Museums in USA - Complete State-by-State Guide

Written and Fact-checked by | Updated On: July 09, 2026

Every state in the country has a version of the same story: a flagship museum everyone's heard of, a handful of strong regional institutions, and a few genuinely strange, small-town collections that only make sense once you're standing in front of them. This guide covers all 50 states individually, with a researched, real list of museums for each - 1266+ museums in total — rather than one generic national ranking that repeats the same twenty famous names.

Museums in USA Map

This map gives a broad view of museum density across the country - for a usable, zoomed-in map of any single state, visit that state's page below, where each has its own dedicated map.

Museum Name Location Category Lat, Long Official Website
Metropolitan Museum of ArtNew York, NYArt40.7794, -73.9632https://www.metmuseum.org
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)New York, NYModern Art40.7614, -73.9776https://www.moma.org
American Museum of Natural HistoryNew York, NYNatural History40.7813, -73.9735https://www.amnh.org
Solomon R. Guggenheim MuseumNew York, NYArt40.7830, -73.9590https://www.guggenheim.org
Whitney Museum of American ArtNew York, NYArt40.7396, -74.0089https://whitney.org
Art Institute of ChicagoChicago, ILArt41.8796, -87.6237https://www.artic.edu
Field MuseumChicago, ILNatural History41.8663, -87.6170https://www.fieldmuseum.org
Museum of Science and IndustryChicago, ILScience41.7906, -87.5831https://www.msichicago.org
Getty CenterLos Angeles, CAArt34.0780, -118.4741https://www.getty.edu
Los Angeles County Museum of ArtLos Angeles, CAArt34.0638, -118.3589https://www.lacma.org
The Getty VillaMalibu, CAAncient Art34.0453, -118.5647https://www.getty.edu
California Science CenterLos Angeles, CAScience34.0158, -118.2889https://californiasciencecenter.org
de Young MuseumSan Francisco, CAArt37.7715, -122.4687https://deyoung.famsf.org
Legion of HonorSan Francisco, CAArt37.7845, -122.5008https://legionofhonor.famsf.org
ExploratoriumSan Francisco, CAScience37.8014, -122.3977https://www.exploratorium.edu
National Air and Space MuseumWashington, DCAviation38.8882, -77.0199https://airandspace.si.edu
National Museum of Natural HistoryWashington, DCNatural History38.8913, -77.0261https://naturalhistory.si.edu
National Museum of American HistoryWashington, DCHistory38.8913, -77.0300https://americanhistory.si.edu
National Gallery of ArtWashington, DCArt38.8913, -77.0199https://www.nga.gov
National Museum of African American History and CultureWashington, DCHistory38.8913, -77.0328https://nmaahc.si.edu
United States Holocaust Memorial MuseumWashington, DCHistory38.8868, -77.0325https://www.ushmm.org
Hirshhorn MuseumWashington, DCModern Art38.8894, -77.0229https://hirshhorn.si.edu
National Museum of the American IndianWashington, DCHistory38.8887, -77.0165https://americanindian.si.edu
National Portrait GalleryWashington, DCArt38.8980, -77.0234https://npg.si.edu
Smithsonian American Art MuseumWashington, DCArt38.8980, -77.0234https://americanart.si.edu
The BroadLos Angeles, CAContemporary Art34.0544, -118.2506https://www.thebroad.org
Perez Art Museum MiamiMiami, FLContemporary Art25.7858, -80.1864https://www.pamm.org
