photo courtesy of Heinz History Center
No. 2:
The Heinz History Center preserves the history of Western Pennsylvanians and helps educate visitors with interactive exhibits spread across six floors. A highlight is the "Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood" exhibit, which houses artifacts from the popular children's show that was filmed in Pittsburgh. You'll get to see the welcoming living room set, The Great Oak Tree, King Friday XIII’s Castle and plenty of other notable items.
Photo courtesy of National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
No. 1:
Located on the banks of the Ohio River near downtown Cincinnati, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center reveals the moving stories of the Underground Railroad, Martin Luther King's march from Selma, and the millions of people still enslaved in the world today.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Allison Tibaldi
Allison Tibaldi is a travel and food writer based... Read More
Allison Tibaldi is a travel and food writer based in New York City. She has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne Australia, Toronto and Los Angeles. She studied early childhood development in graduate school and firmly believes that travel is the best education. She writes for numerous publications including CNN, Travel Channel, HGTV, am New York, Emirates Open Skies, Family Traveller and Travel Weekly.
Allison Tibaldi
Allison Tibaldi is a travel and food writer based in New York City. She has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne Australia, Toronto and Los Angeles. She studied early childhood development in graduate school and firmly believes that travel is the best education. She writes for numerous publications including CNN, Travel Channel, HGTV, am New York, Emirates Open Skies, Family Traveller and Travel Weekly.
Amber Gibson
Amber Gibson spends 350 nights a year in hotels... Read More
Amber Gibson spends 350 nights a year in hotels searching for the latest and greatest in the travel industry. Her writing and photographs have appeared in print, online, and on the radio for outlets including Forbes, National Geographic Traveler, Departures, Four Seasons Magazine, Conde Nast Traveller, NPR, Saveur, Departures, Rhapsody, Hemispheres, American Way, Private Air, and Serious Eats. She graduated as valedictorian from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and received a fellowship to attend the 2017 Wine Writers Symposium at Meadowood Napa Valley. Champagne, dark chocolate and gelato are her biggest weaknesses.
Amber Gibson
Amber Gibson spends 350 nights a year in hotels searching for the latest and greatest in the travel industry. Her writing and photographs have appeared in print, online, and on the radio for outlets including Forbes, National Geographic Traveler, Departures, Four Seasons Magazine, Conde Nast Traveller, NPR, Saveur, Departures, Rhapsody, Hemispheres, American Way, Private Air, and Serious Eats. She graduated as valedictorian from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and received a fellowship to attend the 2017 Wine Writers Symposium at Meadowood Napa Valley. Champagne, dark chocolate and gelato are her biggest weaknesses.
Chez Chesak
‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor... Read More
‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, an adventure travel writer, board member of the Society of American Travel Writers and 22-year veteran of the outdoor and travel industries. While he’s lived all over the U.S. and traveled to more than 30 countries, he has the most fun when he’s exploring with his wife Sally and two daughters. An avid outdoors person, he’s happiest on a trail, on skis, or nestled into a sleeping bag. Learn more about him and his work at www.chezconnects.com.
Chez Chesak
‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, an adventure travel writer, board member of the Society of American Travel Writers and 22-year veteran of the outdoor and travel industries. While he’s lived all over the U.S. and traveled to more than 30 countries, he has the most fun when he’s exploring with his wife Sally and two daughters. An avid outdoors person, he’s happiest on a trail, on skis, or nestled into a sleeping bag. Learn more about him and his work at www.chezconnects.com.
Corinne Whiting
Corinne hails from the other Washington, where she... Read More
Corinne hails from the other Washington, where she caught the travel bug early on. Corinne studied abroad in Strasbourg, France (undergrad) and in Edinburgh, Scotland (graduate school). She's backpacked around Australia, taught English in Argentina and explored (so far!) countries from Cambodia and Egypt to Turkey and China. Corinne served as associate editor at Where magazine for five years; as a freelancer, she now writes for publications like National Geographic Traveler and Amtrak's OnTrak. Here in the lovely Northwest, she's attempting to debunk the rain myths, up her coffee and live music quotient and find her Zen near/on the water.
