*Was war, now changed to all cool and interesting* museum information requested

[fe2_o3]

  Sacramento, Ca. Railroad Museum.
  Kent, Wa. Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum

[gumpy]

Railroads: 
Durango & Silverton, Durango, CO (http://www.durangotrain.com/)
Cumbres & Toltec, Chama, NM (http://www.cumbrestoltec.com/)
Royal Gorge Scenic RR, Canon City, CO (http://www.royalgorgeroute.com/)
Hoping to do all three of these next year.

Rio Grande Scenic RR, Alamosa, CO (http://www.riograndescenicrailroad.com/)  Might have to look at this one. Looks like they have a concert at one end that you can ride the train to.

Pikes Peak Cog Railway, Colorado Springs, CO (nice view from the top if it's not snowing!)
Georgetown Loop RR, Georgetown, CO (45 miles west of Denver)
Colorado Railroad Museum, Golden, CO (http://www.coloradorailroadmuseum.org/)

Wesern lore:

Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody WY
Old Trail Town, Cody, WY
South Pass City, South Pass, WY (http://www.southpasscity.com/default.aspx)
Frontier Prison, Rawlins, WY (http://www.wyomingfrontierprison.org/)
Wyoming Territorial Prison, Laramie, WY (http://www.wyomingterritorialprison.com)

[kyle4501]

My most favorite museum when I was a kid is the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody WY  -   http://www.bbhc.org/home/   

In Columbia, SC , there is a really good museum  - http://crr.sc.gov/visit/   

In Asheville, NC  , there is the Biltmore Estate  -  http://www.biltmore.com/visit/house_gardens/house/default.asp   
I am fascinated with the advanced technology (for the time it was built) included in this private residence - you really do get a feel for how the rich lived . . .

[Don Fairchild]

There is both Gettysburg and valley forge for the civil war. I spent several days going back to valley forge. They do  reenactment during the summer. Pretty cool

[David Anderson]

Good thread.  Lots of great suggestions here.

You need to broaden your study and go to the WWI museum in Kansas City.  I was always fascinated with WWII and how the dictators came to power.  Well go to Kansas City and see all the history about WWI and you will then understand why WWII happened.  It gives great insight as to why WWI got going and explains the mess that was left after the armistice in Nov 1918.  The time between the wars was just a rest to learn how to really take each other on.  It is a great museum.

David

[stevet903]

I'll second the WWI museum in KC, I was there yesterday and today.  It's a gem, and you need a solid day to really appreciate everything there.  Even better, on Wednesdays tickets are 2 for 1, and are good for two days. 

Some other places you shouldn't miss:

Pensacola, FL - Naval Air Museum - great museum, lots of rare Naval aircraft, some restored from wrecks plucked from the Great Lakes.  Blue Angels practice behind the museum on Tues and Weds.  Best part is that it is all free!!   http://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/

Scranton, PA - Steamtown NHS - Restored roundhouse, steam excursions, tours of the locomotive restoration shops.  http://www.nps.gov/stea/

Strasburg, PA - Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania  - Lots of historic Pennsylvania rolling stock, plus the Straburg RR is across the street for a steam train ride.  http://www.rrmuseumpa.org

Mobile, AL - Battleship Alabama - The battleship, plus the park has a submarine exhibit, the USS Drum, a hangar full of WWII - Cold War aircraft, and a collection of tanks.   http://www.ussalabama.com

Wilmington, NC - Battleship North Carolina - not as much to see as the Alabama, but there are panels in each space with stories from former crew members - totally engaging reading.  http://www.battleshipnc.com

Washington, DC - Smithsonian - Tough to visit in the bus, but you could spend a week and not see it all.  The Air and Space Museum at Dulles Airport is well worth the trip.  http://www.nasm.si.edu/udvarhazy/

St. Louis, MO - Museum of Transportation - Lots of historic locomotives (over 70), including a Union Pacific Big Boy (cab is open for museum guests) and Centennial.   Unfortunately, they seem to have more stock than space, so much of the displays are outside, or closely packed on adjacent tracks.  http://transportmuseumassociation.org/

I'm sure I can think of more, but here's a start  - Steve

[stevet903]

A great place with a western theme:

Bodie, CA - Late 1800s ghost town, preserved and protected for over 40 years as a California State Park. http://www.bodie.com/

[Paladin]

Thanks everyone. I got far more than I planned or thought I would. some I knew but forgot about and some I've never heard of.
I made a pdf of this thread and saved it, someday as we get more chances we'll try to refer back to the file and hopefully be able to hit some of them. The biggest thing is just knowing that they exist and the second knowing where. After that it's easier to plan to see some of them.

-Dave 

[NewbeeMC9]

Right in Downtown Greenville, SC

http://www.americanlegion3warmuseum.com/


In Charleston, SC

http://www.hunley.org/

Ft Moultrie, Patriots Point & ft Sumter, also James Island.

http://www.patriotspoint.org/


http://www.nps.gov/fosu/historyculture/fort_moultrie.htm


Cherokee, NC     The Indian Village and "Unto these Hills" and museum at the bottom of the hill.

Dillsboro Has trains, Steam engines during the summer, they also do mountain scenic rides, dinner trains, and Whodunit? dinner trains with audience participation.  Trains go to Bryson City where there is a Model Train Museum.




The nature museum in Chas, is pretty cool,  

[junkman42]

Forney transportation museum in Denver colorado!  A bit of everything including a mountain train , aviation, cars a fabulous personal collection .  John L

[Lee Bradley]

http://www.navysealmuseum.com/ is a small museum in Fort Pierce, FL dedicated exclusively to the United States Navy SEALs and their predecessors.

http://www.montanaguard.com/museum/ another small museum in Helena, MT that includes First Special Service Force which was made up of 1,400 US and Canadian personnel. It also has the only dog parachute I have seen. The 1968 movie 'Devil's Brigade' was based on this unit.

[jok]

In Kalamazoo, Michigan (just off I-94) is the Kalamazoo AirZoo. http://www.airzoo.org    The website does not do it justice.

Aircraft include a replica of the Wright Brothers plane, a SR-71B Blackbird and many planes in between. For the past year admission has been free. The bulk of the planes are from WWII, including a P-40 Warhawk, B-25, T-28, C-47, SBD-3, FG-1D Corsair, F6F-5 Hellcat, FM-2 Wildcat, At-6 Texan and a CG-4A Glider. Newer planes include a F-14A Tomcat and FA-18A Hornet. They have a great 4D theatre featuring a WWII mission featuring a B-17 ($2.00).

There are also many interactive displays and simulators. There are also many rides for the kids ($2.00 each or $6.95 to $12.95 unlimited rides, depending on height).

The AirZoo features two large buildings and provides free guided tours. It is also the home of the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame.

I have taken my 9 year old granddaughter numerous times and she always wants to go back. She loves the rides and the hands on displays, but she also enjoys the history. I am exhausted when we leave.

John

[NewbeeMC9]

BIG NEWS!!!!!!!!!



Wheels thru Time Closed for a year and is back open!!

Awesome Motor Cycle Museum!!!  And other things too!


http://www.wheelsthroughtime.comy again to go

Uncle Ned, we try again to go.

[ktmossman]

Someone already mentioned Patriot's Point in Charleston.

Tybee Island, GA has Ft. Pulaski (Civil War) and several WWII attractions as the island was a hospital fort for the war.  There are also alot of Civil War museums/sites around Atlanta.  And Savannah has some INCREDIBLE history and beautiful restorations.

We also like the NASA facility in Huntsville, AL.

[rwc]

Gotta go see Airborne museum in Fayettevlle, NC