Vizcaya Museum & GardensMiami, FLHistoric House25.7440, -80.2105https://vizcaya.org
The RinglingSarasota, FLArt27.3875, -82.5506https://www.ringling.org
Perot Museum of Nature and ScienceDallas, TXScience32.7868, -96.8067https://www.perotmuseum.org
Houston Museum of Natural ScienceHouston, TXNatural History29.7215, -95.3881https://www.hmns.org
Museum of Fine Arts, HoustonHouston, TXArt29.7256, -95.3905https://www.mfah.org
The Sixth Floor MuseumDallas, TXHistory32.7791, -96.8086https://www.jfk.org
National WWII MuseumNew Orleans, LAMilitary History29.9434, -90.0701https://www.nationalww2museum.org
Denver Art MuseumDenver, COArt39.7372, -104.9893https://www.denverartmuseum.org
Museum of Pop CultureSeattle, WAPop Culture47.6215, -122.3481https://www.mopop.org
The Museum of FlightSeattle, WAAviation47.5179, -122.2964https://www.museumofflight.org
Seattle Art MuseumSeattle, WAArt47.6073, -122.3381https://www.seattleartmuseum.org
Phoenix Art MuseumPhoenix, AZArt33.4669, -112.0729https://phxart.org
Desert Botanical GardenPhoenix, AZBotanical33.4606, -111.9448https://dbg.org
Philadelphia Museum of ArtPhiladelphia, PAArt39.9656, -75.1809https://philamuseum.org
Barnes FoundationPhiladelphia, PAArt39.9609, -75.1720https://www.barnesfoundation.org
Cleveland Museum of ArtCleveland, OHArt41.5086, -81.6116https://www.clevelandart.org
Detroit Institute of ArtsDetroit, MIArt42.3594, -83.0645https://dia.org
Saint Louis Art MuseumSt. Louis, MOArt38.6393, -90.2946https://www.slam.org
Crystal Bridges Museum of American ArtBentonville, ARArt36.3729, -94.2088https://crystalbridges.org
Milwaukee Public MuseumMilwaukee, WINatural History43.0408, -87.9158https://www.mpm.edu
Minneapolis Institute of ArtMinneapolis, MNArt44.9584, -93.2744https://new.artsmia.org
Fernbank Museum of Natural HistoryAtlanta, GANatural History33.7737, -84.3368https://fernbankmuseum.org
North Carolina Museum of Natural SciencesRaleigh, NCNatural History35.7823, -78.6391https://naturalsciences.org
Museum of Fine Arts, BostonBoston, MAArt42.3394, -71.0942https://www.mfa.org
Carnegie Museum of Natural HistoryPittsburgh, PANatural History40.4438, -79.9501https://carnegiemnh.org
Carnegie Museum of ArtPittsburgh, PAArt40.4438, -79.9501https://cmoa.org
Museum of the RockiesBozeman, MTNatural History45.6662, -111.0454https://museumoftherockies.org
Gilcrease MuseumTulsa, OKAmerican Art36.1618, -96.0158https://gilcrease.org
Philbrook Museum of ArtTulsa, OKArt36.1032, -95.9678https://philbrook.org
National Cowboy & Western Heritage MuseumOklahoma City, OKHistory35.5422, -97.4803https://nationalcowboymuseum.org
Oklahoma City Museum of ArtOklahoma City, OKArt35.4695, -97.5213https://www.okcmoa.com
Nelson-Atkins Museum of ArtKansas City, MOArt39.0433, -94.5803https://nelson-atkins.org
Kemper Museum of Contemporary ArtKansas City, MOContemporary Art39.0428, -94.5848https://www.kemperart.org
Cincinnati Art MuseumCincinnati, OHArt39.1133, -84.4965https://www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org
Toledo Museum of ArtToledo, OHArt41.6588, -83.5554https://toledomuseum.org
Indianapolis Museum of Art at NewfieldsIndianapolis, INArt39.8268, -86.1867https://discovernewfields.org