Corinne Whiting
Corinne hails from the other Washington, where she caught the travel bug early on. Corinne studied abroad in Strasbourg, France (undergrad) and in Edinburgh, Scotland (graduate school). She's backpacked around Australia, taught English in Argentina and explored (so far!) countries from Cambodia and Egypt to Turkey and China. Corinne served as associate editor at Where magazine for five years; as a freelancer, she now writes for publications like National Geographic Traveler and Amtrak's OnTrak. Here in the lovely Northwest, she's attempting to debunk the rain myths, up her coffee and live music quotient and find her Zen near/on the water.
Deborah Fallows
Deborah Fallows is a writer and a linguist. She is... Read More
Deborah Fallows is a writer and a linguist. She is the co-author with her husband, James Fallows, of the national best-selling book, Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America, published in May, 2018. Our Towns, the HBO documentary based on the book was released in April, 2021. They recently launched the Our Towns Civic Foundation to support renewal efforts of communities across America. Deb has written extensively on language, culture, travel, and China for The Atlantic, National Geographic, Slate, The New York Times and The Washington Monthly. Her previous book, Dreaming in Chinese: Mandarin Lessons in Life, Love, and Language, is based on her 3-year experience living and working in China.
Deborah Fallows
Deborah Fallows is a writer and a linguist. She is the co-author with her husband, James Fallows, of the national best-selling book, Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America, published in May, 2018. Our Towns, the HBO documentary based on the book was released in April, 2021. They recently launched the Our Towns Civic Foundation to support renewal efforts of communities across America. Deb has written extensively on language, culture, travel, and China for The Atlantic, National Geographic, Slate, The New York Times and The Washington Monthly. Her previous book, Dreaming in Chinese: Mandarin Lessons in Life, Love, and Language, is based on her 3-year experience living and working in China.
Kyle McCarthy
Kyle McCarthy is the co-founder and editor of... Read More
Kyle McCarthy is the co-founder and editor of Family Travel Forum, the trusted resource for family vacation planners since 1996. FTF’s award-winning publications: MyFamilyTravels.com, America’s Most Popular Family Vacations and The Family Vacationist e-newsletter provide destination reviews, tips and seasonal roundups for all aspects of travel. Ms. McCarthy, author of a dozen Frommer’s guidebooks, also contributes to US News, CNN and other publications. She can be found on most social networks @familytravelforum.
Kyle McCarthy
Kyle McCarthy is the co-founder and editor of Family Travel Forum, the trusted resource for family vacation planners since 1996. FTF’s award-winning publications: MyFamilyTravels.com, America’s Most Popular Family Vacations and The Family Vacationist e-newsletter provide destination reviews, tips and seasonal roundups for all aspects of travel. Ms. McCarthy, author of a dozen Frommer’s guidebooks, also contributes to US News, CNN and other publications. She can be found on most social networks @familytravelforum.
Marla Cimini
Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion... Read More
Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures! An avid globetrotter and guidebook writer, she has covered topics such as the Hawaiian islands (including food trends and luxury beachfront resorts), as well as European getaways and global destinations. Her articles have appeared in many publications worldwide, including USA Today. Marla lives in New Jersey (Philadelphia area) and is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Southern California, and often covers those destinations. Her travel website is: www.marlacimini.com
Marla Cimini
Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures! An avid globetrotter and guidebook writer, she has covered topics such as the Hawaiian islands (including food trends and luxury beachfront resorts), as well as European getaways and global destinations. Her articles have appeared in many publications worldwide, including USA Today. Marla lives in New Jersey (Philadelphia area) and is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Southern California, and often covers those destinations. Her travel website is: www.marlacimini.com
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