Eiteljorg MuseumIndianapolis, INWestern & Native Art39.7685, -86.1688https://eiteljorg.org
Speed Art MuseumLouisville, KYArt38.2181, -85.7636https://www.speedmuseum.org
Kentucky Derby MuseumLouisville, KYSports History38.2026, -85.7700https://www.derbymuseum.org
Birmingham Museum of ArtBirmingham, ALArt33.5248, -86.8104https://artsbma.org
U.S. Space & Rocket CenterHuntsville, ALSpace34.7110, -86.6506https://www.rocketcenter.com
Mobile Museum of ArtMobile, ALArt30.6914, -88.1378https://www.mobilemuseumofart.com
Anchorage MuseumAnchorage, AKHistory & Art61.2181, -149.8938https://www.anchoragemuseum.org
Museum of Northern ArizonaFlagstaff, AZNatural History35.2337, -111.6637https://musnaz.org
Heard MuseumPhoenix, AZNative American33.4718, -112.0738https://heard.org
Arizona-Sonora Desert MuseumTucson, AZNature32.2420, -111.1663https://www.desertmuseum.org
Museum of DiscoveryLittle Rock, ARScience34.7466, -92.2673https://museumofdiscovery.org
Bishop MuseumHonolulu, HIHistory21.3331, -157.8701https://www.bishopmuseum.org
Honolulu Museum of ArtHonolulu, HIArt21.3047, -157.8503https://honolulumuseum.org
Idaho Museum of Natural HistoryPocatello, IDNatural History42.8650, -112.4292https://imnh.isu.edu
Boise Art MuseumBoise, IDArt43.6155, -116.2023https://boiseartmuseum.org
Peoria Riverfront MuseumPeoria, ILHistory & Science40.6936, -89.5870https://www.peoriariverfrontmuseum.org
Figge Art MuseumDavenport, IAArt41.5212, -90.5662https://figgeartmuseum.org
Spencer Museum of ArtLawrence, KSArt38.9590, -95.2448https://spencerart.ku.edu
Portland Art MuseumPortland, ORArt45.5161, -122.6836https://portlandartmuseum.org
Oregon Museum of Science and IndustryPortland, ORScience45.5080, -122.6653https://omsi.edu
Jordan Schnitzer Museum of ArtEugene, ORArt44.0456, -123.0722https://jsma.uoregon.edu
RISD MuseumProvidence, RIArt41.8268, -71.4070https://risdmuseum.org
Newport Art MuseumNewport, RIArt41.4836, -71.3117https://newportartmuseum.org
Gibbes Museum of ArtCharleston, SCArt32.7790, -79.9310https://www.gibbesmuseum.org
South Carolina State MuseumColumbia, SCHistory34.0084, -81.0439https://scmuseum.org
Tennessee State MuseumNashville, TNHistory36.1679, -86.7872https://tnmuseum.org
Frist Art MuseumNashville, TNArt36.1578, -86.7830https://fristartmuseum.org
Memphis Brooks Museum of ArtMemphis, TNArt35.1426, -90.0015https://www.brooksmuseum.org
Bullock Texas State History MuseumAustin, TXHistory30.2805, -97.7393https://www.thestoryoftexas.com
Blanton Museum of ArtAustin, TXArt30.2807, -97.7378https://blantonmuseum.org
Natural History Museum of UtahSalt Lake City, UTNatural History40.7647, -111.8224https://nhmu.utah.edu
Shelburne MuseumShelburne, VTHistory44.3825, -73.2296https://shelburnemuseum.org
Virginia Museum of Fine ArtsRichmond, VAArt37.5558, -77.4743https://vmfa.museum
Chrysler Museum of ArtNorfolk, VAArt36.8528, -76.2928https://chrysler.org
Virginia Living MuseumNewport News, VANatural History37.0760, -76.4824https://thevlm.org
Milwaukee Art MuseumMilwaukee, WIArt43.0392, -87.8972https://mam.org
National Museum of Wildlife ArtJackson, WYWildlife Art43.4795, -110.7636https://www.wildlifeart.org
Buffalo Bill Center of the WestCody, WYHistory44.5260, -109.0565https://centerofthewest.org

Select any state below to open its full museum guide - each page lists real, individually researched museums with city, category, and what makes each one worth the stop, plus a map and sources specific to that state.

Browse Museums by State

A

StateMuseumsWhat Stands Out
Alabama25Civil rights history in Birmingham and Montgomery, rocket science in Huntsville.
Alaska25Small, often seasonal museums built around specific Native cultures and Arctic science.
Arizona25Indigenous art in Phoenix, Cold War history at a real missile silo near Tucson.
Arkansas25Crystal Bridges put Bentonville on the art-world map; Little Rock covers the rest.

C

StateMuseumsWhat Stands Out
California41From LACMA and the Getty to the Winchester Mystery House — the country's largest museum scene.
Colorado25Denver's art and science museums anchor a state also rich in mining and railroad history.
Connecticut25Whaling fortunes and insurance money built some of New England's oldest public museums.

D

StateMuseumsWhat Stands Out
Delaware25Almost entirely a du Pont family story, told across three connected estates near Wilmington.

F

StateMuseumsWhat Stands Out
Florida25Dalí in St. Petersburg, rockets at Kennedy Space Center, Gilded Age mansions in Palm Beach.

G

StateMuseumsWhat Stands Out
Georgia25Atlanta's civil rights and Coca-Cola history sit blocks apart downtown.

H

StateMuseumsWhat Stands Out
Hawaii25Native Hawaiian cultural institutions and WWII memorial sites across four islands.

I

StateMuseumsWhat Stands Out
Idaho25Small and specific — a museum for potatoes, one for cleaning products, one for TV's birthplace.
Illinois25Chicago's Museum Campus alone would anchor most states' entire museum scene.
Indiana25The world's largest children's museum pairs with a century of Indy 500 race cars.
Iowa25Small-town and personal — Hoover's actual boyhood farm, hand-carved clocks by Czech immigrants.

K

StateMuseumsWhat Stands Out
Kansas25Splits almost evenly between Cold War space history and Old West cattle towns.
Kentucky25Louisville's 'Museum Row' covers bourbon, baseball bats, and the Kentucky Derby in one walk.

L

StateMuseumsWhat Stands Out
Louisiana25Nearly all in New Orleans, anchored by the country's official National WWII Museum.

M

StateMuseumsWhat Stands Out
Maine25Art colonies and shipbuilding — Wyeth family collections next to a working historic shipyard.
Maryland25Baltimore's Inner Harbor pairs a free encyclopedic art museum with a top aquarium.
Massachusetts25Boston's density is hard to beat, with the Berkshires offering a completely different art scene out west.
Michigan25Detroit's rise as an industrial and cultural capital, told through art and actual Motown history.
Minnesota25The Twin Cities split cleanly — Minneapolis leans art and music, St. Paul leans science and history.
Mississippi25Jackson's Two Mississippi Museums opened together for the state's bicentennial in 2017.
Missouri25Kansas City claims the National WWI Museum; St. Louis counters with City Museum's salvaged architecture.
Montana25Dinosaurs in Bozeman, an actual former mine you can walk through in Butte.

N

StateMuseumsWhat Stands Out
Nebraska25Omaha's Art Deco train station and Cold War bomber base carry most of the state's museum weight.
Nevada25Las Vegas leans into neon signs and mob history; Reno and Carson City stay more traditional.
New Hampshire25Compact and specific — a ten-acre living neighborhood in Portsmouth, a real Shaker village.
New Jersey25Edison's actual working laboratory sits an hour from a 42-acre outdoor sculpture park.
New Mexico25Santa Fe's Museum Hill packs four major museums within walking distance of each other.
New York25NYC's world-famous institutions, plus Cooperstown's baseball museum and the Hudson Valley's land-art spaces.
North Carolina25Raleigh, Durham, and Charlotte each carry a distinct piece of the state's museum identity.
North Dakota25A life-sized T. rex cast in Bismarck; a French aristocrat's frontier ranch in Medora.

O

StateMuseumsWhat Stands Out
Ohio25Cleveland's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Dayton's massive military aviation collection.
Oklahoma25Oklahoma City and Tulsa both lean hard into Western and Native American history.
Oregon25Portland ranges from genuinely world-class to deliberately absurd, often within the same neighborhood.

P

StateMuseumsWhat Stands Out
Pennsylvania25Philadelphia's famous steps and Pittsburgh's Warhol Museum give the state two distinct identities.

R

StateMuseumsWhat Stands Out
Rhode Island25Newport's Gilded Age mansions sit near Pawtucket's Slater Mill, where American industry began.

S

StateMuseumsWhat Stands Out
South Carolina25Charleston's 1773 Charleston Museum is generally considered the country's first museum.
South Dakota25Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse draw the crowds; smaller museums hold real surprises.

T

StateMuseumsWhat Stands Out
Tennessee25Nashville and Memphis carry the state's identity almost entirely through music and civil rights history.
Texas25Genuinely enormous in scope — Houston's Museum District alone packs in 17 institutions.

U

StateMuseumsWhat Stands Out
Utah25Salt Lake City splits between Mormon pioneer history and serious natural science collections.

V

StateMuseumsWhat Stands Out
Vermont25Shelburne's 45-acre village of relocated buildings dominates the state's museum landscape.
Virginia25Colonial Williamsburg anchors the largest living-history museum in the world.

W

StateMuseumsWhat Stands Out
Washington25Seattle's range runs from world-class to deliberately eclectic, often within blocks of each other.
West Virginia25An actual retired coal mine you can tour underground with former miners as guides.
Wisconsin25Milwaukee's Calatrava-winged art museum anchors a state that also has a mustard museum.
Wyoming25Cody's Buffalo Bill Center is really five museums under one roof.
Fact Details
Estimated Number of MuseumsThe United States is home to more than 35,000 museums, making it one of the largest museum networks in the world.
Oldest MuseumThe Charleston Museum in Charleston, South Carolina, founded in 1773, is recognized as America's oldest museum.
Largest Museum ComplexThe Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, comprising 21 museums, the National Zoo, libraries, and research centers.
Most Visited Art MuseumThe Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is among the most visited art museums in the United States.
Free AdmissionMany Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C., offer free admission throughout the year.
Most Common Museum TypeHistory museums are the most common museum category in the United States, followed by art and science museums.
Popular CategoriesArt, History, Natural History, Science, Children's, Aviation, Maritime, Military, Railroads, Native American, and Technology museums.
Largest Museum CollectionThe Smithsonian Institution preserves more than 150 million artifacts, specimens, artworks, and historical objects.
Museum AccreditationOnly about 1,100 museums in the U.S. are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), representing a small percentage of all museums.
State with Most MuseumsCalifornia has the highest number of museums in the United States, followed by New York and Texas.
Largest Art Museum BuildingThe Metropolitan Museum of Art spans over 2 million square feet of gallery and exhibition space.
Most Famous Museum DistrictThe National Mall in Washington, D.C., is home to many of the nation's most visited museums.
Interactive MuseumsScience centers and children's museums feature hands-on exhibits designed for learning through interaction.
Living History MuseumsThe U.S. has numerous living history museums where interpreters recreate historical lifestyles and events.
Presidential MuseumsEvery U.S. presidential library includes a museum dedicated to the life and legacy of the president.
National Park MuseumsMany National Park Service sites include museums showcasing archaeology, geology, wildlife, and American history.
Digital CollectionsThousands of U.S. museums provide online access to millions of digitized artworks and historical collections.
Educational RoleMuseums host educational programs, guided tours, workshops, lectures, and school field trips throughout the year.
Economic ImpactAmerican museums support tourism, create jobs, and contribute billions of dollars annually to local and national economies.
Museum WeekInternational Museum Day is celebrated annually on May 18, while many U.S. museums also participate in Museum Week events.
Best Time to Visit Most MuseumsWeekdays and mornings; many small-town and seasonal museums have limited off-season hours

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